Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-17

TIE COMMITTEE WILL 60 AHEAD WITH ITS WORK IN
ATTEMPTING TO srPPRESs CRIME.
The meeting OF the Citizens Committee last
evening was well attended and the proceeding dis
played great interest on the part OF the members.
Mr. Vim. Ballantyne presided and Mr. A. E. Bate
man acted as secretary The chairman, Mr.. John
W Thompson. read q detailed report in relation TO
the recent trial OF McDevitt and Finder.
THE CHAIRMAN's REPORT.
He reviewed the character OF the ofTense, which
he held clearly receiving stolen goods The
circumstances Of the larceny were all proved.
Dwelling upon the testimony Of Hovan. the report
explicit in declaring that that testimony bore
all the internal evidences OF truth and was cOrrO-
b0rated by outside evidence Reviewing the char
acter Of the offenSe charged, which. according to
the general judgment. would be deemed q clear
case OF receiving stolen goods and that the posses
sion OF one would he held to be the possession OF all
who are associated or who shared in the plumber,
the report maintained that such should have been
held 10 be the law by the court. inSOmuch as the
saline Judge had before thus instructed the jury In
Che case uf NcEfresh and Finder That instruction
was that II il were fact that the detectives were
III collision or conspiracy with the "fence" 10 buy
the stolen goods, and when reward was offered the
detective 10 take the goods To the owner. receive
and distribute the reward between themselves and
the fence, then this would constitute such a con-
fet!cracy would make the possession OF the fence
the possession OF the detectives In such a case
Tor receiving stolen goods With this ruling, con-
tnueS the report, all good citizens would nave Deen
content. But the charge OF Judge Nyne In the
under consideration entirely reversed the In
structionS quoted above. From this last ruling a
verdict or aCquitta no matter what the testimony
or the opinions OF the jury might be, was lore
s0ne conclusion.
CONCLUSIONS REACHED.
In conclusion the report says: In two OF the Gases
against the indicted detectives the defenda1-
have been acquitted In pursuance Of the inStruc-
tnnS OF the court
The disposition thus made Of these cases is hnal
because there is practically no way OF obtaining
review of a decision made against the prosecution
In the case against Dunn and Murphy. In which
a verdict of guilty was rendered, the verdict was
set aside and new trial granted by the Court In
General Term, because Of an alleged error commit
ted by Judge Wylie in determining under what act
OF Congress Juries are to be organized ID This DIS
trict.
In another case recently disposed Of In General
Term, new trial was granted to a confessed muir
derer upon the ground that the Judge erred In de-
Gliding IS To the qualifications of jurors
The jud-c who presided at the recent trials has
been assigned TO hold the court during the remain
der Oh this year. He has presided In criminal
courts by virtue or successive assignments, since
January. 1Ss:.
The supreme Court OF this District, as Is well
known, Is composed OF six judges Three OF the six
judges hold the Court in General Term, to which
pIeals are taken from the decisions OF the Judges
holding the criminal and special terms Three OF
the six Judges in fact, interpret the laws here In
force aHi determine the principles by which civil
rights and criminal OHenSes are TO be adjudicated-
Thes. facts appear to indicate that there exists
great uncertainty in the administration and inter-
prct'tiOu OF tie criminal laws OF this District, and
made the inquiry serious one as TO what steps
should be taken toward bringing criminals to JUS
tee
AT The conclusion of the reading OF the report the
following resolution was adopted
Resoired, That IN adopting the report Just sub
mitted, IT Is the sense OF this committee that we
should hot relax our efforts for the protection or
HE and property in this District and for the speedy
trial 0f per sons Indicted tor crime, and their pun
lohiIent when found guilty.
CRIMINAL LAW IN THE DISTRICT.
In the expression of opinion which was evoked
by the reading of the report, one OF the members
Of the committee declared that IL was the abuses
that had grown up under Just such system which
had cstUse,i the Cincinnati riot. The practice OF
completing panels from taleSmen who habitually
hang around the courthouse was declared to be
most Objectionable.
A resolution of thanks TO Nj Thompson for his
efficient efforts adopted, and he was requested
10 continue 10 act as the chairman. and that he des
iguafe four members of the general committee 10
at executive committee TO aid him in the
further prosecution Of the work OF the committee.
The Washington Monument.
MEETING OF TEE SOCIETY-TNE SHAFT TO BE CON-
PLETED THIS YEAR.
