Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, February 22, 1883, Image 1
* * , rfa * ar VT F OMAHA TAILY 44" ' " /J / TWELFTH YEAH J'1' ' ' OiAlAHA NEB THURSDAY MORNING FEBRUARY 22 1883 051 F THE NATIOHAL CAPITAL , Tlie Oloufl Sharps of tin Ooun- try Palled Over the Oon- Goals , The Pennsylvania Dutchman Doua the "Muniments of Wai" and Tackloa Hazen. "While Logan Signals the Chief Log-RoJlor toE > .ep O'fl His Tooa. V A Decidedly Gloomy Prospect For Doreoy "nd Hia Coparo. i. " \ U ' | / , The HOUBO Comicje Vigor ously Defends 6be Fa mous Harbor Bill , And Impeach the Action of tlio President and Soore- tary of War. A Chapter From the Census Doings of Congress and Other Matters. CAPITA ! , NOTES. Special Dispatches to Tnx BIB. 'INDICATIONS OFABTOUM. WASHINGTON , February 21. The affairs of the signal aorvlca bureau were under discussion in both houses of congress to-day. In the senate , Logan , while disclaiming any hostility to the signal corps , said he had boon attacked In newspaper articles written In the signal service office and paid for with government money. This he could prove. In the house Mr. Beltz- hoover attacked the administration of the signal bureau nndor Hazon. THE TARIFF BILL as it passed the senate has been trans mitted to the house , placad on the speaker's table and ordered printed. COLLECTION DISTRICTS. The sub-committee of the senate committee on appropriations wore en- gagad to-day upon the legislation ap propriation bill. Commissioner B/anm was before them opposing the propo sition Incorporated in the bill by the S * house to roduuo the number of In- i ternal revenue diatrlctn from 120 to 82. The commissioner stated that the proposed consolidation fould not lessen the expenses ot collecting the revenue , but would very seriously dis arrange the machinery of the aorvlce , which now was working very satisfac torily. u - w- - ' General Badger was nominated for collector of , customa at New Gr it leans. ( , , CONTESTED SEATS. The elections committed prrotioally de9lded , since It will-be Impossible to consider all the contested eleotiona .thia y i < i < > i , .t nt th y ba 'ullow.ed tq t go otfor for action by theTorty-elgtttli congress. The consular and diplomatic ap propriation bill waa agreed to In con ference. IT LOOKS DABK ENOUGH ' for the star route defendants just now , though the impression prevails ttiat X while the jury In the case will brln'g In a verdict t f guilty , the court in bane , to which the case will ba ap pealed , will set aside tha verdict on aomo of the numerous exceptions taken , and the swindlers 'will thus es cape. Others , again , say it is more t , likely they will avoid the panlten- tiary by forfeiting their ball and fall- I ing into Mexico. I THE SAN TEANCISCO POSTOmOE. Gon. Roeccrana said to-night there waa still a chance to get the Sin Francisco postcilice bill through this session , though it got smaller and smaller each day. Senator Miller will have it put on the sundry civil bill , when It is considered In the senate aa an amendment. If he succeeds , Jloso- crans says ho is confident the house will concur in it. MINEUAL PRODUCTION. The second edition of the compen dium cf the census will bo published ' . From advance sheeta < ,0 a few days. It appears that the total production qf gold for census this year was , $33 , 609,003 , and of silver $47,170.957. The report states that in addition to the returns reclvod directly from the mines , there are several minor points to bo Included in the total yield , "While it is impossible to state the ac tual amount absorbed with any degree of precision , a careful estimate would placa the valco of gold nnggots and ore annually added to the cablnett of collections at not less than $160,000 , nnd that of ailvoi at about 850,030. This in view of the great number of mineral oallootior maintained throughout the mlnla ; territory Is certainly not an over es tlmato. Thorn is quite an oxtouslvi manufacture cf gold quartz Into JBW elry and souvenirs , particularly li San Francisco. The valued of meta so absorbed probably does not fal short of $50,000 annually. In 1871 the United States mining commls sioncr estimated the amount of goli hoarded aa specimens or worked up b ; local jewelers at $40,000. The aam authority at that period estimate * the annual loss of gold due in handling as currency at $10DOOC but the practice of using dust fn money has almost disappeared. Th amount ao lost now Is very small Another Indefinite quantity lo th value of precious metal lost In mol ing , in assay , grains , etc. The stud ot the relation of the production t population developi some ourlot figures , ranging from an averse < 1.01 par capita in Nevada , the