The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-17
Lctter from Clarke County.

BERRYvILLE, VA, January II, 1872.
The quarterly term Of the County Court
of Clarke has been in session for several days.
Judge Sherrdrd, of the county Of Frederick,
presided until this afternoon about O'Clock,
at which time Judge Page, recently elected
by the Legislature to supply the vacancy
created by the removal OF Judge White to
anothcr state, qualified. Mr.. Page is q gen
tlcman Of high character, and in the dis
charge Of the duties Of his responsible Office
will doubtless give general satisfaction 10
| those having business In his court.
Those who had the pleasure Of knowing
Judge Shel1Trd, and of observing the iGlplr-
tal manner in which he administered justice,
or court has been severed; but there Is IL
general assurance that the "iudicia! erminc !"
will not be less woIthily worn by his Sue
cesSor,
The costs attendant upon the institution
and prosecution Of suits have been singularly
illustrated by the trial Of a case in the County
Court of Clarke within the last few days. A
question Of damages was involved, and after
spending more than two DAYS in the eXami-
nation Of witnesses, and learned counsel had
exhausted every argument that ingenuity
could invent, the Jury found q verdict OF one
cent damages. The costs Of administering
justice are simply appalling. This onc-cent
verdict cost the parties and the county not
! far short Of one hundred dollars, and yet per-
SONS who, by Il little iudicious management,
could prevent this tax, which more than any
| other Is consuming the substance of our peo-
pie, complain bitterly when they are taxed to
meet the just obligations which should he
checrfully discharged by them as citizens of
| Virginia.
| 1,,, Inn,> - L.
tinuance in Clarke. Many wells have gone
dry, mld if we do not soon have a deep snow
or considerable fall of rain, the people of
the county will suffer serious inconvenience.
The grand jury at the present term have
found indictments against several negroes for
assaulting with intent TO kill certain police
officers of the corporation Of Berryville.
| This ancient village, since the days OF
! General Morgan, has rejoiced in the appella-
ton of " Battle Town; but since it has been
incorporated, we have every reason to believe
| that we will rapidly advance in "cililization
and the arts" and, perhaps, in time we will
| become utterly oblivious Of the fact that our
interesting city ever labored under the dis
advantage OF its present bclligerent name.
-. 3.
FRE.-About7 o'clock yesterday morning
the alarm of fire was sounded from the
building formerly occupied by Charlie Bal
locli, on Bridge street. and adjoining
Lynchs warehouse. a-
The fire originated in the hearth of u fire
place on the second floor of the building, and
was purely accidental. All the upper part
of the building was entirely destroyed, and
the lower part almost ruined. The building
was occupied by john Ryan and his five lit
tie children, 7. II. Rourk and family. and
Mrs. Mary RYAN, an elderly lacy. Their
furniture was saved from. the flames, but
almost entirely ruined In the hurry of re-
moral.
The house belonged to Mr.. F. FL. Rourk,
and was worth about 81 800. The damage
to the furniture will probably amount to
near $500. There was no insurance on either
the building or furniture, and the loss Of the
occupants is therefore very severe.
We have never seen more touching sight
tlan the five little half-naked children of Mr..
Ryan, shiyering with bare feet, upon the
frozen pavement. Their mother died less
thun month ago, and their feelings. though
they said not word, might be easily
imagined by those familiar with the suffer-
ings of the poor. 1t is pleasure to know
that their immediate wants were attended to
by friends III the yicinity.-LYachbng Re
publican.
Rev. J. W. Hmnicut resides iii Virginia,
has abandoned politics, and is endeavoring,
like all honest tillcrs Of the soil, to scratch
o,lt an existence in the evcr-memorable hills
of old Stafford county, Virginia. -Frede-
al.