Smyrna times., 1878-04-24
COUNTY AND STATE 1TEms.

Thomas Schee Merritt one of the oldest
residents of Middletown, died Friday in
his Sjth year
Mr.. Z. II. Thomas has sold farm Of I47
! acres, near Odessa, to John c. Corbit, ESQ.
for $4,000 cash. -
| Ihe Breakwater was full of vessels durino
the past week. Among the fleet is the
usual spring mackerel fleet.
Mrs. Rev. II. S. Thompson returned to her
nome IN Newport on "Wednesday last from
visit to Annapolis, and her welcome home
oy the citizens amounted to an ovation.
BRIsK.-Sixty-six passenger and freight
traIhs pass through Wilmington daily.
sunday excepted. Ten Of them are from
the Delaware road.
BLACK Bass IN THE DELAwAEE.-.On
tuesday, john Morris, of Chester. caurht
two pound black bass in the Delaware
river back of Chester Island. 1t is very
seldom these fish are caught in the lower
Delaware.
Judge {. S. Layton celebrated his SOtb
birthday last Friday. He attends regularly
to his law practice, and had the most inn.
portant case before the last Court entirely
IN his hands. The judge is remarkable
active, and his faculties well preserved.
Thomas, the man who so brutallv cut his
wlie.s throat with razor in Wilmington.
OF which we gave an account last week, and
aiterward did the same for himself. is re.
covering, and, it is believed, will live TO
De hung as another victim to rum and the
Devil.
The Bright House" at Rehoboth will
open for the reception of guests Nav 23d
Mr.. Burton has already had many appli.
cations for rooms for the season from per
sons at distance, several of them being
members of Congress who saw that tbov
propose to try Rehoboth this year.
Frederick is to have a big entertainment
on Thursday and Friday evenings next
1t is for the benefit of new Brass Band
recently organized in that town. 1t will
consist OF charades, and minor dramatic
pieces, for which the young people of that
town are becoming somewhat famous.
CoLORED SUNDAY SCHOOL CoNvExTIoy.-A
convention of the Sunday school workers
OF the Delaware Conference was held at
odessa last week, and various topics of in.
terest discussed by Revs. l.. Y. Cox, J. A.
scott, u. w. Hamilton, |. ii. Gustus, D. Z.
Anderson and others. The Berean system
and other improved methods were adopted.
BREACH OF PROMISE SUIT.-A suit for
breach of promise has been entered in the
Superior Court of this county, by Mrs. Dill.
worth, widow, formerly of Mill Creek
lld:, but now residing in Wilmington,
against John Peoples, cashier of the Union
National Bank, Wilmington. The amount
OF damages is laid at $4,000. The case will
probably be tried at the Nav term of
court, and Mr.. Peoples has retained Chas.
Is. Lore and VIM. c. Spruance, Esqs., as
his counsel
The question as to the advisablity of Sc
curing the collection of school taxes by the |
same method as that of all other taxes, is |
being widely discussed in Sussex county. |
The present methods is loose, unsatisfactory |
and productive of much needless discomfort |
among school-taxables. The outline of |
reform demanded, is that the State shall |
add such additional sums to the general as |
sessment as will secure to each district, to. |
gether with the State appropriation, a sum |
aef money sufficient to cover the teachers |
salary for such q number of months as the |
State itself may determine, and grade the
salaries upon tho basis of the graded Ger. /
tificates issued by the Superintendent.
The Middletown Transcript, of Saturday.
o"yS' 1eSIeFuay TWO NONRESIDENT uSnef-
men, hailing from Chester, Pa, were ar.
rested for violating the fishing laws of this
State by placing pound nets at the mouth
OF Blackbird Creek. They were brought
to MiddletOwn by Constable Rothwell and
had trial before Esquire Naudain. They
pleaded not guilty, and stated that the
pound nets were not their property and
that they were fishing for eels with small
nets. The boat and nets were taken into
custody and removed to place of safety
and the fishermen held for further hear.
ing under their own recognizance. The
nets will probably be sold to pay the fine
OF obstructing the channel of the creek
and Of fishing without license, which is
800 and costs in each case.p