into venlug series indicating with groi precision to what extent saining is factor of wealth in tha several local ties. The product pjr square ml varies from 1 cent in the case of Ahska to $185,20 In Colo- orado , the iritot mediate averages formintr another standard of devel oped miaornl resources , so far aa the poclouD metals are concerned , from a different point of view , roughly cor responding to that of the relation of production to population. The load ing mining staves ard Colorado , Cali fornia , Nevada , followed by the terri tories of Utah , .Uotitina , Dakota , Ar izona and Idaho , in the order named. The proportionate amounts of gold and of ollvor furnished by each vary greatly. Thiw while Colorado rado produces 40 per cent ot all the silver in the United States , she yields but 8 per cent of the gold , California , on the other hand , is the source of over half of the gold yield , less than 3 per cent of the sil ver ; and a similar divergence is ob served In other portions of tbo min ing region , the two precious metals occurring side by side , but often in widely disproportionate quantities. A DEFENSE OF THE HAKBOU STEAL. Mr. Page , on behalf of the committee - too on commerce , submitted a voluminous inous report to accompany the river harbor bill , which they recommend. The committee advert to the last bill of this character. They say the presi dent , .exorcising his constitution pre rogative , returned the bill to the house without his approval. Congress , ex orcising its constitutional right , by two-thirds majority of each house , passed the bill , notwithstanding the objection by the president , and the bill became a law. Republican news papers iu great railroad centers raised a hno and cry against the act and against those by whose votes it passed , bol stering the attack with every pos sible form of misrepresentation and personal abuse in the endeavor to blind the people to their own best in terests. At the re-assembling of con gress , the president in his annual message took occasion again to advert to the appropriations for rivers and harbors , evidently misled by the de ceptive official balance shoot and cxorossed the hope that no similar measure will bo doomed necaasary during the present congress. Ao if in harmony with this intimation the ace- rotary war disregarded in part ooveral provisions of the law , Ho also failed to furnish the secretary of the treas ury and chief engineer's estimates of appropriations required for the service during the fiscal year ending Juno 30 , 1884as requested to be transmitted to congress. This loft your committee in the datk. Hence they reported a resolution , which was adopted by the hoaoe , calling upon the secretary of war for reports of estimates of tbo engineer's department aforesaid , and certain other Information touching on appropriations and expenditures for rivers and harbors , to which the uecretary of war returned answer , January 4 , 1883. Upon receiving re ports of estimates of the engineers your committee proceeded to examine the-aamo , found a number Of river and harbor works would' not have a dollar left at the expiration of the present fiioal year , that failure on the part of congress to make appropria tions for the coming fiscal year ending Jane 90 , 1881 , would Inevitably remit In great losa to , tha government , la tha inattor of ' "plant ; " ailing up'channola and otherwise , and that such failure would bo equivalent to throwing away the vast sums already expended in the interest of commerce and ren dering worthless many uncompleted improvements , as well as subjecting many completed works to groit dam age. Notwithstanding therefore the diverse views of the president , your committee are impelled to present to thohonso a river and harbor bill , as to uct otherwise would be a palpable seri ous neglect of their duty to the honae and to the nation. Yonr committee have endeavored solicitously to frame euch a bill only as is jnslified in all re- spdots by the absolute Interests of a general commerce , the oaao and so- curlty of existing navigation , and the rigid requirements of public opinions. The report goes on to criticise the action cf the president and secretary of war In the following language : "As to the exercise of the veto pow er on the last river and harbor bill , while It is undeniable that under the constitution the president the right to veto any bill passed by congress , yet it ii equally undeniable that ho should never lightly or unnecessarily exor cise that right In regard to river and harbor appropriations. The presi dent , through the secretary of war , either has power to withhold from ex penditure any one or all of them , or ho