Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-01-28


WEATHER PRoBABILITIEs.-For this
section rain or SNOW; warmer; northea'tefiy
winds.
COUNTY CoURr.-Judge d. ". Chi
chester DreSidiHg.-The January term
OF the County Court began to-day.
Judge Chichester. in his charge TO the
grand jury, said that on this occasion he
would yary somewhat from former charges.
Nine years ago when he became judge of the
coprt. he found the docket numbered up with
cases from murder to that of petit larceny.
The court had worked assiduousy and dis
posed OF them all. and up TO a short time ago
the docket had been comparatively small.
Now the bulk OF the criminal cases were
brought against parties who were not resi-
den OF the county nor of the State of Nir-
einia-peopie who were brought before the
court for violating our laws. This was sim
gu,ar state of affairs 1t was never intended
originally that Alexandria county should be a
separate organization. 1t had been tossed by
the State to the general government, and in
turn tossed back 10 Virginia, and ut this time
the law officers were perrlcXed to determine
how TO keep out of its territory the criminal
classes He had tried TO remedy the matter,
but with Indifferent success and said it was
mainly due to the fact that certain officers
had failed to do their duty. He had at times
appointed special officers for the purpose of
preserving law aud order, but had subse-
Quently found they were paid By the very
lawbreakers they were supposed to prevent
carrying on their unlawful &C 5. They had,
of course, been removed when the facts
were made known. 1t was singular that the
people OF Aleyandria county allowed these
things to 90 on. and thai no one would make
a movement toward suppressiDg them. 1t
was his duty to Try the cases brought before
him. and it was hjgh time for some one 10
make complaint of the unlawful acts being
committed every d-y within the jurisdiction
of the county. Congress, in its wisdom, had
passed an anti gambling law, and every one
i'm the District of Columbia who desires 10 en-
rage in that pastimc now crosses the river
INTO Virginia in order to indu s. III 1t, and as
acouseGuencc Jackson City and the entire
river front are now scenes OF lawlessncsS
There vas more defence OF law III the little
tract comprising Alexandria county than IN
any area OF like dimension i'll the State OF
Virginia These were facts for the jury 10
consdcr-factS which were crying shame.
A few years ago he had, for good reasons,
closed all blrrooms in the county, seeing no
use for them in a small, sparscly-settied tract
of country sandwiched between two cltl' S,
act. had opened them and disorder and muir.
der had followed The Legislature had also
altered charter (uever intended to allow
any such thing in Il manner so AS TO perm
horse racng-so rs to render gambling easy
Two race tracks had sprung up Immediately
and are still being conducted The Judge said
he had been promised help by the Governor
to break up these places. but the only help he
had obtained from that quarter was in the
hull ar lF
the one allowing horse racing. The Governor
had sent troops to remove the C0xeyitcs from
our borders while horde more injurious than
the Commonwealers areallcwed TO invade the
State and carry on their questionable and uu-
lawful commerce without let or hlndrance.
The Governor, ii is true. had made show OF
attempting to stop winter racing, but the
Judge saw no difference III horse racing whether
IL be in summer or i'll winter. it was not the
noble pastimc of our foretathers and was not
inaugurated for the purpose Of bringing
about perfection in horse flesh, as is urged.
and he appealed to the jury il such stock aIe
any better now than in days of yore. If any
thing. he said there WAS better stock then
than now The Governor Acknowledgement
and an array of legal talent had made war
against winter racing and had been met by
an n ray of talent ON the other side, and
Jones < Co. at Alexander Island, had gra-
cously agreed to cease racing during Febru-
a5y-the shortest month in the year. Book
making was carried on at the st. Asaph track
all the wear round in the face of the under
stood fact that such should not be done save
only when races were actually run. Now, it
made no difference whether son was ruined
Mt ST. Asaph or Alexander Island track, and
If bookmakipg was unlawful ut one 1t was
equally So ut the other. Some OF the parties
should be brought to justice and this defiance
of law stopped, and the judge hoped the jury
would give these matters serious consldera-
ton and not allow Alexandra county any
longer to have such blots upon her history.
The movement, he said was designed to save
the young. the old being set Ia their ways
and joined to their idols.
The grand Jury returned the following:
Robt Simmons and John Burlcss, indicted
for promoting policy; a true bill
Thos Craven, indicted for the murder OF
Reuben Miles; not true bill.
Isaac Butler for gambling and promoting
lottery; true bills.
Harry Gambler, for selling liquor on Sun
day. without license, for promoting lottery,
and permitting gambling on his premises;
true bills.
J. H Lawson, indicted for breaking and en-.
tcring house; not a true bill.
The Jury recommended that Justices Lane
and Reese and Constable Green be removed
from office for unlawfully arresting persons,
trsinc cases and i'll treating prisoners. The
Judge took the matte: under amusement
r,he grand Jury was then discharged.
C. II. Burroughs VS.. Thos. Atkins, attach
ment, quashed and judgment for plaintiff
Sarah Z Williams was appointed guardian
of Arthur Buchanan and was also granted
letters of administration upon the estate OF
Josephine Buchanan, deceased: W. n. Fe'
brey, Frank Williams aud Richard Norris
were appointed appraisers of the estate
T. P. Stevens, upon motion of J. E. Glenn
ents. was admitted to practice in this court.
w P. Lockwood spilled for certificate OF
character to enable him to apply for exam
ina;ion to practice law.
Theo. a. yeitch was appointed assistant as
SCISSOR for the county by reason of the many
sub divisions of laLd recently made there.
The petit jury was adjourned until Friday
February Sth.
Court adjourned until Thursday.
Do, Cor-pu lT1uo,. StrUUSS Orp-