The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-18
A
AN AGED OUPLE AND A LONG-LIvED FAMILY
COURT ADJOURNED WITHOUT ISSUANCE OF
WRIT OF ELECTION.

AN AGED COUPLE AND n LONO-siN LII Anil
COURT ADJOURNED WITHOUT ISSUANCE OF
WRIT OIL ELECTION.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.l
APRIL II, 1883.
Yesterday was the ~siXty-tifth marriage
anniversary of Mr.. and Mrs. JOIN Luster. OF
this place. They are thought to he the old
est couple in this county, the husband be-
ing in his eigbty-seventh and the wife in
her ninetieth year. Mr.. Luster Is quite ac-
tive for one of his age. He breaks up,
plants, and works his garden without as
sistance, and not ~unfrequently rides horse
back.
For many years he owned and kept a
hotel at the Natural Bridge. | have heard
him say that his company used TO be COM
posed almost exclusively of Richmond
people. and / have no doubt some OF your
oldest inhabitants remember well his jokes
and anecdotes, for, like the landlord OF
,'ye olden time" he is exceedingly fond
of bis Jokes, and repeats them to every
visitor. Mrs. Luster is more feeble than
her husband, and can only walk about the
house with the assistance OF her cane; but
a more cheerful, mirth-loving old lady you
never saw. / wish | could tell you the
number OF the grandchildren and the
Observation-Disclosures and the great-great-
grandchildren of this happy couple, but
they do not know themselves, for their
name is legion.
Some time ago. in writing OF the Simp-
sons OF this county, | intimated a belief in
the hereditability of longevity. The
Finches from whom Mr.. ana Mrs. Luster
sprung, for they are %cousIns) tend to con-
firm my theory. Their grandfather Finch
was one hundred and n wears Old when
he died; Mrs. LISTERS father nearly at
tanned his eighty-ninth year. and a sister
her one-hundredth year. She has a brother
living at the age OF eighty-seven; the other
two brothers dying at about that age.
Judge Mays has adjourned his court
without granting the petition made two
months ago, and urged at each term, for
the issuance OF a writ of election. The
fact that no writ has been issued in any OF
the counties where there is vacancy in the
clerks Office has led come people to believe
that there is concert of action among the
Judges, and that they are all acting under
advice from Attorney-General Blair. IN
the argument before Judge Mays the law
was brought out so clearly that TO a plain
man it seems that the Judge is usurpine
the prerogatives OF the people in refusing
to allow them to elect q clerk next May.
Counsel in their argument showed that
a general election is to be held every yea
on the 4th Thursday Of May. Code, chapter
9Th section LIST.
Clerks Of the courts, under act o.
March s. 1875, elected for six years; theil
first election to take place on 4th THURSDAY
OF May, 1879
The late incumbent had served the tern
/. commencing July l, 1875. and endin.
, July l, 1881, and had entered on his seconl
. term 1st Of July, 1881, and died Novembe,
16, 1882. His Office became vacant for til
balance OF his term, to end July 1, 1887.
, Section 8, same act, provides for film,
. the vacancy, and requires the county judg
to issue a writ Of election to fill the vacanc
i at the next election after the vacancy oC
ours, the term to III LIST OF Jul
next succeeding the election, with prov
sion for filling the Office temporarily by til
Judge, and to discharge the duties OF til
a office until his successor is elected an
qualities.
A petition for mdndamus, setting out III
facts in the case, has been prepared by MI
= " lillian A. Glasgow, and will be taken I
a Salem tomorrow. ACTON.