has not the power to withhold such expenditure. If the president has not power to so withhold , then ho has failed in the obligation to carry out the law and overstepped the bounds proscribed by the constitution. If ho has power to so withhold , then veto was quite unnecessary. The let ter from the secretary of war gives a list i f thirty-one appropriations in the act of 1882 , which the secretary says have been temporarily withhold by him at the suggestion cf the presi dent. The assertion of power tc temporarily withhold carries with il the implication of power to permanently nontly withhold , but whether it is thi dcty of the executive simply to execute - cute the law , except in cases whore i it is absolutely impracticable 01 palpably unconstitutional and it that event to so report to congress , li a matter upon which this commlttei la not dutiably bound at this tlmn t < express an opinion. " The commlttoi goes into a very lengthy argument It defense of the various items appro priated by the bill , and oiya in con elusion : "Tho committee on commorc carefully considered the objection made by the secretary of war , son by him to the house as his answer t the house resolution of Inquiry , am compared the statement aa given b the secretary under each head , wit the oflhlal statements of the onglnec corps , communicated to congress i the beginning of the second so ; slon of the Forty-seventy 001 gross , which wore printed an in the hands cf the secretai war , and this committee , before ea : reoolutlona wcro adopted by the hou of roprosontntlver , found that very iiuuiy objections then made arn at vu- riacco with the ntatcmonts of the en- ginooro themselves , and conclusively ohovr that now and vary extended ex amination , which the secretary of war was compelled to make , because of his wish to glvo satisfactory answers to the inquiries of the house , has not resulted in such answers as can bo satisfactory to the house , but are of a character to confuse and mislead both the house and the country , " CONGRESSIONAL Special DUpatch to TUB Usi. SENAEE PnOOEEDINOS. WAHUNGTON , February 21. Sena tor Van Wyck offered a resolution calling on the president for informa tion tguohing the alleged joint agree ment between the ministers of the United States , Great Britain , Franco and Italy , at Lima , Peru , to make a joint effort to bring about a peace be tween Chill and Peru , and whether the minister cf the United States has boon instructed to invite or accept the mediation cf the European powers in a purely American question , Laid on the table. The senate then went into execu tive ses'sion. When the doors reopened the senate proceeded to the consideration of the army appropriation bill. The first important amendment reported by the committee on military affairs was the insertion of a paragraph ap propriating $143,000 for civilian clerks for adjutant generals' department and for headquarters ot military divisions and departments , Adopted. The next amendment was to increase the num ber of aids do camp for generals from twenty to thirty-seven , striking out the provision limiting the number and making provision as to the rank and pay and to Insert tbo following : "Provided that no officer shall remain absent from his regiment on duty at Wash ington City for a longer period than three years at any one time , but this provision shall not apply to officers on the ataff of the commanding general of the army nor to oflhora in charge of the publication of records cf the war of the rebellion or detailed to work on the Washington monument. The fact that the exception did not apply to officers of the signal sorvlco corps gave rise to discussion. Senator Moxoy and others argued that those ofibora should not bo removed from Washington after thrco y CITS' norvico. Senator Logan , who has charge of the bill , denied that ho was hostile to that corps , and contended that the military duties performed by it ohould bo learned by all army officers. Ho wished all army officers to have an op portunl'y of learning these duties. Ho proposed to offer on amend ment thnt of the twelve signal service c fillers now in Washington four shall bo sent back to the regi ments in 1883 , four in 1881 and four in 1885. He alluded to the fact that he had been attacked In editorial articles all over the country as bolng hostile to the signal service corps. Ao said these editorials had been * Inclosed to him in a letter , -with the informa tion that they had been written In the signal service office , and paid- for out of ' government money. Ho could demonstrate ihe truth of that state ment , ' " point of order. The question waa then taken on striking out the clause limiting the