National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-10-03
THE COURTS.
SUPREME COURT-GENERAL TERM.

SUPREME COURT-GENERAL TERM.
This court was engaged as follows yesterday:
First National Bank vs.. Abner. Appeal from
an order oVerruling motion to quash a writ of
attachment, and was argued by Mr.. Schmidt for
defendant, and Mr.. Totten for plaintiff, and the
Court approved the judgment below.
Secor vs. Secor. This was a divorce case
argued by Mrs. Lockwood, and Judgment below
affirmed, the Court holding that insanity after
marriage was no cause Of divorce.
Shoemaker VS.. Paul. Motion for new trial on
exceptions, and Judgment or verdict for plaintiff.
David Dillon VS.. Washington Gaslight Com
Pany. In this case the plaintiff sued the de-
PENDANT for having, on the 18th day Of August
A. d. 1873, eXcaYated and dug up the street at
the intersection Of street north and Fifth street
Vest, and allowed the street to be in dangerous
and unsafe condition, without fixing any light or
signals barricades or other warning at or near
the excavation, whereby the hack or carriage Of
the plaintiff was injured and DESTROYED, and the
horses Of the plaintiff famed and otherwise in
iured, and the plaintiff himself thrown violently
70 the ground, so by means of said injury the
plaintiff became lame, and suffered and still
suffers, to the damage Of the plaintiff in the sum
Of two thousand dollars.
The case came up upon the refusal of Judge
Macarthur below to allow the following instruc-
lions: If the jury believe from the evidence that
some days before the 18th day Of August, 1873 the
completed the laying Of the gas main at the in
tersectiOn Of X and Fifth streets, in the ity of
Warrington, the place where the accident oc-
Cured, from which the said alleged injuries arose
and had filled up the trench in which said pine
was laid under the direction and to the satisfac-
tion Of the superintendent Of thu said streets and
the work being done thereon under the Board Of
Public Works, and had giving up the said street
or streets, and all control their part over the
same, and the work being done thereon to the
contractor who was preparing the same for a new
carriaReway or street pavement, that then they
must ind for the defendant, Notwithstanding Il
shall appear that the plaintiffs hack and harness
into the said trench.
''To ind for the plaintiff in thisIactiOn the Jury
must believe from the evidence that the injuries
charged, and for which the action is brought were
occasioned by the negligence Of the defendant
or its officers alone, and by no other cause what
ever, and that If the said trench had been filled
up the level Of the street, TO the satisfaction Of
the superintendent, and that afterwards the sur
face OF the said trench sunk by reason of the
was not the result Of defendants negligence, and
that If the accident occurred from such sinking,
the defendant is not responsible therefor"
The Judgment Of the court below was affirmed,
after argument by Mr.. W. Webb.
Adjourned.
CRIMINAL COURT-MR. JUSTICE HUM
PHREYS.
Samuel B. Murdoch, convicted of sending a
threatening letter to Hon. Fernando Wood,
charging him with seducing his (Murdock's) wife,
and demanding S5l 900 or his life, was sent TO jail
for three years.
Robert Lawson, for burglary, was sentenced to
four years in the penitentiary.
Wesley Jourdan, for granddaughter in killing
Sandy Kelly, was sentenced to two years in the
lenltentiaTy.
VIM. johnson, Robert johnson and Albert Da-
Wis. indicted for larceny. Robert johnson was
acquitted and VIM. johnson and Davis convicted.
sentence was deferred. Adjourned.
BORDER RAIDERS SENTENCED.
The large number of midnight deeds of stealth
which, IN the latter spring and early summer,
~ lImed the jewellers on the northern edge Of the
CITY, both without and within the boundary, were,
at one time. believed to have been at least in
some instances, traced home and a very we'll
known coloTed carpenter named Joseph Jones'
with q logger IN MS house named Alexander Will
Hams. were accused, the main evidence being GER
tain stolen articles found in the house Of Jones
The hrst case tried, as heretofore reported IN this
paper, Jones was acquitted and Williams con-
yesterday morning, both were convited OF larceny.
The court sentenced Williams to ave Years i'm.
pTisOnment in the Albany penitentiary in the first
eight years in all. Jones was sentenced To tbTes
years Imprisonment in the penitentlary. II Is
hoped that no more border raids will be heard Of