Alexandria Gazette

[Special Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.]

WASHINGTON, D. C., April 2, 1883.—

Dorsey was again on the stand in the star route trial to-day. He was cross examined, and more discrepancy was discovered in his testimony. Mr. Ker asked the Attorney General the other day to increase his pay, telling him he thought his services were worth as much as those of Mr. Merrick, who is paid $100 a day. Mr. Brewster not only refused to grant the request but availed himself of the opportunity to give Mr. Ker a blowing up for the improper way he has been acting.

It has just been discovered that the tariff bill owing to some phraseology adopted in the conference committee, imposes a double duty on pottery and some other articles.

Ex-Commissioner Gorringe, who was forced to resign by Secretary Chandler, and who is now at the head of a private ship yard, has, so it is considered at the Navy Department, had the effrontery to contemplate bidding for the new cruisers to be built.

The Court of Claims to-day in the case of Mr. Shipman, of Fairfax county, Va., for work done on the canal road above Georgetown, awarded him $650. His claim was for $10,000, but there were applicants for almost the even amount.

The U. S. Supreme Court in the famous Krug murder case of St. Louis, to-day reversed the decision of the lower court, and remanded the case for a new trial.

Mr. Kellogg says he doesn't think the proceedings against him will go beyond the stage of presentment, which is different from indictment, and that it will be dropped there, but the prosecution say he will be indicted, and, what's more that the evidence against him is so strong that he must be convicted.

Senator Plumb, called upon the President to-day to urge Mr. Martin, of his State, for Postmaster General. He however, doesn't think his recommendation will be adopted. He says he thinks the place will go to the West or South, and if to the latter that it will fall either to Lt.-Governor Lewis, of Virginia, or to Mr. Morgan, at present minister to Mexico.

There was a report current to-day that ex-Treasurer Gilfillan had been found short in his accounts to the extent of $10,000 which had been abstracted from a package of notes, but the committee examining his accounts say there is no truth in it.

Considerable ultra radical pressure is being brought to bear upon the President to induce him to remove Mr. Edmunds, the newly appointed democratic president of the board of District Commissioners, for the reason that as Major Lydigse, another member of the board, has proved himself a democrat, it is unheard of in the policy of the republican party to give a majority of any board to the democrats.

The President was invited to-day to stop at Norfolk on his way to or from Florida. He replied that if he returned by steamer he might possibly accept the invitation. It was said on Saturday the President would start to-day. It is said to-day he will start to-morrow. It is not definitely known when he will start. The Attorney General has decided that he must appoint a postmaster general within ten days after Mr. Hatton was designated as acting postmaster general, and that period will expire on Wednesday next, so that it is possible the trip will not commence until after that day. Some people here say that the President doesn't want the day of his departure known lest arrangements may be made for assassinating him, but if this be so he is a bigger fool than anybody has ever said he was for the Southern man would be a King fool to kill him when Edmunds would be his successor.

The testimony in the Massey-Wise contested election case will be resumed to-morrow.

R. E. Garnett, at Owenton, Va.; J. A. Brown, at Hatton, Va.; J. V. Perrin, at Paineville, Va.; and A. B. Wade, at Shacks Mills, Va., were commissioned postmasters to-day.