number of aids do camp , providing that they shall not have any additional rank or pay , and it was stricken out. The next amandmenl waa to the clause for 50 contract surgeons , to atrlko out 50 and insert "not exceeding 80. " Other amendment , to strikeout pro visions requiring disbursing officers to give bonds and forbidding the fill * ing of future vacancies in the pay corps' , were ruled out of order. The amendment to atrlko out the provision limiting pay tor the transportation of troopa to 50 per cent of the usual charges waa alao ruled out of o rdor. On motion of Senator Plumb , an amendment waa adopted limiting the amounts to ba expended for compensa tion if civilian employes of the sev eral departments of the army. The bill was then reported to the senate and the amendments made In the committee of the whole agreed to , and the bill passed. The fortification appropriation bill waa called up by Senator Halo aud explained - plained by Senator Dawos. The amendments reported by the com. mitteo were agreed to and the bill passed. Tbo report of the oommittoo of con. foronco on the bill granted the right ol way to the Elkhorn railroad companj through the Nlobrara military reser vation , Nebraska , was agreed to. Senator Edmunds called up the joint resolution to provide for the termination of the articles of the treaty of Washington to fisheries. Senator Wiudom asked EJra'undi whether the section of the joint rooo lution repealing the act to carry Ink effect the provision of the treaty re latlng to fisheries would repeal the lov under which gooda are permitted tc bo transported In bond through Amor lean territory. Senator Edmunds said to ovoid al pORslblo misconstruction on this poln ho would move to limit the appllcatioi of thia section of the resolution by in aertiug the words , "so far aa it relate ; to articles of said treaty so to bo tor mlnatod. " This amendment wai agreed to. The joint resolution thoi passed. Senator EJmnnda moved to take ni the Utah bill. Senator Call opposed the motion , Senate by aioto of 20 to 17 decide to take up the bill. Senator Hoar moved to strlko on the seventh section , which provides I shall not bo lawful for any female t vote at any election hereafter held i territory of Utah for any public pa : pose whatever , Senator Edmunds defended the pr < vision. The votes of Mormon womo were controlled by the mon who d sired to keep up the political power < the Mormon church. He thought tl Importance of breaking up the Mo mem system would fully justify tl suspension of female voting in Uti without any reference to the general question of woman suffrage. Senator Hoar said Mr. Edmunds proposed to deprive nil the women of Utah the riflht of suffrogo because ho believed n certain class of women would not vote as ho thought they might voto. Senator Edmunds said the question of suffrage WAS n polltioil question within the control of the political pow ers ; that what Mr. Hoar had raid about the opinions of Mormon women was entirely npnrl fnm this bill. If the real opinions of those women could find oxprooslou , ho would wish to have thorn vote , because the v jry nature of every virtuous wo man revolted against polygamy and all its Influenced. It would not bo constitutional to undertake to disfranchise any man or woman on account of opinion but everybody except perhaps Judge Black could agree that In point of law con- grcsi could regulate in the District of Columbia or in any territory oonld confine It to property holders of flOO- 000. Who desired to1 keep up the political. power of the polygamous Mormon church ? Ho thought the im portance of breaking up the Mormon system would justify the suspension of female voting in Utah without any reference to the general question of woman suffrage. > . Senator Blair moved to amend the seventh section of the bill so aa to make its provisions apply to "penono" instead of "females. " The bill amend ments wore still pmding when the senate adjounpd. HOUSE PROCEEDINGS. In the honso the senate amendments to the pension appropriation bill were concurrad In. Oiswell eubmittod a conference re port on the postoffiuo appropriation bill stating the conferees had been un able to agree. Caawo'l ' explained that the chief points of-difToronco were the items appropriating $185,000 for rpea- ial mail facilities and relating to ilia compensation allowed to land grant railroads for mail transportation. A further conference was ordered. Pending amendment being that Cof fered by Mr. McGook , under direction of the military committees , "that all lands reserved for military purposes ( no longer desirable for such purposes ) bo placed under the control of the secretary of tht > interior , to bo