The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-26
IN THE DISTRICT COURTS
The Recess in the Circuit md
Equity Branches Ended.
The Examination of the Proposed
New Code of Laws Practically Com
Of-The Case of Charles Bowen
Postponed - Ella WracIs' Trial.

After a. recess Of more than three weeks
business will be resumed this morning
in the circuit and equity branches of the
Supreme Court of the District During this
time, however. business was not entirely
suspended in these divisions of the court.
such matters as demanded the immediate
consideration of any of the presiding jus
tees being attended to. in order that no
damage might result TO either party to the
cause at issue. Instances of this may be
cited in the suit OF the Washington, Alex
aldria and Mount Vernon Railroad against
the Potomac River and Anacostia Railroad.
for injunction. heard by Justice Barnard,
and the Mutual Fire Insurance Company
election case, which was considered by
Justice Cole
The recess it will be remembered rs
was stated at the time, was taken in order
that the justices of the Supreme Court for
the District might have an opportunity of
examining and discussing the proposed new
code Of laws for the government of the
District with the members OF the local bar
delegated by the Washington Bar Asso-
citation to report on this work The work
is practically complete, and ii is expected
that a report will be made in the near
future. From the result of the work al
ready done, it appears that it was mostly
in the nature of elimination and condensa-
tion of the compilation of laws originally
submitted This conclusion is reached from
the fact that the revised edition Of the code
consists OF something less than 400 pages,
while the original numbered very nearly
J Geo pages.
During the recess, however the work in
Criminal Court No. l, Justice Clabaugh
presiding, went on uninterruptedly. One
murder case and several other cases Of
miner importance were disposed OF in that
court. Mollie Harris, colored. was put on
tria! for the murder Of Alice Queenan, also
colored in October last. Just as the argu-
inert to the jury was about TO begin. how
ever, the defendants counsel, in behalf of
their client withdrew the plea of not guilty
10 the charge of murder and submitted a
plea of guilty to manslaufhter The plea
was accepted by the court and the prisoner
was remanded TO jail TO await sentence.
This week brings with It an innovation
in the conduct Of tire business of the Pro-
bate Court, which is presided over by JUS
tice Cole. Al the session of last Friday
he announced from the bench that. begin
ming with today, a session of Probate
Court viii be held every day during the
week at ] clock, except on Saturdays
and on legal holidays. Heretofore only
one session Of the Probate Court was held
each week. This was on Friday. In the
matter of contested cases a special as
signment was made for their hearing, and
the same viii be the rule under the new
order
1t was expected that the case Of Charles
Bowen, charged with murder, would be
called today, but it was decided by the
District Attorney 10 defer the trial of this
cause. II is believed that the witnesses
who appeared before the grand jury in
this case Will be recalled and new In
dictment framed. When this is done IL is
expected that Bowen viii be put on trial
on the charge of assault with intent TO
XII instead Of murder The trial OF Ella
Wracks. eolorcd, charged with the muir
der of Isaac Henderson. also coIored will
begin tomorrow before Justice Clabaugh.
The crime with which the Wracks woman
IS charged was committed under very pc
euliar circumstances, and ner defence will
be that the killing Of Henderson was ac-
cidenfal. The defendant lived in George
town in house which has porch or
balcony at 4 great distance from the
ground. On tAe night Of October q last
Henderson called to see the woman ard IL
is said she entertained him on the porch
or piazza. While there the defendant and
the deceased got into qliarreis and in
tussIe which followed Henderson was