The Washington Monument Society met at the
White House Yesterday afternoon. There were
present the President. Mr.. ". W. Corcoran CHAIR
man, Mr. Bell, supervising architect OF the Treas
N.Y. VT. Clarke. architect OF the Capitol; Gen John
Newton. Col T. l. Casey and F. L. Harvey, secre-
taTy. The object OF the meeting to inform
Congress Of the probable completion OF the monu-
nent ut an early day. In order that committee
might lie appointed or some other action taken by
Congress III the present session to insure apprO-
PIRATE d.tration at the time nf its completion 1t
+ probable that the monument will be entirely
completed next November. Mess some unforeseen
obstacle arises the stone Will ali be set by the last
.. lT-u-t. and the months III September and OctO-
F-r y III give ample time for the erection OF the
lJrdu:tidl roof
SUr''G lICsRaSD FOR HIS WIFEs BOARD BILL
Nc--? ,0ol. and cole Yesterday. for Henry Birch.
IL H
sI.f5D Ia his bill Of particulars Hr. Birch claims
this AMOUNT uue him for furnishing board and
lodgings 10 Go,IeyS wife and child from September
!. IS,". 20 March !. 1851 at the rate of S25 per
mont and That they there TO live the In
stanre oi The husband. y Oil for divorce Is now
f'-:. - between VI. ana MI Cooley, in which she
ctI- that he t:Iie To support nrr and was habit
ut'-s Incorporate. liz denies that he refused TO
Import H. anu asserts that she returned to her
fE'l.r.'- house To live al her OVID accord after lie
had offered hex home and agreed to provide for
her.
TF- CAPITOL Hill. GERMAN CLUB last night gave
th'ir last mop for IBIS SEASON at McCauley's hail.
The occasion was a'Eery Pheasant one and was
thoroughly enjoyed oy those present. \ number of
barge partir, and eXcjusiOns 70 be given during
the SUMMER by The members OF the club, are
being arranged.
TEE PROPOSED HONE FOR CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS
\ meeting of veterans OF the late war. reprtse tiig
TON ti'- blue and the gray. was held Ut The Ma
tliIal hotel !d~f evening. Dr. T. A. duncan preS-
din. aIl Ii. W. HOpny secretary 10 take measures
u at he proposed horne for confederate soldiers
=! Richmond Major Alexander Hunter. VINO made
Tlc opening address. said That was not intended
10 .,>h aid Of the government ana that at lest one
hail ". the cont rif'ljIOIi> arknrW led Jed had come
rom f.ii.hro ~ the Grand Army the It.pubic
EN rN-cuiiFc ConlInitfec Of nih". to consist of an
AL number ~ c&-cDuiedcr.tr ans! cA-unnn sol
dIer~ VIII" ~noid >rpCt the G.:d member a civilian
w. tpppintei ~ The chair follows: Charles f.
Joy'r. % ::awinS post; \. Il. IUrinuTt, Farragut
pos; = ". Oyster. Lincoln post. and VI \ billion,
Me 81 post. q. \. r.: j. I Callahan, e. .. Iycy r.
= y allacn and John w Drew.
WITNESS IN WHISKY CASE SURPPIsFp-In
c''"rr-t, with keeping sunday bar Matthew
DAVIS testified that he had got a drink In the
lfel@n ~ the defendant house. and paid Tor IT,
oA cr'>--eXaInination the witness said he was fired
S1t'j Tor keeping al unlicensed bar some time ago.
brt had never paid the fine. Officer Falvy had
given him dollar 10 pay for the drinks The court
cNtlaihrd the records. and found that the witness
he'd token N appeal In the case mentioned and
having 1atied 10 pay docket fees. the was sent
b.cn. The court said: ''Let him b. Diet aimed, now
that h. l. Here and let him pay his fine. sos. or go
u the wartIotse for 20 days in default This
cas-" aud u:Ier1 In which Davis was the principal
". -sezs Wtrc dismissed.
'i,ERIAGE IIcENSES.-Marriace licenses nave been
AMI NiJ"lj1 V Ferguson. @; 2Jltin0re: W. H. Combs
amt Mar j. B'cNe:; hrlcS IL. Champ and Ncien-
d. Powell. Lewis ". Reilly. Of san Antonio Texas
al Post Na"cs: Edward Y. Byerly and Saineul-
i y. BE'tlF. hotn I'll Baltimore. Md: NJ. f. Biggan