by him sold at public sale for cash , no subdivision to oxoaod 100 acres , oto' " Amondmonta were added providing that the land ohall not bo sold at logo than $125 per acre ; also providing thai any soltlors who wore in actual occupation of a portion of any reservation prior to the location of the reservation and continued such occupation at the present time , shall bo entitled to locate on the land on which they live under the homestead laws. The amendment as amended was adopted. Mr Baltzhpover moved to omnnd by striking out the clause authorizing the secretary-if war to detail officers for service in the signal corpi exclusive of lieutenant ! in the signal corps , aa authorized by law. In advocatteg this amendment Belizhover mdoan , attack upon the administration of tfee signal service under General Haiefi. He believed thia bureau-was pure * : civHinBtUatioa , * < whoytnnnu&3t } ] { . and that It should bo transferred to some civil department of the government ; especially that it should bo placed nnder charge of a head who had some soioniifio knowl edge , some standing and reputation among popular scientists of the coun try. The speech which ho had had printed some time ago in the Rscord had boon criticised because it had not boon delivered on the floor of the house. In order to avoid any misun derstanding ho had formulated hia statements in brief form , as folio we : First The administration of the signal service bureau under H. W. Howgato was the moet corrupt , profli gate and dishonest which over existed In the annals of the government. Second Howgate'a methods were characterized by employment of the whole signal service force lot ; rolling to influence congress to pass legisla tion for the bureau. Third While apparently expending the full appropriation in keeping U [ the efficiency of the service , Howgate was stealing hundreds of thousands ol dollars. The amount of his Urcenloi reached $000,000. Fourth While this corrupt , folo nions schema was in progress , How gate was surrounded by a number ol educated , well paid employes , wh < were either marvellously stupid 01 criminally culpable. Fifth That no investigation of an ] kind had boon made lo ascertain thi character or extent of those frauds nor had the perpetrator been brought to trial. There were oomo reason : for this which oorno parsons aronnc the signal bureau kuew bettor thai anybody nliio. . Sixth General Hazon had novel brought Howgata to trial , but hac loft every employe of Hotrgate's 'it control of the bureau. At this point Mr. Bollzhoovoraakoi leave to print some of Howgato's letters tors In The Record , but E , B. Taylor ( Ohio ) , objected. Mr. Boltzhoovor oontined : Seventh Hazan not only failed ti bring Howgato to justice , but adoptei precisely the methods of Howgato li using employes of the bureau to Influence fluenco congress through boards o trade and newspapers. Eighth Hazon had made false prc tenses to the war department to occur details of regular officers to bo uan < for that purpose. Mr. Taylor in reply defended Gor oral ] Hazen's integrity , Ho crltlzlae Boltzhoovor's action in making an ai sault upon that oTllcor in a sponc which wai not openly delivered , bt was printed in The Record. Tin whole speech was founded on inoai rect information. This morning tl : gentleman again made an assault o Gonora1 , Hazen , the burden cf h speech being that the officer did ui prosecute Howgato. What had he I do with that prosecution ? It was c unjust charge , It was an unroAsonsb charge , it was without foundatloi and like the whole of the tirade , naa based on false Information , The sontloman had charged General Ilnzon with being a general without a battle , .1 commander without a history. Hnd hu known the slightont rudiments of hla country' ' * history ho would have known General LUzan had boon uudur fire as mnov times as any officer In the sorvloo. In connection with thin charge , the gentleman said Gen eral Hszau strutted on the stage nnd were uiunimonts of war shorn of all that makps it honorable. IIo ( Taylor ) did not know what General H zen wore ; if ho were tha "muniments of war" ho were something no other gen- tlcmnn did. " Mr. Gaining bora trail- inony to General Haeon'a bravery dur ing the war. Mr. Boltzhoovor then wont on with his specifications and charges : JNinth-Vrhat Hozon had boon run ning up expenditures of the bureau to double whut they were under How gntn.Tenth Tenth That Hnzcu'a potty frauds and peculations were more bold and infamous than Howirato'a. Eleventh That ] Hazen was found guilty of base and ignomlnona coward ice and the moet disgraceful duplicity. Twelfth Thai Hezon's management of the bureau had not only been pro fligate and