Evening star., 1899-05-25
AF FAIRS IN ALEXANDRIA
Suspected swindlers Arraigned Today in the
Mayors Court.
Two Fined and Two ReIeased-Cit!
and County Elections in Prog
ress General News.
Evening Star Bureau,
No. 121 King Street,
1AE

Bell Telephone No JOG.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. May %. 1899.
A case of unusual interest was heard be-
| fore Mayor Simpson in the police court this
morning. Four men, good looking and well
dressed, giving their names as ]. 7. Fftz-
gerald, John Bell. ]. 7. Bradley and VIM.
| E. Johnson, We're arraigned on the general
charge of being suspicious characters,
which in effect included that of swindling
passengers on the Southern railway.
Sergt Smith told of their arrest at the
Southern depot Tuesday afternoon. Fitz-
gerald, he said, had attempted to run, but
was deferred when the officer drew his pis-
tol. Officer Spinks, who assisted in the
arrest of Fitzgerald and Belli, stated that
he had shadowed the men all day before
their apprehension and had seen them go
| ing to and returning from Washington on
| the various trains.
Captain Albright of the Southern road
| testified to having been on a train which
| the men entered. They were hurrying
through cars. he said. and making rapid
transactions with passengers for the sale
of tickets Two passengers, said the wit
ness, afterward complained to him that
they had been swindled The tickets were
produced. one bearing the name of r. l.
Gillian of Lynchburg, and the other
cross mark, being the signature of Henry
Mills. a colored man of Danville-
Cab Maddox was next called and stated
this city. Fitzgerald and Belli. he said,
boarded the train shortly before 1t stopped.
Several other witnesses testified and Mayor
Simpson imposed fine of SO each on tftz-
gerald and Bell for treSpaSsing on the
property of the Southern railroad. john
son and Bradley were dismissed.
Elections in Progress.
The election for the various city offices
opened this morning at sunrise. and is pro-
ceeding quietly. There is little or no in
terest exhibited over the mayoralty con-
test it is generally conceded that Mayor
George l.. Simpson the democratic nomi-
nee, will be reelected by a sweeping ma
jority. Thomas H. Morgan. Independent
is the ticket against him. The princi-
pal concern centers about the election CT
councilmen. In three of the wards the
democratic ticket is opposed by independ-
ents. In the first ward the independents
are t. Alton Moore Charles Dearborn and
G. L. Seaton; third ward. John H. Greene
and John T. Harrison: fourth ward, W. p.
H. Kelly, Frank T. Evans and Magnus L.
Robinson.
The election for Alexandria county Off
GERS IS also taking place today, and the
contest is one of the fiercest and bitterest
ever waged in the county. As before stated
in The Star, the advocates of reforms are
putting forth every effort to secure the
election of officers pledged to effect sweep
ing improvements. Gambling. which 1t is
charged has been flagrantly conducted
within the county in recent years, is the
principal issue. The gambling and anti
gambling elements are therefore arrayed
against each other Electioneering parties
are securing the county and money is being
lavishly spent. each side recognizes the
immense interests at stake. The result Is
being anxiously awaited.
Confederate Memorial Day.
Although the regular parade was left out
Of the program, the confederate Memorial
day exercises last evening attracted large
gathering, and were up to the usual STAN
dard in point of interest. r. z. Lee Camp
marched in a body to the statue at Prince
and Washington streets, where Rev. DIR.
VIM. NJ. Dame of Baltimore delivered the
grafton. The invocation was offered by
Chaplain K. Kemper of The camp. Then
the procession moved TO Christ church.
yard. where several confederates lie in
tered in common mound. This was
strewn with flowers, concluding the eXer-
cises.
General and Personal.
Messrs. John NJ. Roberts, John H. Cum
ningham and c. V. Wantz of Westminster.
Md, paid visit yesterday to the officers
of the Columbia Steam Fire Dngine Com
pany and urged them to allow the engine
to enter the firemen's contest at Westmin-
ster June 6. The company had previously
decided not to attend. but it will again
consider the matter.
Rev. T. P. Revelle of the NJ p. Church
v ent last night to Meyersburg Nd, and
delivered a lecture on Good Citizenship
before the county convention of the Chris
tian Endeavor Society
Information reached here last night that
City View" the handsome residence of
Mr.. ]. A. Stonnell in Fairfax county a
short distance below this CITY, had been
badly damaged by fire the day previous
An old man giving his name as James
Kelley was picked up on the streets last
night and carried to the station house He
is stranger, and appears to be in a de-
mented condition. Efforts will be made to
locate his friends.
Patrick Fitzgerald, a well-known and re-
spected citizen, died last night at his resi-
dence, No 10c3 Cameron street, aged sew
enty-three years. The deceased was born
in Ireland. Since his residence here he had
been the keeper of The Ivy Hill cemetery.
Two grown children survive him.