The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-05-14

| CIRCUIT CoURT-SPECIAL TERM, Judge
! Winfield, of Bedford circuit. presiding. We
noticed last week the sitting of this court, and
the decisions on Wednesday of two important
and long pending cases-Irick VS.. Effinger and
Niche Il Niche VS.. Berry. On Friday last, the
Judge rendered a decision in other important
cases, viz: Kunkle VS.. Forrer, &C., Same VS..
Burress' Trustees, &C., Crawfords Admir- VS..
Kunkle and Newman VS.. Same.
| We have been furnished the following syn
opsis of the decision. Of the Court:
These causes were argued together tast week.
| by L. G.. Elder, J. Bumlgardner, I. D. Ransom,
H. NJ. Bell, A II Fultz, counsel for the seFer-
al parties Maj. Watts participated in the ar
gument in Rockingham when the cases were
up before Judge Harris, several years ago, but
| in consequence of illness did not do so in the
recent trial These suits related to the title
numerous tracts of mountain lands in and a.
bout Buffalo Gap, devised by the will OF John
Crawford, who died in 1882, to five of his chill
dren. The decree sustained in the main the
Report made by Master Commr Waddell, and
that construction Of the will contended for by
Jas. Crawford's counsel-allowed Frances Rip
petoe for her specific devise 400 acres adjoining
the lines running up the Little Mountain, init
mated the opinion that the 600 acre-tract in the
possession of Rippetoe did not pass to the For
rers by his deed-held that it was too late now to
ltigatc as tosupposed inequalities in the receipt
OF purchase money by the devisees respectively
determined that David Kunl1e, as vendee Of
James Crawford and Nancy Newman, was en-
titled to two-fifths of the Variety Springs tract
subject to ratable charges for improvements, as
against ratable share of rent, and that that prop
erty must be sold for partition. 1t was further
decided that Rippetoe was entitled to two-fifths
of the 800 tract, No. Z, near ssKing's Gaps
and that Kunkle was entitled to two-fifths, and
Henry Forrer and the representatives OF Daniel
Forrer to three-ffths of tract No s, of 158 acres
at sKing's Gap:'' Of tract No. II Of $3.50 acres,
adjoining Variety Springs and Elizabeth Fur
nance; to No. 16, of 25 acres,at Dunlap's Gap;
and No II, OF Ill acres, to the west OF it; and
that the same was subject to partition. 1t was
also decided that the tax titles acquired by the
Forrers did not affect the rights of their GOTTEN
ants-that the whole interest Of David Kunkle
was subject to the liens of Crawford and Mrs.
Newman and to sale thereof that the costs
of survey should be betrayed by Kunkle and
Forrers, in the proportion OF their respective
interests And J. j. Larew, VIM. M. Tate, e..
| w. McCutchen, James w. Crawford and b. u.
Ferguson, with Donald Allen to assist as Sur
veyor, should make partition of the joint lands
as Commissioners.
| REGULAR TERM OF CIRCUIT COURT.-This
term will commence OH the LIST OF June. The
criminal docket is arranged as follows
Commonwealth VS.. J. A. Sheets and L. T..
Hulvey, charged with obtaining goods under
false pretences, is fixed for trial on Monday, the
lst day of June.
I Same VS.. James Fitzpatrick, charged with
horse-stealing, for June End.
Same VS.. Mrs. Allen charged with poisoning
her husband, for June Sd.
Same vs. VIM Alexander, chared with MUIR
der. for June 3rd.
The following Grand Jurors have been drawn
to serve at saidsterm, to wit:
G. A. Hanger. David Speck. Daniel Croft, J.
Wayt Bell, G. X. Hyde, J. E.. Thompson, G:
w. Shuey, T. A. Lightner, E. J. Bell, J. H:
Erwin, Madison Dunlap, John n. Clark, B. N.
Ellis Fl. Fl. Hamilton, Samuel H. Steele, A. G.
McCune, John Waldrop, J. A. Wilson, Tho's Fl.
Cross, W. G. Glkeson, Abner Shumate, P. NJ.
Dice, William Bell Crawford, J. Mop. Craw-
ford.
! The following Jurors have been drawn, to
serve during the June Term. for the trial OF
civil causes, commencing Monday, June stli
1914:
Christian Bear c. r. Mason, jr., Geo. II.
Gwihli, J. 0. McCutchen, VIM. J. Mckee, };
B. MeCptchen, (son of Addison J. A. Critzer,
M. A. MtComb, j. D. Brooks, Joseph Driver,
Edwards, D. NJ. Byeriy1, Nicholas Sneed. Alex.
Anderson, Greenberry NJ: Thacker. 1.
! TIE breach Of promise Gaze, Of Doom VS.: Fla
mer, which was expected to be tried in JUNE,
has been compromised and dismissed, also the
d;yprle suit Of Layores rs, l,asoree..