extravagant beyond paral lel , but a'ao without adequate results. Mr. Con verso denied the charges of Ilozon'a cowardice. Ho bore a mus ket ball in his body ho received in houorablo warfare , yet ho was arrayed as cowardly a man nrho never saw a battle. What was the moaning of this ) Ho could tell. It was the rem nant of a quarrel that had ntarted years ago , wnon a colonel came before ou Investigation committee and dared glvo testimony that throw from one of the highest places in thoUnltod States , the man who occuplos It. " That quarrel had boon continued from that hour to this , and Gen. Hazon had never soon A day of peace or rest alnco ho gavoliis testimony. Spies had sur rounded him and gene Into his very office. Scavengers had boon employ ed to go into his spittoons and wastebaskets * baskets topick up tomnanta of popors Snd examine them , Mr. Taylor And Bollzhoover has them. them.Mr Mr , Corivomo And this stuff printed od here against Gen. HAZJU is largely remnants which h&vo boon dragged out of his waste batkot. Mr. Bollzhoovor said the Inform \ tlon ou which ho based his charges was derived Ivgoly from thn record of evidence and cssortod thnt the records of Hazon's court martial corroborated his cbargo of cowardice. As to the remarks of the gentlemen from Ohio ( Converse ) , "Old the gentleman muau to otiy that either hs or Gon. Baucook , or Gen , Sherman , or the president , or the secretary of war , was in a conspiracy to break down a poor littlp brigadier general , Hazon , because ho had brought on the Bel- knap trial ? " Mr. Oonverso "No , and they have never made euoh charges as the gen tleman repeats. But I do believe 'that men have sot.on . Kazan's track , using foul words to him in order to drive kirn into a fight and got an op portunity to kill him. " Mr , Bnttorworth earnestly defended General Hazon's character for honesty -And bravery and suggested that the goutlcuifta-irom GP.JG , toy t,11' * : } a fiil ? * himself In an unenviable light before the country in attacking that officer without formulating his charges and aiking for an investigation. Mr. Boltzhoovor stated ho would have demanded an investigation but for the approaching adjournment of congress , The amendment waa then loot. loot.On motion of Mr. Hiscook an amendment was adopted authorizing the secretary of war in his discretion to make further detail , of officers for sorvlcfi on arctic sea expeditions. Mr. Blackburn offered an amend- inont reducing the appropriation for geological survey from $240,000 to 8222,003. After discussion aud pending action the committee roeo and the house ad ' journed. , ' The Flooded Dlatrlot. Spoc'nl DjapatctitB to Tun Bir. CisoiNNATiFebruary 21. The rivei continues to decline at the rate of an inch an hour , It is now low onongli E to allow etenmors to lisa the public lauding. The inundated district It oivcrudwith wagons filled wlthbasj men. There seems no ground foi alnrm from the accumulation of filth , The roluf committee has kept the streets clean as fust as the water re ceded. Additions to the relief f unt to-day amount to $9,5GO , making c total of $140 000. ST LOUIH , February 21. The conn try opposite Cairo on the Missouri side Is submerged , and the pooph have either abandoned their homos 01 are living in the second stories. The town Is also filled with ice , which hai floated In from the river. The bet torn lands on both sides of the Mis slsaippl below Cairo are flooded Great danugifis being down to fatn property. I He Wants It Looked After. Special DNpatch to Tun U" . CHICAGO , February 21. Judgi Williamson In charging the grande impannoled In the crlmlnnl court foi the Fobrnary term drew special atten tlon to the practice , of carrying con ccalod weapons. It waa tholr duty ho ould , to Indict all persons fonni carrying dangerous weapons. Th crimes and violence arising from sucl o a habit demand vigorous measures. i W. T. Allen & Co. , wholesale gro cora , assigned this morning , but thi L- amount of liabilities and assets an Ld Li not yet rnportod. The firm nay tha i- they expect to uottlo and contlnu ih * h business. it it Hauo Railroad Foal. itr r- Spxlil D'jpiUh tlTllS I . LOis Nr.w YOUK , February 21-Tho LOn ecutlve oomtnlttco of the trunk lini is and managers of the western row 3t formulated an agreement to-d y plod | to Ing to uniutttln rates , refuse to accoj in through bills from connecting roa < lo found guilty of catting , and to dl charge any employee making cut rat' ' or giving rebate. THE STATE CAPITOL Another Remarkably Exciting Day iu tlio Legislature. A. Forged and Fraudulent Oem mittoo Report Circulated by the OtoB Statesman. Tbo Sonata Unanimously Re pudiates and Denounces tbo Document. A