The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-02
RECORD OF The COURTS
A Busy Term in The Criminal and
C.rcuit Branches Closed.
Six Murder Cnscs and Many Other
Important Matters Disposed Of
EefclhoeEcr Embczxlenient and
AIiender False Pretence Cases.

The work OF the June term of the SUI
preme Court of the District practically
ended Saturday, although today is the last
OF the session. AS it is expected that tie
usual summer vacation will commence
during the latter part OF the week, jurors
nave not been summoned to serve In
either the criminal or circuit branches OF
the court. The last Of the jury trials in
the Criminal and Circuit Courts was he d
on Friday last. The equity branches, as
well as the criminal and circuit branches
of the Supreme Court Of the District, have
been kept quite busy during the June
term with the consideration of important
cases. In the Court of Appeals for the
District, aleo, several CASES which have
attracted considerable attention during
the last year or eighteen months while
they were matters of litigation before the
lower court, have been disposed of during
the last month. Among these may b.
mentioned what are known as the Smoke
law cases." the Funk and Smell murder
cases, the Eleventh Street extension Gaze
and the Godfrey-Dutton case.
During the last two or three months the
health OF Juetice Bradley, assigned TO Cir
cult Court No 2, has been such as 10
necessitate his absence from the City Hall.
The assignment Of cases for trial before
that court, in great many instances, was
undertaken by Justice C. c. Cole, who IS
assigned 10 Criminal Court No. and a'eo
TO the Probate Court. During the early
part of last month Justice Cole also pre-
sided in Circuit Court no. l, in place Ct
Chief Justice Bingham, who tooa the
formers place in the Probate Court dur
ing the trial of the Poole will case. Jus
tice Cole was not qualified to preside al
the trial of this case for the reason that he
was one OF the Witnesses to the will under
contest. After a trial which lasted o.er
FIVE weeks the jury which heard the evil
dence rendered verdict sustaining the
will.
During the las: term and also the previ-
Gus term of the Supreme Court Of the
District, there was an unusually large
amount of business disposed Of in the two
branches OF the Criminal Court. in
Criminal Court No. / alone six murder
trials were had during the term just ended,
while in Criminal Court No 2 seven col
ored men were three times tried f5r
making 4 felonious assault upon n white
woman. When first tried all were con-
victed. After their conviction they were
granted a new trial.
The second trial resulted In q disagree
ment Of the jury. They were convicted
for the second time on Thursday last and
will today be called for sentence by Jus
tice Cole. who presided at the trial. When
FIRST tried all Of the defendants were found
guilty, but at the trial last week only six
OF them were convicted. After the frst
conviction Justice Cole imposed sentence
Of thirty years imprisonment in the peni-
Tertiary upon each of the defendants.
The work done in the two branches Of the
Criminal Court is best explained by the
statement that at present there are but
two cases which have not been disposed Of
in which the defendants are in Jail await
ing trial. One of these is the case Of
James Lancton. who is held for the murder
of Mrs. Bette Wrenn. in March last
This case was twice set for trial by
Thomas II. Anderson United States At
torney for the District. and twice was post
poned at the solicitation OF the defendants
counsel, who stated that because of the
absence Of material witnesses they could
not safely proceed with the case.
During the last fourteen months .;ustit.
Clabaugh. who presides in Criminal Court
No. /, tried eighteen murder cases. In
four Of these cases the defendants were
white men. The only other murdes case
disposed of in the Supreme Court OF the
District during the last year was the L INK
case, which was tried by Justice Cole.
When the Lancton case was postponed II
few days ago Justice Clabaugh Informed
counsel for the defendant that he would
call it up for trial as soon as practicable
after the beginning OF the October term OF
court.
The otner two most important cases
which will be called for trial early dur
ing the next term OF court are those Of
Keickhoe!fe- and Allender. In the former
the defendant is charged with embe szling
the funds OF the Government and in the
latter tie d, tendant is accused Ct obtain
ing money Under false pretence.
Those unhappy persons who sufier from nervous
d.r-r.u To