Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1896 — WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON.

President Cleveland Wednesday night announced the appointment of the Venezuelan Boundary Commission as follows: David J. Brewer, of Kansas, Justice of the Cuited States Supreme Court; Richard 11. Alvey, of'Maryland, Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals o ; f the District of Cobunbia; Andrew I*. White, of New York; Frederic 1L Couderf. of Now York; Daniel C. Gilman, of Maryland. The commission is regarded at Washington among those who had an opportunity to see the list as a very satisfactory one. An order was issued from the War Dc partment Tuesday, by authority of tlm President, dismissing from the United States army Lieut. Samuel S. Pagi.e, Fifteenth Infantry. Lieut. Pague, who was stationed at Fort Sheridan, near Chicago, was found guilty of shooting at his superior officer, Col. Crof ton, commanding Fort Sheridan, within the lands of the post last stumper and was j&s#* fenced to dismissal. Subsequently lie was examined by medical officers because his sanity' had been questioned, but it was found that alcoholism was the real cause of his actions, and tlie President therefore has approved the findings and sentence of the court-martial. Washington dispatch: Senator Chandler is probing into a Navy' Department scandal of large proportions. By direction of the Senate the Senate Committee on Naval Affairs will inquire into various little matters the construction of warships, and incidentally it will be learned to what extent officers of the Ordnance Bureau are interested in patent processes by which, it. is said, the Government is robbed by extortionate charges out of between $500,000 and $750,000 on every vessel built. Secretrfr.v Herbert wanted to let the contracts for the two warships about to be. built, as it was thought better results could lie obtained thereby,* but lie found himself strongly antagonized by the Ordnance Bureau, though the other experts of the department cordially indorsed the position he had taken. The stubborn resistance of the Ordnance Bureau finally prevatied/’ and the Secretary announced his intention to let the contracts in the old way. This decision set tongues wagging., and members of Congress were solemnly assured that there was rank rottenness in Uie Navy Department and that officials were using their positions to divert public moneys to their own pockets by corruptly influencing contracts, whereby the Government was forced into bdying patented processes in which they weye financially' interested. The instructions given die Naval Committee will afford an opportunity for investigation into the alleged abuses. It will also serve to prevent jfie guilty parties fnhn escaping by the usual method of defeating Inquiry.. The charges are -now being aired, and the Navy Department must purge itself by proving the Charges to lie unfounded or else looare and cast out tin* guilty officers who are accused of bringing discredit on the country and disgrace upon the.department.