Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-08-27
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

lhE Of HE
We took occasion, day or two since, to notice
the appearance of the Mechanical portion of the
Patent Office Report for 1855. A more extend
ed examination of it convinces US that it is one
of the most important works ever issued by
authority of this Government. 1t fills three
octave volumes, of perhaps $40 pages each, and
as a record Of the mechanical transactions Of
the Patent Bureau for the year, its complete
ness, convenience of arrangement. for reference,
&c, never was before equalled. Besides en-
bracing the " claim attached to every patent
granted in the year, it contains working engra-
wings Of each one Of them, and an alphabetical
list of them, as we'll as an alphabetical list of
every American patent that expired within the
year. Again, it embraces also classified lists of
both.
The labors of the artist IN. C. Gritzner) who
prepared the illustrations, as we'll as most of
the letter press, we believe, have evidently
been immense, and have been executed in a
manner to earn for him high reputation in his
profession.
There is not hamlet in the Union wherein
mechanic works ct his trade, in which the pres
enee Of this work will fail to do something for
the substantial progress of the country in the
useful arts; for it embraces solid information
explanatory Of the country's progress during
the year in every art in connection with which
an invention, improvement, or even n design,
has been patented therein. 1t is well for all
engaged in the useful arts, too, to have at hand
the means Of knowing what patents have ex-
PRED, what improvements, heretofore private
DrOnartv ra n tho snryca Of ha rn,,bl
without cost or charge.
The SURROGATE'S DBCIsION.-The decision
of Surrogate Bradford against the validity of
the claim of Mrs. Cunningham to be tho widow
of her victim, evidently meets the appreciation
of every thoughtful and well-informed person
in all quarters from which we have received
newspapers in the last three or four days. The
reasoning Of his opinion or decision and his
analysis of the testimony adduc ed on both sides,
is one of the ablest legal papers we ever read,
and must carry with it entire conviction to the
minds of all who will undertake the labor of
wading through it. In deciding that she is not
the widow of Burdell, it is thought that he saves
her from what would otherwise be the conse-
quences of her sham ACCOMPLISHMENT, to obtain
the whole rather than the third Of the decedent's
estate, which, when that crime was committed,
she conceived to he fairly within her clutches
Her younger children, at least, are to be pitied,
though she will hereafter pass through life the
most universally abhorred woman on this Con-
tinent.
The New York Express thus sketches the
points of the able decision of the Surrogate, re-
ferred to above:
''After stating the nature of marriage as a civil
contract merely, by the laws Of New York. Mr.
Bradford proceeds to consider, first. the where
abouts of DIR. Burdell about the time of his alleged
marriage with Mrs. Cunningha He reviews
the testimony of the witnesses on both sides and
finds that, on the oath, 2Sh, and 31st of October,
decedent was in New York and present at the
Artisans Bank up TO about noon. There is only
one WITNESS, beside the Cunni NJ hams, to prove
that he was In New FORK after noon On the 2Sth,
and that one is not positive. Numerous witnesses
testify that he was at HeTkimer the 25th, Goth,
and 27th October, upon which latter day Augusta
{. swears he WAS in New York. The fact of a
marriage between Mrs. Cunning ham and some
man is admitted, and, as to the allegation that
Or. Budell was party To that ceremony, the
Surrogate thinks the proof is altogether INSULT
Gent. Augusta Cunnin hams testimony must
be thrown out, on account of her contradiction,
not only Of numerous Herkimer witnesses, but of
her own declarations, as given before the Coro-
ner. Mr.. Marvin's testimony, he concludes, es-
tablishts only general resemblance between the
uSCtutnt ana male party 10 the Iayp; but
no greater than mig hit he assumed by ano her per-
son. The intimacy of the parties before and after
the alleged marriage was not such as to counte-
nance The idea Of a contemplated or conSummaied
matrimonial union.
1.-The Surrogate finds no evidence Of cohabita-
ton; but shows from the evidence that the par
ties lived up to the time OF the Doctors death
single persons, she signing, endorsing and execu-
ting papers IN her own name, having Il lease Of
the house from him, and behaving herself in such
a hostile manner, that b. made Efforts to compel
her to leave the premises-eiiorts which Were con-
tinucd mp TO the day OF his death Every particle
OF testimony having an important bearing upon
the case, is reviewed by the Surrogate and the
words Of many OF the witnesses are quoted. He
follows the parties through all their quarrels and
suits for Islander and brt ach of promise specify
ing all tho documents in which they took part.
and in which she was either described, signed
herself as 'E. a. Cunning ham,' up to January
oath, when she signed the release in that name
In view of ell the startling and extraordinary cir
cuunstances brought to light by the evidence, the
Surrogate concludes that persons standing at such
point of antagonism could not be man and
wife. lie holds il impossible to believe that these
PARTIES thus for the space of three months, deal
Ing, acting, and treating each other-each beha-
wing to the world as single, and to the other in 4
manner totally inconsistent with the marital rela-
tion-could be man and wife Such series Of
circum stances az has been developed in this case,
the Surrogate thinks, cannot be fabricated: il
strikes the eye with irresistible force, and leads
to entire satisfaction and conviction that the d.
cedent was unmarried at the time Of his unhaply
death ~
A RUsH.-A very large number Of strangers
arrived in Washington yesterday and the day
before, principally from the Virginia springs
making merry time in the city hotels, for the
nonce. Sixty-odd, coming by the Orange and
Alexandria Railroad, were booked at Willards'
last night, while proportionate numbers, COM
ing hither through the same channel Of travel,
were booked at the other Washington public
houses. We perceive, from the Alexandria
Gazette, that, on the day before yesterday,
1900 bushels of grain came down that railroad.
These facts bear out what we have repeatedly
taken occasion to write concerning the imme-
diate and abiding interest which the Federal
Metropolis has in the speedy completion of the
extension of that work
If such are the results of its construction to its
present terminus, by which it drains but a COM
paratively small territory of its produce, sold
within six miles Of us, and supplies it with
manufactured goods, purchased Immediately in
this region for the most mart md also accom