Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-06-18
Al&fau0tia 6axttte
MONDAY EVENING. JUNE Is.

AN IMPORTANT LAND SUIT DECIDED. --On
Tuesday last his Hon. &. A. Wlngheld, hoidlng
q spocisl term Of tho Circuit Court OF Culpeper
for Judge Shackleford, who was related to The
psrties, and so could not Sit decided the case OF
Bolts and Stearns vs. Beckham's heirsin favor
Of the defendants, Diminishing tho palnhns' Dill
with costs. This case involved the ownership OF
about 1000 acres Of very valuable land near
Brandy Station. The case has, In another form,
been before tho Supreme Court OF Appeals. ana
in tho various trials which have boon had. at
t-actod considerable sttention, not only on &C
court Of the large interests. but because OF tho
interesting questions involved, In November
1862, James A. Beckhsm, wealthy Culreperr
farmer, sold his estate to John NJ. Bolts ana
Franklin Sloarns for $1,000, of which $4o,0oJ
was paid in cash-the balance Of $53,oC to pc
psid in ten days thereafter on the execution OF
Iced. Between tho sale sud the time Tor final
execution Of the contract, Beckhanl, who had
boon heretofore paraiJ zed three times, suffered
from another and very violent stack OF same DIS
ease and ct the time for making tho deed WAS help
less and speechlcss The deed, however, WIS
executed. and the balance Of thepurchaso money
psid All tho money passed in the shsne OF checks
into the hands Of q kinsman Of Bcckham who Ia
vested most Oft in Confederate securities. short
~ after the war committee WAS appeihtod lor
Beckham. He brought suit to rescind tho con-
tract and deed, and TO recover back tue land on
the ground that the sale and deed were secured
by tho purchasers By undue means from beck
ham, when no WAS incompetent TO act. Iho
suit WAS decided by the Circuit Court OF Cnpcp.
or against tho Hcckhams, who appealed. Inc Su-
prone Court sustained their appeal. declared the
deed null and void, and ordering Bolts and
Stearns to deliver possession Of the land, unless
they in ninety days should bring their suit for
specific performance of tho CONTRACT. This SUI!
was brought in tho time prescribed and this
is tho matter now decided by Judge
Winglie!l, who has refused TO execute the con-
tract, and thus opens The way for tho Beckham's
to get possession of their lands. We under
stand the plaintiffs will tako tho case again to
tho Supreme Court for its final Acknowledged
b,tTg tirQiniam. ::
OPENING AND CLOSING OF MAILS. Until
further notice tho following will ba the hours
tor tho opening and closing OF the mails:
Northern mails, S:45 a. H. and and 200 =. m.
Western mails, S:45 u. IN. and ZOO =. IN.
Southwestern, Via Lynchburg and Gurdons-
Washington and Ohio Round Hill to Alex
andria, $50 p. m.
Manassas division, go D. m.
Southern mails. via Richmond and Frodcr-
icksburg, Va, S:15 a. m. and l:3O p. III.
CLOSING.
Northern and Western mails, 4:15 p. mr. and
900 p. IN.
Southwestern, via G0rdonsvIllo and Lynch
burg, 600 q. III.
Washington and Ohio, Alexandria to Round
Hill, Va, 500 n. III.
Manassas Division, GOO q. m.
Southern, via Fredericksburg and Richmond,
Va. ,4:45 p. m. and $50 p. IN
MTs- General delivery window cloacs 1T 500 p.
M. Doors close At 900 p. m.
Ga-Opcn on Sundays at . q. IN. and closes at
$50 a. m.