Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-08

COUNTY Court Trouble ,cih an Alleged In
competent Cierk-At P. m. yesterday, Judge
COckerille again visited the court house and
instructed the clerk to the manner in which
the minutes should be entered. The court met
this morning in the courtroom, and John B.
Syphax, the lately installed clerk, produced the
minutes as recorded, of yesterdays proceedings,
the court having last night given instructions
how the minutes should be entered, but upon
reading them, in some particulars they were
still incorrect, and the court so stated, and
declined to sign them. The clerk declared that
they were correct and entered as directed
whereupOn the court reprimanded him and
threatened to send him to jail IN twenty minutes
II the contempt was repeated, and after some
discussion the court was compelled to adjourn
for the second time to allow the clerk to correct
his minutes. The incompetency of the clerk
was animadverted upon by the commonwealth s
attorney for the county in strong terms, and it
was the general impression of the court and bar
that the clerk was incompetent to fill and unfit
for the position, as he was unable to perform
the most simple duties connected with the office,
even after having been instructed how to act
A rule has been issued, as anticipated yester-
day, requiring him to show cause why he should
not be removed from his office for incompe-
tency.
SNALL-Pox.-The entire number of cases is
ten, of which three only are i'm what may be con-
sidered dangerous condition. The hospital is
being rapidly prepared for patients. One case,
a white woman, said to be named Delphy, who
died from the disease on south Henry street,
was buried last night, and a cOlOred man, who
hNeu hedi INC SdHdi pdSiu, uleu carly THIS
morning.
L. S. DISTRICT CoURT.-The court was in
session to-day, Judge Underwood, presiding.
The grand jury was empanneled with e. III.
Bramhall, of Fairfax, as foreman. The Judge
charged the jury, cOngratulating it upon the
conn aratively small amount of business that
cOu.d come before il, the criminal prosecutions
in this court having, from hundred or more at
a term, dwindled to none, and he argued there
from far better state of affairs in the Common
wealth than since the war.
RIVER NEws.-The river, to an Impractical
eye, presented to-day the same unbroken sheet
cember, but to critical observers, a narrow track
could be discerDed between here and Washing
ton, that had been made by a tug boat and one
round trip of the ferry boat City Of Washington.
A stern-wheel steamer, loaded with dead horses
took advantage of the opening thus made, and
leaving Washington, dropped down to the
wharves at the outlet lock of the canal. Moth
ing has gone below, and the ice above is 50 thick
that the City of Washington was content with
the one trip she made The steamer f. G..
Knight left New York for this port on SATURDAY
last, and the steamer Lady of the Lake sailed
from Norfolk for this city last night.
THE LATE PASTOR OF ST. MARY's CHURCH
The friends of the Rev. Peter Kroes have been
disappointed in their expectation of his remain
ing with them, as he left our city on Saturday.
He will, it is thought, reside, hereafter, at
Georgetown College.
NONE OF THE PACkERs nave yet received
supplies of oysters in the shell, and the quantity
of shucked is so reduced that prices have adj
yanced considerably.
THE FORMATION Of a Firemen's Beneficial
Society was inaugurated at the meeting OF the
Relief Hook and Ladder Company last night
Gazette, last erening.