Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-09
Death OF an Old and Respected CIti.


The many friends of Mr.. VIM. Thompson, a
well-knOwn justice of the peace in this city
for about forty years, will regret to learn
that he died about SO o'clock yesterday after
noon at the family residence, on the corner of
5th and NJ streets northwest Mr.. Thompson
was native of Hull, England, born Decem-
Der LIST, u.s. and he was therefore in the 90th
year of his age. He received liberal educa-
lion. and it was intended that he should sue
coed TO the large mercantile business conduct
ed by his father, but his tastes We're for htera-
ture, and he had such dislike for the arbi-
frary features of the British government that
he declined entering into business, choosing
rather TO try his fortunes under this govern
ment. In 1919 he made his way TO Montreal,
Canada, and after spending few months N
that city and Quebec, he reached Baltimore IN
the following spring. Here he found nun
Der OF friends, and he began to teach sten0g-
raphy, having for his students number of
members oft bar, some OF whom subsequent
ly became noted as leading men in the cOun-
try. As teacher OF stenOgraphy he followed
the courts from county seat TO county seat.
and in this work he became acquainted with
many of the leading families of Maryland. He
then went TO the western part of Viz
ginia, Pennsylvania and the eastern part of
Ohio, then regarded as the far west In his
StenOgraphy classes he also taught grammar
and eloeution, and among his pupils We're
non and Wiley In 1874 he located at Morgan
town, Va, and published there whig paper,
advocating the election of Henry Clay TO the
aq r which aea benf ne 1h ed
published book called the "Fayette Remem-
brancer." He then, with his wife, to whom he
had been married about four years previously,
started the UniontOwn pa ACADEMY. In 1929
he determined TO make this city his home. At
that time there were but two public or free
schools in the District, 1.-THE Eastern and West
ern LancaSterian schOOS) and but few private
schools. He established school for boys near
the corner of 9th and III streets, but subse-
Iuently removed to Louisiana avenue, near
the City Hall. Mrs. Thompson took charge of
a girls school. and among her pupils was Mrs.
AmadOn, who for many years was known as
one of the best teachers in the District. Mr..
Thompson about this time became the political
edited by Gen. James Watson Webb, and of
the Baltimore american, and subsequently he
became the local editor of the Metropolitan,
published in Georgetown In 1884 he published
the Washington Mirror, which was the only
paper at that time which gave any consider
able attention to local affairs. This paper he
sold TO MIR. Rufus Dawes. who changed it's
character TO aliterary journal, and it failed in
1886. About this time Mr.. Edward Dyer
suggested to him that he should take a
commission as justice of the peace,
and he procured the commission for him. Mr..
Thompson was then made police magistrate.
He was subsequently for about ten years a
then established the Saturday Nelcs after
wards the Washington Nelos, a weekly paper
and edited 1t up to about twenty years ago.
He held the position OF Justice of the peace
Tor about forty years, and for a long time was
one of the police justices under the board of
police, holding that position until the eStab-
Hshment of the Police Court, about eight years
since. As Journalist and citizen he advO-
Gated many municipal reforms, and being
from the first opposed to the old fee system, he
was an earnest advocate of the Metropolitan
police. Mr.. Thompson was man of the strict
est integrity, and one of the best and most
valued citizens of the District.
AN ALEXANDRIA MAGISTRATE ARRESTED.
The Alexandria Gazette of last evening says:
ION Sunday last two white boys who are EN-
ployed on canal boat by Capt. l.. Shaner
were arrested by the negro county constableS
and carried before Justice Weston Green, col
ored, of the county, charged with bathing in
the canal near Skaters bridge in the day time.
The magistrate fined them and made them
pay the costs, amounting altogether to about
SO each. The fines were paid by the cap
tain, who yesterday came in town and pro-
cured a warrant from Justice Padgett for the
arrest of Green on the charge of unlawfulIy
extOrtlng money. Green was arrested by
Constable Gray at the American coal wharf
where he works as cOal-heaver, and was
brought before Justice Padgett. Edmund
Burke, esq commemorative attorney for the
county, appeared for Green. but in the ab-
sence of the commonwealth s attorney for the
city the case was postponed until this evening,
Green giving security for his appearance.
Capt Shaner claims that at th3 same time the
boys were arrested there We're several full
them"
HE AMERICAN AND AFRICAN COMMERCIAL
COMPANY have filed a certificate of lucOrpora-
ton in the Recorder of Deeds office-Messrs
Richard III. Cain, Samuel X. Watts and BENZ