Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-03-19
Criminal Court Business.

Criminal Court Business.
THE SCBJECT OF CNTRIRD CASES DISCUSSED TO-
pAf-REMARKS OF JUDGE wfIIE AND ASSISTANT
DISTRICT ATTORNEY TAGGART.
l his morning Gen. Croker, the warden OF the
Jail, transmitted to Judge Wyue, OF the Criminal
Court, list OF twenty-five cases In Jail undisposed
OF.
The court said that 1t appeared to him that some
of these prisoners would not be tried Among them
was that OF
THE OLD CoLoREp WOMAN, CHRIsTINA TAYLOR,
"co was convicted Of the murder OF the Fisher
Children Some years since To whom he had granted
new trial. because Of his tenef that she was In
sane.
Mr.. Taggart stated that he had been Informed
tat IL was proposed TO send her to the insane aSy
lun.
The court said she was probably as well on In
Jail as In the asylum.
THE COURTS OPINION OF WITNESS
The court then referred to the case OF Abe Smith,
Ezekiel Dent and Pleasant White, the three col
ored men convicted OF the highway robbery OF
George Emmert, tr., on the testimony OF as great a
rascal as had ever been in the court-WaSh.
Meredith. He did not think that many people
would believe Meredith bur the Jury believed his
story. AS far as Dent anu White were concerned
The verdict was doubtless correct, but he was not
SO well eatiSfed as to Smith.
Mr.. Taggart said there vas an application for
pardon, as the court knew.
Judge Wyne said he knew 1t. but he had refused
come TO the conclusion to recommend pardon in
the case OF Smith. but not to the others IL had
leaked out that Dent had Just returned from the
pententtary, and that did not make favorable i'm
preston.
TWO THOUSAND JNTRIED CASES.
He had seen statement that there were 1900
untried cases on the docket
Mr.. Taggart said that he presumed that had re-
1erence to the entire criminal dockC on which
cases have been accumula ing for man. years.
The court asked II IL wo I'D not be a good thing
1of the district attorney TO come In some day and
clean up the docket by taking up the cases which
never 1n be tried and dislnissing them and not 10
give the papers opportunity to say that there is
such number Of cases upon the docket
AN INDCCEdENT FOR CRIMINALS TO RETURN TO THE
DISTRICT.
"Deputy Marshal FaSSett," said Mr. TaCgart
'suggests that such course would be an induce
ment for some criminals TO return to the District
Mr.. TaggarJ stated that le Office was now
IN examining these OLD Ca ses with view OF finding
out their status. and they would as soon as posi-
bic, come into court and recommend some course as
TO their disposition
The court said that in Maryland they had what
was known as the "Stet' docket. 'On which We're
placed the cases not likely TO be tried and II cases
we're taken OF for trial II only on application
TO and by order OF the court In which case all par
ties would be notified. Ee would consult the clerk
on the subject and ascertain If some such docket
could hot De prepared.
MIsPL AGED Observation-Disclosures. DOUGLASS &
Brothers. OF the St Cloud building, on 9Th street,
have had In their emp oy for seven years COL
ofed porter named Watson Williams, whom they
have thought to be honest Lately articles have
been stolen and their loss was reported to the
police The porter was arrested and charged with
the thefts, which lie acknowledged. He pleaded
guilty TO charge OF petit larceny in the Police
Court to-day and was fined $50, and action upon
other similar charges against him was suspended.
COMMISSIONS were issued to-day to Jesse S. Jones.
postmaster at Girdletree, Worcester county, Va,
ard T. H. Marshall at Simeon, Albermarle county,
Va.
THE FOLLOWING PATENTS were issued yesterday
Washington-Thomas A. Connolly, automatic
electric switch; Henry F. Hayden, vapor and gas
generating furnace for locomotives; Albert L. Pit
hey. rope or line clasp; Eli T. Starr secondary and
constructing electrodes therefor
Hon. S. S. Cox has received an Invitation to
deliver the address to tie students and faculty OF
the University OF Colorado at Boulder, Colorado,
next June, but, much 70 his regret, he has been
compelled to decline 1t On the ground OF the pressure
or business that attends the close OF session Of
Congress
PERsoNAL--Richard T. Merrick, John 3. Alley
and Alexander Graham Bell, OF Washington, were
registered in New York last night.-Mr and Mrs
Robert Levers and family, Of Honolulu are visiting
the Hawaiian Minister Mr.. Carter at the Hamil-
ton-Col. S. Taylor suit and wife left yesterday
for Florida, where they Will pass some time
Representative McComas received telegram to
day conveying the sac intelligence Of the sudden
death of his mother, at Hagerstown this morning
baron Won Schaeffer, the Austrian minister. has
gone to New York for short visit, On private bust
neSs.-Ex-Gov. Bowie is seriously III with pneu-
monia at his residence, In Prince Georges county
-Rev. II. Jessup, CT Beirut, Syria, is at the
Riggs.--Lawrence Barrett, the actor, sails for
England to-day.-Commodore Upshur, lately COM
handing the Brooklyn navy yard, was the recipient
OF a complimentary dinner at the hands OF the
Brooklyn Club In that city, last evening.-George
Bliss, OF New York. is at the Arlington. K
6. IngersoI and family were in st. Louis on Mon
day on their way home from Mexico to Washing
York Hotel, Is at the Ebbftt-Mr. c. A. Dana OF
the New York !Stn, Will go to the city OF Mexico
Newton Baker and Horace Lewis, OF Washington.
were registered In St Louis on Monday.