Brilliant and Eucceefiful Bat tle Waged by the Oppon- onto of the Capitol Steal. The Bribo-givers Crowd the Hall Well-Heeled With Lincoln Lucre. Afltoundinp Testimony of Montgomery Before the House Committee. Gloiely Followed by the Fatal Collapse - lapse of Hii Memory of Men aud Thing * The Sonata Railroad Bill In the HOUBO The Hall and Lobby Crowded With Mouopolloa. Special Dispatch to Tin BIR. LINCOLN , February 21. The senate consumed half the day discussing the Kearney lloform school appropriation. In the oommittoo of the vrhole the amount was finally reduced from $70,000 to $50,000 , and thus rcoom- inoudod the bill for passage. Iu the house the oommittoo investi gating the bribery charges on the bnpitol appropriation had before them Carl Montgomery , of Omaha , who lully corroborated the charge as pub lished by TUB BEE , concern ing the member bribed with $5CO. lie further testified that the loading business men of Lincoln contributed a largo fund for convoying the appro priation. Ho declined giving the name of the member , although admitting ho had himself shaken hands with him when ( ho Incident related by Tut BEE occurred and knew him , The committee will report to the house and ask for instruction's. Montgomery ory nlto declined to divulge the nami of the merchant , or rather loadinj man of Lincoln , who made the orlgi nal charge. Ho intimated that if thi hi use Insisted he would rather diecloti , the name of the member than thi name of his friend. The senate corn/ mitteo In alao investigating the briborj Ipeclal Dispatch to Till Bn anOUT'H (1AMMOK. LINCOLN , February 21. During Ihi [ ay n pamphlet purporting to bo thi 'oport of the joint railroad oommittoi , ud signed by Qrout , of Otoo county as chairman , and Gaorgo L Brown ai secretary of the senate , and the firs assistant clerk of the house , has beet litculatod very extensively through > nt this city. This fact came to th < knowledge of the special railroad committee mitteo ot the senate for the first tim < , hs ( nftornoon when Senator Roynoldi red the following : WIIEUEAB , A certain printed doou mont has boon laid upon the tables 01 the members of this senate which pretends tends and purports to bo the report ol : ho joint committee on railroads , ant wherefore tltia document is not thi oport of said joint railroad committee ut as wo bollovo it is an argumon made and prepared by railroad author ! ty and dictation , and nndor their sn > crviaion , and no part of the Invcstl ; atlon that came umlor our knowl jdgo , and as a joint report wo branc It as a fraud. Ic is evidently intondec M mislead the people , and does entlrol ; misrepresent the whole sonata portlot ) f said committee , wo therefore denounce nounco It as a fraud and totally donj , hnt wo concur in 'any portion of it md wo respectfully ask as a quostioi if privilege that this explanation am . opudlatlon of this fraudulent repor bo placed upon the mlnutos of thi lonato. ( Signed ) S S UF.TNOLDI , W. II. DJJCII , Bxiu. BROWN , Committee. The resolution was nnanimoUBl ; adopted and ordered spread upon th record's of the senate. This action of the homo spfcln railroid committee was denounced b many of the senators as an outrage , A committee of senators , Meaari Bowers , IlurrUou and Dye , were a ( pointed jo investigate and find out wh aunt thn copy to the printer , an place thu responsibility whore it bi longs. Qoorgo L , Brown , oecretar of tlio sanato , denies that ho eve the document , Thlu haa boon the most exoltit day of the session. The struggle ! the sonata over TUB CAPITOL HILL attracted crowds of spectators to tl floor and galleries , and the most splo did debate was carried on for near five hours. The most exhaust ! speech against the bill waa .mado 1 Dech , who created quite a sonsatii in assorting that testimony had bo given before the investigating comm too ot the house that inculpates least one member and shows oorrn moans had been used in securing i passage , Blown , of Douglas , and W Shane also made strong appeals the senators to withhold support from thia bill both on account cf the popu lar demand fur economy and the bad name ila passage would give thia legis lature. Brown cf Lancaster , and Bailer , roro the loading champions of the bill aad Sohconheit tried to ridi cule the charge of bribery and cor ruption. The opponents kept up the aesnulta and by numoroM amendments and motions tlrod Its supporters out and carried its consideration over till to morrow. In the honso the battle raged vrom 9 a. m. to 7 p. m. over THE SENATE lUILUOAl ) DIM , with but brlof Intermission and aomo ex cellent tpecohcB wore made pro and con The railroad lobby on the llnor and in the clonk rooms swaraod like