The times., 1899-03-14
ATTORNEY FOR THE
DISTRICT RESIGNS
Sidney 7. Thomas to Be Sue
ceeded by A. B. Duyall.
The commissioners Were Prepared
for Change Of Legal Coun.el.
+. Letter Received From Andrew Car
ncuic in Reference 4" the New
Public Library.

Sidney T. Thomas. Attorney for the Dis
trict, rendered his resignation yesterday
to the District Commissioners and Andrew
b. Duvall. who has been his first assistant
since June ]. 1888 was appointed TO sue
ceed him. The resignation will not take
effect until June l. next. when Mr.. Thomas
second term of three years will have ex-
pired.
The work OF the office is very heavy and
Mr.. Thomas decided some months ago
that he would give up the position. He
expressed this desire to the Commissioners
at the time and they were prepared for
his letter OF resignation, which was re-
ceived yesterday morning. His assistant,
Mr.. Duvall, was Immediately named for
the place. ne being next in the line of
promotion.
Mr. Duyall is a native Of the District Of
Columbia. and graduate of the Columbian
Law School. class 60. He was admitted
to the bar in the same year, and entered
the law office of tine late Joseph H. Brad
ley, with whom he was long associated.
Mr.. Duvall was for several years a men,
Der of the faculty of the law department
OF the Georgetown University. He is also
a member of the Board of Children s
Guardians. president of the Methodist
Home trustee of the American Uni
versity and member of the Metropolitan
NJ. f. Church.
Mr. Thomas considers the work Of the
Office too heavy. The compensation is
$1,000 per year, and this has long been
considered out of proportion to the duties
of the office. which is one of the most i'm
portant under the control OF the Com
missioners All questions of legal nature
or requiring legal Interpretation are re-
feTred to the Attorney for the District for
an opinion. He is consulted almost daily
by the Commissioners.
An idea of the business done by the office
may be CLEANED when it is stated that $50
official opinions were handed to the Dis
tr!ct Commissioners during the last fiscal
year. Among the important cases brought
to the attention of Attorney Thomas last
year was that of Lansburgh vs.. the Dis
trict and Frederick w Moore against the
District. in what were known as the trad
ing stamp" and "handle-bar cases. re-
spectively.
In the former the Court OF Appeals held
that an enterprise by which trading
stamp company placed among merchant
subscribers sO-called trading stamps for
distribution to customers according to the
amounts of their purchases, which stamps,
when collected in sufficient numbers. enti-
tied the holders to premiums supplied b.
the company, was 4 gift enterprise within
the meaning of the act of Congress of Feb
ruary II. 1873. prohibiting such business
within the District.
The case of Frederick W. Moore involved
the police regulation requiring the handle
bars of bicycles ridden on the streets OF the
city TO be on a plane not lower than four
inches below the top of the centre Of the
saddle. While the Court Of Appeals re-
versed The judgment OF tne ROM, Count III
its rulings in regard 10 the admission OF
evidence, the regulation was sustained as
a reasonable and valid exercise OF the pc
lice power
During the last fiscal year nineteen new
actions we're brought against the District,
one being for alleged injuries to real prop
erty and eighteen were to recover damages
for personal injuries received of alleged de-
fects in streets and sidewalks.
During the same year under Attorney
Thomas administration twenty-five suits
were brought in equity against the Dis
trict for the cancellation OF arrears OF
general taxes where tax deeds had been de-
vered. seven suits in equity were broughs
against the District for injunction, among
them that OF the Potomac Electric Power
Company to enioin the laying OF electric
conduits in Ninth Street northwest.
There were one hundred and seventy ~
cases in certiorari TO quash assessments
for special Improvements During the last
fiscal year Attorney Thomas. in behalf OF
the District Commissioners also brought an
action before justice of the peace against
the Washington Gas Light Company to
recover the statutory penalty for inferior
gas, but. at the request Of the Commis-
sioners, the case was continued. and the
gaslight company given an opportunity to
explain.
There were two hundred and sixty lunary
proceedings and six proceedings to con-
denim property for extending and opening
streets. and for rights OF way for sewers.
There were one hundred and forty-one
Northern Liberty Market claims examined.
with sessions occurring twice a week. and
this added materially to the labors OF the
office Of the attorney. It VIII be seen then
that work of the Office is no small task.