Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-11-04

and out Of curiosity As many others do. Wit
ness was IN no other part Of the house ex-
cspt the parlor. Do not know whether the
wemen there were boarders or not Does not
know how many women had low dresses.
Witness said by YeAcy dresses he meant fancy
colored silks. Before witness went to the
house he saw Maude Roberts. Mrs Sherman.
and others.
An IMPORTANT DKCIsIoN.-Judgs wy,ie,
sitting in Equity yesterday, made q decision
which is somewhat important, in the case Of
William F. Purcell agt. James Coleman and
others. The facts OF the case appear to be as
follows:
agreement contracted TO exchange land; but
there was no actual possession delivered or
taken on either side at the time. Coleman, it
Ia true did make q symbOiical delivery OF his
house by handing the key TO pnreel!i and adj
hat>IIpliyered possession OF the exchanged
property, the one to the other But no actual
possession was shown, and both pieces Of
property remaired precisely as they were
prior TO the making Of the contract.
Ten days afterwards, Coleman repented Of
his bargain. and finding his house vacant,
had him turned ont by two parties, under q
proceeding for forcible entry and detainer,
who fined Coleman fifty dollars and the costs,
and sent him to prison for falling to pay them.
where he remained until he was discharged
under habeas corpus by the late Circuit Court.
Judge Wylie decided that by the statute OF
frauds and perjuries all parol agreements for
the sale or exchange OF land were void, except
where they had been followed by possession
on the part of the purchaser, which possession
must have been given to him by the seller; must
tinuous and, besides that, the purchaser must
also have expended money and labor in i'm.
provements to such an extent that to deprive
him OF the property afterwards would be 4
fraud upon his rights.
He decided that no such proposition or ex-
penditure of money lad been shown in this
case.
He also decided that il -vas against the policy
of the law, and in the face Of the statue 6I
frauds and perjuries, to permit the fact of pos
session to be proved from the defendants ad.
missions. That Il would be just as proper
under that act to allow witnesses to prove a
verbal contract for the sale of lands, as allow
them to prove The same thing by the circuity OF
proving the defendants admissions rs TO his
giving possession. That possession, If it did
exist, was capable OF being shown by witnesses
who knew it by having seen the fact themselves,
He therefore ruled out all evidence OF defend.
ants admissions on this point. He thought the
statute was wise and beneficial, and cited Lord
Nottingham as saying that every line of 1t was
worth a subsidy, and Lord Kenyon, who said
it was one of the wisest laws on the statute
book.
Judge Purcell has taken an appeal from the
decision OF Judge Wylie.
THE STRIKE AT THE TREASURY EXTENSION
The mechanics and Is borers of the Treasury
Extension who went on q strike on Monday, in
consequence Of the issuing of an order which,
it is alleged, will cut down their wages went
numbers, in compliance with the advice OF
Secretary Chase, waiting in the meantime the
pointed to lay their grievances before him, and
continued at work until noon to-day.
1t appears that the committee misunderstood
the Secretary in regard to receiving their
answer, and that yesterday afternoon, after
awaiting for the answer, the committee sent q
communication, and were informed that he
(the Secretary did not mean to say that he
would answer them then, but in q few days.
They went to work this morning as usual, and
at twelve O'Clock Were informed that they
would be expected to 60 to work at half past
twelve instead Of one O'Clock, an order having
been issued to that effect.
This the men objected to, and at once formed
in line and marched to Temperance Hall, and
and the meeting was called to order by Mr..
John A. Ross, the chairman OF the former
meeting. and Mr.. John J. Gray appointed Sec
| rotary.
| ured In the meeting of yesterday, was an
| nounced as having been discharged; and the
! meeting endorsed the resolution adopted at
Mondays meeting, to stand by any one dis
charged on account of the part they took in the
| strike.
Mr.. Cooper moved that the committee, in
| their next interview with the Secretary In
quils if Mr.. Pray was discharged by his (the
| Secretary's) order The motion was carried.
MIR. Thomas Powers moved that the commit
| tee inform the Secretary as to the hours for
|
| adopted:
| an answer from the Secretary until . o'cioch
! tomorrow, which was carried, and the com.
| mlttee were instructed to ask an early ans wer
The MI eing then adjourned to one O'CLOCK
| Tomorrow, it being understood that none will
60 to work until Mr.. Pray is reinstated.
| CRIMINAL COURT, Judge Oin-This morn.
! Ing, William Adams (colored) was tried for an
assault and battery on Officer Joseph Pullen,
OF the Seventh Ward, some time last month,
while the officer was attempting to make an
| arrest at q disorderly gathering. Adams is q
colored soldier, and at the time OF assault said
he had enlisted TO fight, and was going to com
mence right there.
assault aud battery of the most aggravated
character. Sentenced to four months in Jail
Charles Bosefield, who says he is an ex-
colonel, and who has been in Jail for a number
OF weeks on charge of swindling, was re-
leased on his own recognizance for future
appearance.
sey City, and VIM johnson, tcolored, Of this
city, three boys ranging between the ages of no
and II, who had been indicted for larceny,
were, on account OF their tender ages, dis.
charged and committed to the workhouse tenn
porarIiy. All Of them have been in Jail for
some time.
John sheahan, a cavalry soldier. was placed
on trial for committing an assault and battery
with intent to kill John d. Conner. 1t appears
that last Sunday two weeks ago, Conner was
at Charies Curtin's house, on New Jersey ave.
nue., and Sheehan and three other soldiers
came in, and were playing cards in the back
room and they got TO quarreling, and Conner
went into the room to pacify them, and was
woanded a pistol was seen in the hands OF
defendant Conner is now in the hospital
under treatment for the wound received.
POLICE REPoRTs.-Frst Precinct-J John
MeCauley and Chas. Smith, petty larceny;
bail for court. Thos. HARDWOOD, Alice Hare.
wood, Ann Jacobs, and Ann Keppeler, refu.
gees from Fredericksburg and Richmond, Va:
sent to the Provost MarshaPs office, where
they took the oath Of allegiance.
Third Precinet-Michl Cation, assault; dis.
missed. VIM Moore, disorderly; sl.44. Robt
Wells and Angelica Steward, do; @l.5S each
Thomas Fleming, drunk and disorderly: mill.
tary. Chas. Ellsworth do; @. - :
Sizth Preeinct.-Sam'l Openhamer, violating