Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-12-21
CHARLESTON.
The Uourts-A Peculiar Verdict General
News-Personal.

lSyscidl Correspondence Of the REGISTER.
CHARLEsToN, w. Va, December IL
Circuit Court ia in session, aud Judge
Guthrie has already disposed of considers-
| Bile business both of criminal and civil
nature. Quite q number OF divorce suits
were on the docket, some Of which have
been disposed Of aud others continued The
divorce business is not among the least
of the varied litigation Of the legal gen.
tlOnen of KansTha.
A rather peculiar verdict was returned
the other day. Geo. Grass was alleged with
the burning of the house Vt VIM. Grass,
who resides some miles from the town, in
1882. The statute provides in such cases
that if persons be in the house at the time
of nriDg the crime is to be punishsd with
death, and if there be no person in the
house, the punishment is Imprisonment
and fne. 10 the argument Of the case the
attorneys lost sight of the statute and either
side plead for conviction or scquiltsl. The
Jury returned verdict of guilty The evil
delce Wss entirely circumstsntial, and it
was not proved that persons were in the
house at the time Of the firing, therefore
the verdict will have to be set aside on the
ground that the evidence did not sustain
the verdict which means the death penalty
Judge Jackson's Court adjourned Satur.
day last after nearly an all nights session.
The business engaging the Courts stten-
ton 80 long and late wss the disposal OF
the claims and allowances Of fees in the
Ohio Central Railroad case. The sale was
confirmed some days prior to the settle
ment Of the matters above referred to-
The commissioners in the case were allow
ed 81, 900 each. W. A. Quarter, attorney
for Receiver Sharpe, was allowed s., 900 for
two years services Some of the lawyers
claimed as high as s, 900 as fees; others
not 80 much. Judge Jackson adjourned
the Court 10 January, when Judge Baxter,
of Ohio, can sit with bin in the matter,
Baxter having jurisdiction over part Of
the road. The lawyers will be compelled
10 wait until that time for their allowances
Il is said the fees claimed will amount in
the aggregate to nearly $4,000.
The Special session Of the Supreme
Court of Appeals was brought to close
las, week. During the sitting q number
of very important opinions were handed
down, al of which have here
tofore appeared in the REGIsTER. One OF
The important decisions was that Of Mayer
vs.. Adams, the contested election case
from Tucker county. The contest was for
the Office of Circuit Clerk. 1t will be re.
membered By many readers that the
friends of the contesring parties got into q
terrible rampus last winter over the mat
ter. Adams was duly installed in Office by
the old set of county commissioners.
After the coming in OF the newly elected
commissioners Mayer was declared elect
ed. The row grew out of the attempt OF
Msyers friends to dislodge Adams and his
friends. who had possession Of the court
house The case now gees back to the
county court de noVo.
The Judges of the Supreme Court have
been indefatigsble in their srduous lsbors
Every case on the docket was disposed of,
something that has nos happened in the
history of he Court before. Cases do not
now hang FIRE in this court for several
years after being docketed, as was the case
in the early history of the State.
Court viii meet here in regular term |
January l3, 1856.
The papers here have requested that
some measures be taken to relieve the in
zane who are confined in the County jail,
awaiting sdmitsncs to the asylum at
Weston. Three Inmates were confined in
he County jail at one time recently, all
female, / believe, one OF whom died, no
loubt, from exposure and lack of suh-
Gent accommodation. which of eouJe
cannot be provided in the County jail
Some public action was talked about, but
no. steps in that direction as yet have
been taken.
The Capitol building is nov nearly com.
,leled. The carpets were placed in al
he departments and rooms some DAYS
ines, and the interior presents bright
nd inviting appearance, All the depart.
nsnts and Offices are provided handsome
lew furniture in keeping with the building. 1