The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-02-20

Cocksyne, brother of the teststor
are the attesting witnesses thereto
Mr.. Cockayne had an attack of paralysis
on the 25th day of December, 1871, (fron
which, however, he recovered sufficiently
to atteud TO business, so the propoundei
of the will Claims, and died about the
middle of August, 1875. The time In
tervening between the first attack OF the
malady and the signing and acknowl-
edging of the will was about fifty days.
The contestants in the present suit ask
that the will be set aside on the grounds
that, owing to the mental condition OF
the teststor at the time OF making the
same, he was incapable Of properly dis
posing of his property. Proceedings in
the Circuit Court were brought to an
abrupt pause one day last week by one
of the attorneys for the defendant de-
manding of his honor, the judge, that the
case be declared out OF court on the
ground that the suit was improperly
Instituted against Samuel A. Cocksyne
and not against that gentleman, as exec
utor of the will OF Bennett Cocksyne,
deceased. This announcement was q
perfect surprise TO every one in the court
room, and had about as startling an
effect as the bursting of twenty pound
she'll in their midst would have pro-
duced. His Honor held that the point
WAS we'll taken, discharged the jury, and
was about to dismiss the case. when an
arrangement was agreed upon by the
contestants and their attorneys by which
the case was proceeded with.
Owing TO the illness OF one of the
jurors (Mr. Thompson), the case, by
agreement, is being tried to eleven jurors.
Mr.. A. HALSTEAD.
Amos Halstead, convicted by the Cir
cult Court of Logan county to q term Of
two years for stealing ginseng, was dis.
charged from the prison to-day by reason
of expiration OF term of sentence.
That institution now contains two hun
dred snd sixty prisoners, five of whom
are females.
Mrs. Ruling, after q short illness, died
yesterday evening at the home of her
son Andrew, IN the lower ward, at very
advanced age.
The subject OF building town hall in
connection with the Masonic fraternity,
the Mssons 10 occupy the upper story,
is being talked OF by some OF cur enter
prising citizens. This is something our
town needs very badly, as at present we
have no hall in which expositions OF any
kind can be given except the one in the
school building, and that cannot be had
at all times, il, indeed, the trustees have
the right 10 let it at all, e1cep: tor some
thing OF an educntionsl character.
A certain young gentleman OF the
upper ward, an ardent sspirant for mill.
tsry honors and glory, made "chsrge'
on Squire Blakes' cellar one night last
week and captured all the apples he
he could manage to stow away about
his clothes. Lieut.. McGill will detail
corporal and guard at the next meeting
to infict corporal punishment commen-
surate with the enormity of the ofense
upon the cIlprit. As the company has
no guard house or place of confinement
the punishment will. consist of "bucking"
for a reasonable length OF time.
A congress OF the upper ward ladies
resolved themselves into high court OF
the other day, and dis
cussed the merits OF some of the peni-
tentisry gnards in manner much more
vigorous than elegant or mplimentsry.
That was the "most unkindest' cut OF
all when the charming and versatile
of the Inteltigencer inti-
mated that the Immaculate" did not well
grace the position Of chairman OF the
musicale held at eI.Sherif Grsy's tie
other evening. Come, come, "lsde fair"
after playing such sad havoc with tie
charming young man st the gate 1t
wont do to be SO hard upon this one.
l see by the Washington correspor-
dent of the Sunday Leader that there is
some prospects of the efforts of Captain
Bridges 10 behalf of the United States
prisoners here, IN securing Tor them
trsnspor tstion TO the point from which
they are sent, proving successful. Com
mon Justice, as we'll as the dictates OF
humanity, certainly ought to secure to
these persons this much, as large pro-
portion of them leave here entirely iesti-
tute Of the means OF getting TO their
homes, excepting the miserable pittsnce
five dol!ars) furnished them by the gov
ernment. Captain Bridges deserves the
gratitude of bot0 the conviCts and the
community here for his gratuitous efforts
IN this direction, as it will give the con.
vict an opportunity to rejoin his family
and friencs, and relieve the community
of large number of that rather unde-
sirsble class oil citizens.
Circuit Court still in session.
The accoutrements for the Camden
Zousves we're received on Monday last.
TIE rolling mill is "of" in order to
have some repairs made 10 the shears
and some other portions Of the mschin.
cry.
County Clerk Finn reports business in
the mstriln onisl line disgracefuliy dull
at present, and thinks this must be al
"of' yesr.
l understand that the Pittsburgh OIL
Company, who hsve leased ground in
this vicinity, will commence boring 3
well on the farm OF Col. Thompson, on
the opposite side Of the river, IN short
time"
The Papai Conclave.
PARIS, February l9-The Defence,
B shop Supsnlonp's organ, saws that h