Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-31
ARGUMENT AT AN END.
Judge Wilson Concludes His Three Days'
Speech Before the Park Appraiser

| Mr. PERRY RHsENrs THE lMPUTATIoNs PUT UPON
| HIS FAIRNESS AND INTEGRIrY-cHAIRNAN NOR.
Ms MAKES FEW PLEASANT REMARKs-BRIxr
sKHrcH OF THE INCIDENTS OF TIE AEAnIHo
Judge Wilson closed his argument before the
Rock Creek Park commission yesterday after.
noon, having spoken three days He thanked
the commission on behalf Of his associates and
himself for the very patient and careful con-
sideration which they had received at its
hands, and after asking the commission to
carefully weigh the testimony submitted on
both sides closed his argument with an express
sion Of the utmost confidence that their find
| ing would be one in which the owners could
consistently acquiesoe.
Mr.. PERRY ON TIE ATTACKS MADE on Hrx
As Judge Wilson resumed his seat, Mr.. Perry
arose, quivering with suppressed emotion, and
said that If, after the virulent and violent per-
soual attacks to which he had been subjected
BY counsel on the part Of the owners, especially
| by the counsel who had Just closed, he should
ask for an opportunity to reply he knew that
with their Anglo-Saxon love for fair play his
request would be readily granted. But he
would not make such request. The interests
at stake and which he represented were ma
tfonal IN their importance and no matter how
| desperate in character.had been those attacks,
they would be subordinated to those interssts.
To do otherwise would be to detraet from
their dignity and importance. He sub
not his course throughout this case
had been fair and honorable, whether
| he had withheld anything and whether he had
intentionally misrepresented anything or any
body. To the commission and to other fair
minded men he left his conduct What others
thought was OF no consequence TO him. If he
had said in his argument that he did not wish
the park TO fail it had been said in connection
with the responsibility which rested upon him.
Chairman Norris--We cannot believe, Mr..
Perry that counsel have willfully and intention
ally imputed to you other than a fair and hon.
orable course in this case. Now, all this has
occurred in the confines Of these walls. Let it
remain here.
Judge Wilson-I shall carry it no further.
District Attorney Cole then announced that
next Monday morning he would 60 before the
Court in General Term and submit the motion
Of the government that this commission be in
structed to dismiss from ito consideration the
question of gold.
CHAIRMAN NORRIS ADDRESS.
Chairman Norris having given notice that
the commission would receive briefs in the
| case until next Wednesday, November 4, de-
clared the hearing adjourned sine die as re-
CARDS the introduction of evidence and argu-
ment thereon in the following remarks:
Gentlemen: In closing the hearings Of this
brought before us let US gratefully recognize
the fact that We have been enabled to accom-
plish a work SO full Of interest to the entire
public and to the government itself. On the
StL day OF July last this commission was con-
stituted by and received its instructions from
the Supreme Court Of the District Of Columbia
IN pursuance OF the provisions of a law enacted
by the Fifty-tirst Congress. On July IS the
government opened the case by the introduce
ton Of certain testimony showing all the tracts
mr. nj Ion6 fhnfp
boundaries, acreage, &C., as embraced
within the limits or boundaries prescribed
for the National Rock Creek Park.
Notice was then issued to all parties concerned
that the commission would enter on personal
inspection or view Of the park lands on July
16 at 10 o'clock am. In pursuance of this
notice the commission commenced the inspec-
ton and continued day by day, as you doubt
less remember, throughout the entire park
| entailing much labor and fatigue and revealing
| spectacle OF nature in many respects wonder
| full to behold. The view being completed, this
commission began its sessions for receiving
testimony on behalf of the land owners and of the
government as to the value OF the properties.
The government has been professionally rep
esented by Mr.. Perry and MIR. Cole and the
claimants by large array Of the most brilliant
members of our District bar. We have been
| engaged in this most unique and most inter-
esting and yet most difficult investigation dur
ing the whole intervening period, with only
prepare for the presentation Of its case, but
otherwise without a single delay in the prog
| ress Of the work. And here the commission
wish to emphasize the diligence and pronpti-
tude Of all the claimants and their counsel, not
one Of whom has manifested any disposition
to embarrass the commission by any I'M
readiness or unwillingness to proceed
The labors of Mr.. Perry have been simply her
culean, supplemented only by the aid Of Mr..
Cole, the district attorney, while the work Of
tha inna oil fnrf ho - L.
| midst of their many other occupations, has been
enormous. We must commend also the urban
| ity and courtesy which have universally pre-
vailed toward this commission. While you
have at times engaged in serious and earnest
| debate involving private and public interest SO
great there has been very little to mar the dig
| nifty and manliness Of the learned discussions
| to which We have listened. As to the magni-
tude Of the labors performed we need only to
consider that If an average Of but three days
had been given to each Of the claimants, not
| including those Of tenants, it would have con-
| sumed a whole business year Of time, and yet.
| 80 far as We can see, nothing has been omitted
and nothing neglected which could inform the
| commission as to its duties in the case.
In parting with you here, gentlemen, as we
| do now, be assured Of our most cordial good
| will toward each Of you and our earnest de-
sire for your future prosperity and success,
and also that we are not unmindful of the high
| responsibility resting upon US to endeavor to
| w JhooCc W phItics COuCtTucu AL tulb RreaL
matter, which so deeply concerns the future
honor and glory OF the capital city Of this vast
republic.
THE LENGTH OF THE HEARING.
The hearing before the three appraisers up
pointed by the Court in General Term to fix
the value Of the lands sought TO be condemned,
Messrs. Jos. i. Norris. chairman; Geo. ]. Seuf-
ferle and Norval W. Burchell, was begun on
the 29th Of last July. The government has been
most ably and conscientiously represented by
Mr.. II. Ross Perry throughout the entire hear
ing, assisted bv the district attorney, Mr.. Z. c.
Cole. and Mr.. Hugh T. Taggart of his office. On
| behalf OF the numerous interests involved az
represented in the person of the many owners
have appeared the following legal talent, an
| array of counsel which, as respects the number
| engaged and their attachments, has, perhaps
| never before been SO remarkable in any other
| case ever heard in the history OF the District
bar: Judge Jere III. Wilson, VIM. Stone Albert,
Tainiage A. Lambert Sami Maddox, Andrew
B. Duvall, Frederick d. McKenney, Randall
Hagher, Blair Lee, James Coleman, j. NJ. At
| Gibson Of Pennsylvania, John w. Warner, d.
Davis, H. Wise Garnet, G. G. Lam
caster and others. A number Of the
owners appeared before the commission
in their own behalf A no less remarkable
| feature of the case has been the number of wit
nesses examined and the length of time con-
| sumed. in several notable instances in the
minute and exhaustive crosse examination to
| which some of the witnesses introduced by the
| government we're subjected--fve days in the