Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-25
CORNER STONE LAID,
Ceremony Preliminary to Erection of
Masonic HalI-GeneraI News

haII-IeneTHl News,
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
ROCKVILLE, Nd, December "a 1899.
The corner stone of the new Masonic Hall
to be erected at Gaithersburg, this county.
was laid Friday afternoon in the presence
of about 100 Masons from various sections
of the county and elsewhere and a number
of other persons. The exercises were CON-
Quoted by Pentalpha Lodge of Gathers
purg. DR.. j. II. Mccormick, worshipfuI mas
ter of the lodge, being master of ceremonies.
The gavel used by Gen. George Washine-
ton at the laying of the corner stone of the
nited States Capitol was brought out
from Washington for the occasion and ex-
cited much interest. This gavel is the val
ued property of Potomac Lodge of Wash
lngton, and it never leaves the lodge room
uhleSs accompanied by one or more mem
bers Messrs. Waddey and Thompson were
delegated to convey it to Gaithersburg
the new hall will be three-story brick
structure forty by ninety feet
Henry Avery, young Washington ne
gro was given preliminary hearings on four
charges before justice of the peace here
yesterday. He was charged with carving
concealed weapons and with assaults upon
Julia Green, Michael Green and Rose Gill
pert al colored, of Washington He was
required to furnish 5000 bail for his an
pearance at the March term of the circuit
court In the Rose Gilbert and Michael
Green cases, and the other charges against
him We're dismissed
The testimony showed that all the parties
mentioned were witnesses at the trial of
wyatt Frazier, convicted at the November
term of court of criminal assault lnon a
little colored girl. Avery was on the op-
poslte side from the others and considara-
bic bad feeling between him and Them
sprung up as a result of the trial While
waiting for a train at the Baltimore and
ONO depot the day the trial was concluded
a controversy arose, resulting in Avery as
icba al
the latter having his jaw badly fractured.
AL Special meeting of the trustees of
Rockville Academy, held Friday evening.
it was decided to erect a monument To The
memory of the late Julius West, the founder
OF the institution, and the contract for fur
nlshlns the same was awarded to MIR. John
NJ Heagy of this town. The matter had
been under consideration for some time
ana as "a preliminary to the action of the
board Friday evening the remains of Mr..
West. as well as those of his father. moth
er, brother and two sisters. were several
weeks ago removed from the old buryins
ground on the West farm, adjoining this
town, to the Rockville cemetery
Cnder the will of Mr.. West his widow was
leIt HE interest in all of his real estate
provided she did not marry again If she
should remarry she was to lose all interest
IN the property and the income therefrom
was TO be used in starting an academy at
nockvIie. provision to be made for a num-
Der or free scholarships Mrs. West did
marry again, and soon therea fter stars
were taken toward the carrying out of the
provisions of the will in regard TO the in
stitution of learning. III
The building was erected about eighty
years ago, and from that time UP to the
present the institution has enjoyed a career
OF uninterrupted success A few wears ago
the original building was torn down and
more pretentious structure erected in tie
stead. eu III us
the present principal is Prof William
na ichliey Mason and the trustees are
msssrs. spencer c. Jones, Charles w. Pref
lyman 1ya Hattersly W. Talbot, W. w. Welsh.
G;ns alu =. 5eter, John G. England, John J.
aisgins and Judge James B. Henderson,
ABOUT Two Years ago the academy was
opened Mies to young lady students.
,, 1asss grace Thomas of Washington is a
Groomes, this place T.
Mr.. Dinwiddie ]. Luckett of Richmond
days. Aeie LUZ rev
..! Mr. samuel M. Jones of Baltimore is Wis.
itihg relatives near this place.