Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-16

The annual report OF the attorney of the Dis
trIct, Mr.. A. G. Riddle, was laid before the Com
missoners to-day, showing the transactions of his
office during the past fiscal year. and referring TO
the usual consultations with the Commissioners,
meeting their acquisitions for opinions, attendance
upon all the courts, care OF the District cases, ad
Vice to subordinate officers OF the District govern
ment as the exigencies Of each case required.
The case OF Strong against the District he states,
was heard upon exceptions before the Supreme
Court or the District in General Term in January.
and was argued by b. +. Butler for the plant n
and Francis Miller for the defendant, occupying
sustained the decision OF Judge Wylle, that most
OF the contracts sued on were invalid and could not
be the subject OF an action unless they had
been ratified by the Congress OF the United States,
which alone had power to ratify them; and the
court found In the provisions of the OF June 90
49,, full recognition OF those contracts and
waiver OF the conditions to these allowances, and
therefore held further that the suit could be main
tanned on these contracts, originally void, and
therefore remanded the case for new trial, hich
has not yet taken place.
The Luby case-sult on Official bond as water
Ieglster-He states that he has been unable to
bring THIS case to trial owing TO the absence OF
correct statement OF the late Water Registrar
Luoy's accounts with the District Until 1t is fur
niShed the Office nothing further can be done Re-
peated applications have been made for such cor
rect statement.
District agt DEMONSTRATION to recover rents for
use OF wharf on Potomac river, held under ordi-
nance OF the late corporation OF Washington. on
second trial OF this case Judgment Was rendered
have been taken to have the case reviewed in
General Term. He feels confident OF ultimate
success
King case:-An equity suit. wherein the court
sustained the bequeSt made by the late Peter Van
Essen TO the corporation OF Georgetown for the
benent OF the public schools. The property has
been sold, but final distribution OF the fund real
tied has not yet been made
The cases OF the District against certain street
railroads. on account or work done by the late
board or public works for paving about their tracks
were heard last January in General Term, and
remanded to the Circuit Court for trial. In
these cases the defendants plead among
other pleas that OF the statute OF limitations,
TO which he, (the district attorney, demurred,
under which the general question of the rights Of
the District was decided by the General Term In
us favor. Since the decision OF the General Term,
the cases nave not been reached for trial by a
Jury He expresses the hope TO try them at the
nrSt ensuing term of the Circuit Court.
Thompson against Commissioners was a case by
mandamuS to compel the Commissioners TO issue
drawback with ten per cent interest The
Court In General Term refused TO grant msnda-
mus, and decided that the District, although it
mad sold these original certificates OF assessment
was In no sense debtor to the holder OF them and
that the property on which they were liens was
MS only debtor This Iully sustained the claim OF
commissioners, and was a valuable and useful de-
clSlon, covering large field.
Inc case or RamSdell was an action brought to
recover damages for personal injuries received
through railing on slippery sidewalk. The court
In this case held that for injuries received by rea
son OF the slippery condition OF the sidewalk,
caused by the Ice forming by the melting snow,
The District was not liable and under this instruc-
tlon the jury returned a verdict for the District.
The whole number OF civil cases disposed OF
during the fiscal year was 21; new cases COM
menced to which the District is a party, Is; whole
number pending In courts OF record at end OF fiscal
year, 247 criminal cases disposed by the attorney
MI. Miller, during the. fiscal year. 1888; new cases
appealed and dOcketed In the same time, log:
cases undiSposed OF at the end or the fiscal year.
40; amount collected on judgments 1155.S1.
Appended is the report or his assistant at the
Police Court, Mr.. j. f. Padgett:-It shows that the
Cases tried In the Police Court from July /, 1891,
to June 30, 1882, We're 5043; convictions 4510; dis
mlsSals, ABS; continued, 70; nolle prosecuted 20;
lines imposed, SCI, 974