fleas en a dog in dog days , and they kept up couRtant communion with members. Superabundant lawyers and attorneys dlstrlbltuod themselves in the scats on the floor , directing members when to rise or sit down aa motions were made and amendments oflforod. Thia feat ure waa not only disgraceful , but I'OfilTIVKLY 1HSOCHTED. The houao voted down nearly all amendments. The worst amendment adopted waa to strike out throe-cent paizongor faro and substitute "fonr cents per mile. " It la not probable the senate will accept this should the bill pats , which as yet la doubtful , The aggressive attitude of tno Lancas ter delegation on behalf ot the rail roads , and against all reasonable rail road legislation , has arrayed a num ber of eonatora against the capltol bill , and It IB almost certain that the defeat of the aonato railroad bill will kill the capltoiblll. ; Final discussion of the railroad bill is act for to-morrow morning. It now looks aa If the legislature would not adjourn before Saturday. The investigation into the corrupt operations - orations of THE OAriTOL ItlMO created great consternation among thorn , but they all displayed lamenta bly poor memory and stupidity in tes tifying. They know nothing about the fund raised hero to procure the passage cf the bill. No sooner had Montgomery put in an appearance than ho waa bcaolgod by the capltol lobby. They induced him to employ Harwood as hia attorney , His mem ory also became confused , and while ho corroborated the otatoment made by THE BEE , both before the house and ceuato committees , HE FAILED TO MATERIALIZE the pmtios that were ptimo factors of his Btory. Ho thought 0. 0. Burr was , to hia present recollection , the person that denounced the bribed member In hia presence , or ho thought it might' bo another man. Burr was brought In , ac- cording to progrAtnme , and ho denied having ony"talk whatever with Montgomery or Oven mooting him hero last week. Montgomery , wbo at first testified that the unknown friend wan an intimate acquaintance of nine years standing , could not now identify him , and while he admitted that ho knew and could name the bribed member , ho positively declined to dis- olotelilf name , Hero the matter roats now , BUIpt iv SpeoUl , DiatUi to TUB HJSB. _ _ -.i. -.j ' , OnAULBSTON , 8. 0. , February l , The steamship Marro Oaatle of the" Clyde line , running between Now York and Charleston , was totally de stroyed by fire early this morning. The officers and crow had barely time to escape with what clothing they happened to havo' on. The Marro Gantlo waa to have started for Now York to-day , and had received one- half of her cargo , consisting of cotton , naval stores , etc. Past th * Danger I ino- Special DI patch to Till 111 * . MEMPHIS , February 21. The river thia morning at C o'clock marked 34 foot , which IB the danger line , aud the water continues to rlao slowly. The Clergymen O ninred- Special Dispatch to Tim Bin. NEW YOUK , February 21. The coroner this morning selected a jury to investigate the causoa of the fatal disaster yesterday. Crowds to-day visited the place and dlacumd the terrible affair. Many wore loud in their denunciations of the clergymen in permitting the stair case , which they say baa been in a frail condition for some time past , to remain without being properly strengthened. Those Injured will recover. The bodies of the dead children will bo taken to the Uhnrch cf the Most Holy Redeemer to-morrow morning , when funeral services will "bo conducted. A Swindler's Two by Six Cl Special DUpatch tg Till Him. PHILADELPHIA , February 21. Mr Donald Smith Peddle , a fugitive , wa buried iu the Potter's field. Ho swindled the Dissenting Ministers Friend society , of Edlnburjr , and other orphan asylums out of $130,000. BlngHlng Soldier * . Special Dispatch to Tim Ii . SINCJ SINO , N. Y. , February 21. Twenty-eight mon In the foundry at the prison refused to work this morn ing. The twenty-eight mon who re volted this morning when looked up were cheered by the other mon , who were also looked up. The mon claim thu work was too hard. Discipline is badly broken up and the officers are insulted and mocked at. The doctor was often threatened. Violence may como at any timo. A Fatal MUtalio lien Special DUpatch to Tin Un * n- CoitsioANA , TEX. , February 21. nly The family of William Bush , living vo twelve rnllea southeast of hero , were by poisoned by having morphine admin DU istered instead of quinine. The moth on er and throe children died from the Itat effects. at pt The Seventeenth Victim , its Special DUpatch to Tui Bn. NEW YOHK , February 21. Katie [ oQerlaoh , ago seven , is dead , the sov- to I ontconth victim of the school disaster , \