Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-01-26

CASE DIsMIssED.-The case of A. F.
Doniphan, who had been charged with
carrying a pistol, was called in the Po-
lice Court last night. The accused was
represented by Mr.. j. r. Cation, of this
city, and Judge Yarreli, of Washing
ton, and the prosecution by Common
wealth's Attorney Marbury. George
Chichester was the first witness. He
testified that Doniphan attended the
trial OF the policy cases in the Corpora
ton Court. room on the night of the
18th instant with d pistol in his pocket;
witness saw the weapon and put his
hand on it. A colored man named
Bailey said he also saw the pistol. Ed
ward julius, colored, said Bailey told
him Douiphau had the firearm, but
witness did not see it. There was con
siderable cross questioning by the
counsel for the defense, and several Al
e%xandrians were put On the stand,
among them some gentlemen who sat
near Doniphsn on the night in question.
They averred that they saw no pistol,
nor had they any reason to suppose
the accused had one. Two gentle.
men from the county were al
so called upon to testify. One
said ne never knew Doniphan to carry
q pistol, but the other testified he had
one on the occasion of the raid made
by Sheriff Palmer on the gamblers of
the county. Ii was shown in rebuttal
that Donipnan was a deputy under the
Sheriff ct the time. The Mayor re
served his decision until this morning,
when he formally dismissed the accus-
ed. This simple occurrence, it seems,
has almost dethroned the reason of a
Washington afternoon paper, which
imagiEes because Doniphan is 3 memt @
OF a law and order league ia the county
that he should be accorded immunity
from any charge, and that officials VIII
dare examine a charge against a mem
Der of the fraternity are venal and SEEK
ing an opportunity to show resentment.
Now there are just as good and equally
as honest people in Alexandria as those
who compose this self-consiituted
band or its champions, and The re
Election Of the newspaper referred 10
were unnecessary and unjust. The
authorities of this city have shirked no
duty, and when the officers of the law
brought the lawless element to the bar
o justice the cases were summarily dis
posed of, Notwithstanding the fact that
chose SO prominent in talking" the
matter up made themselves conspicuous
by their absence and did not furnish
one particle of evidence for the prose
cution. All was procured by the pc
lice themselves, who proved to be equal
to the occasion. The authorities of this
city have honestly e%ndeavored tom t
out Justice to all, and in MIR. Donipnsn's
case the matter could have been settled
amicably. al the friction was caused
by him and his friends who seemed to
think they were sheep among wolves
when they entered a hall o fjustice here.
In fact, Doniphan being q cripple ard
helpless, collector for a newspaper and
living in the county, he would un.
doubleday have been discharged if a
pistol bad been found in his
pocket, as the court was dispos-
ed to look upon the matter with some
extenuation, but TING defiance and con
tempt which followed and the Juggling
in Of the ''law and order league" of the
county, implying that all out Of its
ranks were apostates, the sending of an
insoleDt letter to the Mayor signed ga
Citizen Of the County," all tended to
cast the fat into the fire and brought
about the rupture. And then the in
PRODUCTION of Judge Yarrell into the
Police Court, the man who bad occa
stoned dissatisfaction in insisting on
aiding the Commonwealth in the
county, led to the impression that the
county was DESTROYS of running the
city. The Mayor naturally objected to
the tail wagging the dog and deter
mined to examine the charges against
Doniphan closely. This be did with
the result given above.
~- ~
A SERIOUS CHARGE-Ida .Jenckins,