Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-04-07
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence Of the Alexandra 0aSet.e
Washington, d. c., April q

| Correspondence OF the :,
Washington, d. c., April q
Adiutant General Henry c. Corbin,
on onnlicant for admission to member
sbin of the Metropolitan Club OF this
city was turned down last night Tor Tue
third time. The Metropolitan Club Is a
very exclusive social organization. Its
members have, among other prejudices,
an antipathy to men in trade. Not long
AGO they turned down wealthy mer-
chant and philanthropist OF Washington,
because of his connection with the mer-
camille world. General Corbin mace
his first attempt to break in shortly after
that. but soon recognized the futility OF
his endeavors and withdrew. After that
he began a systematic campaign for adj
mission. Once since he was endorsed,
but for the last attempt he arrayed some
prominent men in his behalf. General
Wood and General Young, his bosom
friends, interviewed members and were
inclined to believe that the opposition
had dwindled away. His name was
therefore posted once more. A spirited
campaign was waged. President Roose-
welt is said 70 have written the board OF
governors, asking friendly action; Cardi-
nal Gibbons, through the influence OF
Mrs. Corbin, was also drawn into the
contest. Captain Cowles, President
Roosevelt's brother-in-law, was his ardent
champion. 1t was all without avail.
When the governors met last night they
had before them petitions representing
nearly 80 per cent of the membership of
the club, protesting against Corbin's
election. Many of these petitions were
formal, Others came in the shape of per-
sOnal letters, still other protests were OF a
verbal character. Some of them made spe-
cific charges; most OF them confined them
selves to General Corbin's brusqueness
of demeanOr and his alleged disregard of
the nice conventionalties, which Metro
politan Club members hold in such high
regard. The question was debated for
nearly two hours. At the end of that
time Paymaster-General Bates, COrbin's
sponsor, withdrew his name. General
Corbin once before was unfortunate in
a matter of this kind. He is said to
have been refused admission to the Union
Club of New York some time ago. His
present desire to become member OF
the Metropolitan is said to have been
born during his recent visit abroad.
While in England General Roberts en-
tertained him at a number Of exclusive
social clubs. General Roberts then said
that he would visit this country, and
General Corbin was DESTROYS of recipro
eating in kind, a task which now will be
assumed by another, with Corbin merely
as an invited guest, instead of host.
Though the Navy Department has been
guarding the matter with the utmost care
to keep the facts from becoming known,
the information has now become public
that, while at target practice at Culebra
in the West Indies, the new battleship
Maine developed structural weakness in
her gun positions and in the roller paths
of the turrets. For this reason the big
battleship sailed yesterday from San
Juan for Hampton Roads, where she
will be examined.
Mr.. Algernon Daingerfield will be
clerk of the course and associate judge at
Pimlico's spring meeting to follow Ben
ming.
Senator John w. Daniel is in the city
looking aftOr somo ofliOial hnsinosO. He
will be here day or two, the guest OF
his son.
The President has appointed Alvin
Hovey King, of Illinois; Geo. Alexander
Deering, of Washington and William
G. Frite, of Georgia, to be assistant pay
masters in the navy from April 6.
The Secretary of the Treasury has
selected the Baptist Church site upon
which to erect the new public building
for Atlanta, Ga. The price paid is
$l99, 700.
Robert Foestsch, employed as watch
man in the War Department, committed
suicide by shooting himself in the Wind
er building today.
Joseph II. Brown was today sentenced
to one year in the district Jail for steal
ing gold nuggest from the National
Museum.
As a result of the administrative inyestiga-
ton being conducted by acting Postmaster
General Wynne il is announced that the
auditing of special accounts in the POstoffice
Department will no longer be by courtesy, as
tas been the case in the past. Ii has been
disclosed that this system, in which certain
accounts were always given the benefit of the
doubt when it came to a close construction of
the law, will no longer prevail. Instead the
auditors Office has been instructed to scruti-
nize carefully each item. In this way it is
expected TO largely curtail the lavish expen-
ditures, which, it is alleged, has marked the
operation of certain divisions. 1t has been
further disclosed that certain postmasters,
especially in the larger citizens, have been
unwttingly violating the law by apportiOn-
ing the total money appropriation for their
department as they deemed best, and regard
less of any specific purposes of the appropria-
ton as passed by Congress. They must here.
after confine themselves to the strict letter of
the law.