The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-08-04
LOCAL NEWS.


Shortly after the opening OF the criminal court yesterday
morning Mr. Ellis raised the point of law that where
several parties upon trial together, and evidence
appeared to crmnate any Of them that party should be
discharged that he might be used witness for the
defence Mr. Ellis introduced this point with view, If
the court should decide in his favor of getting Garner
Jones, and Charles Hurdle admitted witnesses The
point argued by Messrs Ellis and Bradley in favor
thereof and by Mr. Key in opposition thereto after
which the court declined to discharge the parties named
but agreed to admit Charles Hurdle witness, still
holding him to answer to the indictment
The examination of witnesses then continued
Frederick Iddings testified that he commissioner
of the first precinct of the Fourth ward at the recent cleo
ton there disturbance in the morning about .
o'clock great rush made at the polls and pistol
was fired other pistols being fired and missiles thrown
the judges picked up the baobox and went into the lot
back of the building and afterwards to the house of Mr.
Israel When the marines arrived, according to an un-
derstandng, the polls Immediately closed, at the
suggestion of of the judges that it improper to
hold the polls open in the presence Of military force.
After the examination of Charles f. Lowrie,
James II. Boss called Was of the commits
sioners Of election at the first precinct polls of the Fourth
ward. 1t my duty to stand at the window and re-
ceive votes. When the riot commenced crowd of vo
tiers rushed through windows and we had to leave
saw very little OF the riot heard discharge of
interruption at the polls was all in ten fifteen
minutes, and the voting Immediately resumed No
effort made, to my knowledge to prevent anybody
from voting. did not any one dragged from the
polls. The commissioners hearing that the marines
coming resolved to close the polls in they did
They sent word to the mayor to that effect The
polls were closed by the commissioners when the marines
arrived, and opened again they went away.
heard pistols fired the rush made through the win
dow. The commissioners left because they considered
themselves in dangerous situation Were not gone at
the furthest to exceed thirty minutes. 1t about
three hours from the time that the voting resumed
until the polls again closed account of the arrival
of the marines Persons may have been dragged out of
the pens the polls without my seeing them When
the marines at street we closed the polls The
that closed the polls the arrival of the ma
rines that had idea of voting Americans or
anybody else Through file of marines which state of
affairs had been talked Of in the morning One hundred
and thirty six votes received in the morning before
the interruption and three hundred and seventy be-
fore the polls closed of the arrival Of the
marines.
Charles M. Alexander called Live in first precinct of
the Fourth ward Voted in that precinct the day in
question. Was at the polls from three quarters of
hour to hour before the disturbance in the morning
Went the street from the polls through voey of
stones and pistol shots from both sides The only shot
that l fired was by McIntyre's drug
store, who had long pistol in his hand and fired up to-
wards the polls. The polls closed about fifteen
minutes | was at the polls when they were reopened
Did not persons orcibly drawn from the polls while
their papers under examination by the judges The
line of voters were scattered and dispersed Do not
know whether or not they pursued by any
TIE CRY Couscns YESTERDAY Board of aldermen --
Shortly after the meeting of the Board Of Aldermen yes
terday afternoon, Mr. Smith, from the select committee
appointed to make arrangements for the invitation re-
ception, and entertainment of the visitors from the West
reported the following bill pay certain expenses incur
red in the performance of their duties
Be enacted By the Board Of aldermen and Board Of Com
Council Of the City Of Washington, That the sum of one
thousand two hundred and ninety dollars hiry-sx cents
be- and the same is hereby appropriated ont Of the gen.
eal fund to meet deficiency in the payment Of certain
bills contracted by joint committee appointed to invite
to this city and entertain the corporate authorities of ST.
Louis, Cincinnati, Chilicothe and baltimore.
BE further enacted, That the mayor be- and he Is
hereby authorized to pay such bills for said purpose as
may be presented him. duly certified to as correct by
majority of the members of said joint committee
After considerable discussion the bill was passed
The bill from the Board of Common Council making
appropriation out of the ward funds paying for the
removal of garbage and fluid oal was read third time
and passed.
The bill from the Board of Common Council authoriz-
III and work
to be done on the ams-house and work house was
read and referred to the committee ON the asylum
Common C6atncaA communication was received from
the mayor enclosing statement of the expense tpor
BILLS incurred in repairing the loss of furniture by the
burning Of the Washington Asylum March g. 1857 This
statement shows the expenditures for this purpose to be
81 ,292 03.
The following joint resolution in relation to the West
ern Hose Company reported from the committee on
the fire department
BE resolred, &c., That the Western Hose Company of
this city be, and is hereby placed footing with other
fire companies Of the city with reference to the annual
appropriations made for the support of the fire depart
ment.
The resolution was passed. and an appropriation of
500 made to carry it into effect.
joint resolution passed appointing committee
of seven four from the lower and three from the upper
board to wait the Secretary of the Navy and request
him to have of the steam sloops-owar built at
the Washington navy-yard
qfE USITEn STATES BOTANICAL GARDESs--It will be
recoected that the Of the United States o-
tancal Gardens suffered severely from the effects of the
recent terrible hailstorm These buildings are now
completely repaired Rapid progress has been made this
season in grading these grounds and in planting them
with native and imported plants Among the few plants
now in full bloom the most interesting is the yucca ST.
perbd native of Mexico. 1t is in bloom for the first
time in these gardens fine bunch of bananas are ma