Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-03-15
LOCAL MATTERS.


WEATHER PRoBABIL1TIEs.- Var Depart.
xe,,t Office oftte Chief Signal Officer, Wash
'nqton, D. g.. March Is. lS7S-lO:3U a. NJ
For the Middle States rising barometer, dim
inishing northerly to westerly winds, and gen
orally colder, clear or partly cloudy weather
will prevail
CoNFERENCEs APPOINTMENTS. The Balti-
more Annual Conference of the NJ. + Church.
South, adjourned, in Baltimore. yesterday.
Amanp the appointments are the following 10
this city and seotion,:-
Washington District-Samuel Register Pre-
siding Elder.-W ashiugtou, Mt. Vernon Place,
to be supplied by Rev. Dr. w. P. Harrison
and j. w. Boteier, sup; Alexandria, W. X.
Boyle and L. NJ. Mills. sup; Fairfax, }. II.
Duspey and A. e. Bradenbaugh; Falls Church,
j. Hoffman Waugh; FarmwelI. 0. 9. Beali;
Lees burg, L. II. Kennedy; Potomac Mission.
to be supplied; Hamilton and Grove, L. IL.
Crensbaw; FIiilsboro, ". II. Wilson, Lou
doun Thomas f. Carson and II. P: Hami;
Piedmont. l.. NJ. Lyle; Lindoo, l.. W. Haslup;
Warrenton, James Higgins; Paris, George b.
Allen; Fauquer. j. 5. Porter and +. Eur;
Prince WiIliam, +. A. Mercer; Stafford, e. II.
Henry; Fredericksburg, j. w. Duffy; Broad
Run Colored Mission, to be supplied; j. M.
Grinder, Sunday School and Tra,t Agent.
Winchester District-Nelson Head, Presid-
ing Elder. Winchester, J. S. Gardoer; Win
chester Circuit, w. A. Wade; Cedarvie Mis-
sion, r: II. Wilson; Frederick Mission, L. IL.
Shipley, f. L.. Hetarick, sup; Trout Royal aud
Rivertop, A. Weller; Warren, w. B. Dorsey;
Berryvills, George e. Brooke; Brucetowa, j..
l.. Gilbert, w. a. Williams; Martinsburg 2.
B. Smith; Berkeley, w. Y. Mafoy; Charles.
town. S. &. Ferguson; Jefferson. A. NJ. Cack.
ley; Shenandoah Mission, A. Ii. Way; Shep.
srdsown. j. L. Shipley; Gaiuesboro', j. II.
Wolfe, NJ. n. Taylor, sup; Capon Bridge, H..
NJ Williams, Il. G.. Cunningham; Strasburg,
l. Fox. B. Ar5ogast president Of Valley Fe-
male College; }. Hyde, president Of Roauoak
Female College.
Rockingham Distrlct-Davii Thomas. Pre-
siding Notwithstanding. W. @. Egelc.
too; Shenandoah Iron Works. W. G. Ham
mond; Furnace. Robert Smith; Mt Sldney,
A. Il ,bcy; Bridgewater. H. W. kinzer, ). T..
Graiohen; Rockingham, L. A. Richey. u: a.
Eozar; East Rockingham. f. A. Strother;
Port Republic J. L. Hopkins; Columbia FUR
mace. George Il. D.. Collins; New Market.
David Bush; Woodstock and Eiioburg, 4.
Mauzy; Lu7sv. NJ. G. Ba|thir; W. A. Harris,
president OF Wesleyan Female Institute.
A LoNd DISPUTE SETTLED. BY decision OF
the Court ofAppcals delivered yesterday. in the
case of Beck ham vs. Bolts, the plaintiff, Mr.
j. t. Beckham, of this city, regalns the valu
able estate OF his late father Known as Auburn,
situated on the V. Nj. r. r.. between Brandy
Station aud Culpeper g. IL. 1t contains two
thousand acres Of tho best land IN the county,
and WIS valued before the war ut $50 per acre.
This case has been 10 litigation slncc 1868. and
this is The second time it has been before the
Court of Appeals. BY tho forner decision tho
deed held by Bolts and Stearns was set aside,
and the deosiou of yesterday restores the estate
TO MIR. Bcckham.
The Richmond Dispatch says: This i'm
portant aod very Interesting case, decided by
the Supreme Court Of Appeals on yesterday,
grew out of a contract dated the och OF No.
vcmber, 1862, by which franklin Stearos and
the late John Minor Bolts claimed to have
purchased Of James a. Beckham, OF the county
of Culpeper, his splendid landed estate called
Auburn" situate 10 that county, and some
personal property, ut tho gross price OF 500,
600, cash, payable in Confederate money. The
suit Just ended was bill filed by Stearns and
the heirs Of MIR. Bolts against the heirs OF
Beckham to enforce the execution of the con.
tract for the sale by having tho title conveyed
to them, they alleging payment OF all the pur-
chase money. The defence 10 the main, was
that at the date of the contract Beckham was
mentally incompetent to enter 10 a contract Of
such magnitude, and that it was procured and
executed uoder suob circumstances that q court
of equity. according to the principles governing
its jurisdiction, could not lend its aid to enforce
it. The Circuit Court of Culpcper, at a spe-
ca term held by the Hon. G. A. WingGeld,
decided for the defendants and dismissed the
bill of the plaintiffs, leaving them to their RENE
dies 10 court of law. Tho Court Of Appeals
affirmed the decree Of the Circuit Court. the
opioion being delivered by Judge Burks, and
concurred in by Judges Anderson and Staples.
Judges Mooeuro and Christian disseuted, hold
Jog that it was case for the specific perform
anco of the contract. and that the decree OF
the Circuit Court ought therefore to be reversed.
The case is unusually interesting in it's facts,
embodied in printed record of moro than five
hundred pages, and deliberately aud very ably
discussed by the Judge in his opinion.