The times., 1901-06-03
BUSINESS OF THE COURTS.
Few Cases of Interest TO BE Settled
Before Summer Recess.


Before Summer Recess.
The summer recess in the different
branches of the Supreme Court of the Dis
trict has practically begun and from now
until the opening of the fall term but
| little business will be considered the
last of the trials by jury in the Circuit
Division of the court was concluded last
week in Circuit Court No. 2, presided over
by Justice Clabaugh The jury summon
ed for service in Circuit Court No. l, pre-
sided over by Chief Justice Bingham, was
discharged during the early part OF the
/ month of May.
During the current month the only
branch of the Supreme Court in which
there will be trials by jury is Criminal
| Court No l. A full panel of jurors to
| serve in this branch of the court has
! been summoned and viii report for duty
| tomorrow morning. There will be no jury
trials in Criminal Court No. 2, presided
| over by Justice Anderson. 1t Is also un-
| derstood that Justice Anderson VIII re-
| lieve Justice Barnard as the presiding JUS
| tice in Criminal Court No. ! some time
during the present month. Equity DiVi-
sions Nos. and 2, presided over respec-
| lively by Justices Hagner and Bradley.
will however, continue their sessions dur
/
of the court, however, there are no i'm
/ portant matters pending. except in Equity
| Court No g where Justice Bradley is con-
sidering the Sampson and Dewey prize
/ money cases, argument in which was
concluded some weeks ago.
Chief Justice Bingham left the city Sat
urday for Boston, Mass, preparatory to
| sailing for Europe on Wednesday. The
Chief Justice is accompanied by Mrs.
| Bingham and in Boston Will be Joined by
! one of his sons and his daughter-in-law,
who go to Europe with them. Mr.. Bing-
ham will be absent probably about two
months.
1t is also expected that the justices of
the Supreme Court of the District will
devote a great part of the time of the
summer holidays to the revision of the
new code, in connection with special
committee of the Washington Bar Asso-
citation. The matter was taken UP by the
Bar Association last winter soon after
the new code was passed by Congress, and
it was decided that 1t would be advisable
that it should be amended in several par
ticulars. 1t was also agreed at that time
as the code would not become operative
until January l, 1902, that no definite ac-
ton would be taken In reference TO sug-
gesting amendments or notifications to
the code until during the summer holi-
days, when both the justices of the Su-
preme Court and the members of the bar
would have ample time to consider the
matter.
While 1t is probable that a great deal
OF work will be done during the present
month, looking to the revision of the
code, it is not expected that the changes
suggested will be formulated into the
e l.fa In fIa
fall, or perhaps not until Congress con-
venes.
The question of the payment of costs in
litigationS in the Probate Court will come
up for consideration on Friday, June Is,
before one of the justices Of the Supreme
Court Of the District. The matter will
come UP on the petition of the heirs of
the late James E. Slaughter who caused
writ of mandamus TO be issued against
Louis A. Dent, in his official capacity as
Register of Wills for the District, TO com
pei him to file their answer in protest
against the admission of the VIII OF
Slaughter to probate.
The petition was filed by Mamie Hamil-
ton, Daniel a. Slaughter, and Edwin
Slaughter, who oppose the prObatng of
a paper writing offered by Julian Cas-
tillo Slaughter as the last will OF James
Z. Slaughter. This proposed Will, it is
said, was offered for probate on March II
last, and eleven days later. on March q,
the petitioners. through their counsel,
Henry +. Davis, presented their answer.
lu,
10 file the answer without the usual de-
post of costs, which amount to SIS. This
II is stated, the petitioners declined to
pay, ana their answer was not placed on
record.
This is not the first time that the ques-
ton Of the collection of fees by the Reg
lister of wills has been submitted to some
one of the justices OF the Supreme Court
OF the District for adjudication. Not
long ago one of the justices to whose at
tention the matter was called decided that
MIR. Dent had pursued the proper course.
There is now another case involving the
collection of fees by the Register, held
under adVisement by one of the justices
of the court.
In the Slaughter case now under CON
sideration, Mr.. Dent holds that the an
swer of the petitioners is in the nature
of a caveat to the will of james L.
Slaughter, offered for probate by Julian
Castillo Slaughter. and that the petition
ers being the caYeaters beginning the lit
igatior should make a deposit of SIS for
costs In advance. Otherwise, he stated
the caVeators woulu be litigatng at the
expense of the estate.
Mr. Dent said he did not ask more In
the Slaughter case than he would have
done in any other contested will case. He
simply declined to put the answer on file
until the cost was paid, and further, he
said, he viii not do so until ordered by
the court
Slaughter was well known in this city
and died in Alabama during the early
part of last winter He spent a great
fore he died returned TO his native State
He left property in Alabama, New York
and in the District, and his will has been
offered for probate in these places. 1t Is
expected that the litigation in this case
will settle forever the powers of the Reg
lister OF Wills in relation to the collection
of fees in connection with probate bust
ness, and the result is looked forward to
with much interest.
The trial of Lewis Francis Mortimer
who is under indictment for larceny has
been set for June 10 next in Criminal
Court No. l. lie is charged with rob
bing Mrs. Olivia c. Starring of $1,000
worth of diamonds and $400 In money on
May Z last Mortimer and Mrs Starring
became acquainted through a personal
advertisement, and during the last two or
three months he had been frequent Wis
itor at her residence, 1455 Massachusetts
Avenue.
Mortimer was arrested soon after the
robbery was reported, but no trace Of the
lost jewels has yet been found. Some
time ago Mortimer made an application
for a writ OF habeas corpus in order TO
secure his release from custody, but the
writ was denied.
Teeth Drawn, He BIed TO Death.
cIFApnN pa ItIne -The strange ga So 1