Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-11-15
FOND OF LITIGATION.

contempt OF court In the Circuit Court
for Alexandra county yesterday is sp-
parently monomsoiac on the subject
of litigation, and Is said to have In.
stituted suits 10 different sections OF the
country for large sums Of money
against various estates, corporations,
etc. From the evidence which came
out 10 the trial today it appears that 10
April last Wagner brought two suits In
the Circuit Court for the county named.
o Q was against the Adams Express
c. mpsny for So S37, 1926 and interest on
81, 342, 022 Al. which be claimed on
IA 04S judgments which he alleged he
nad secured against the company
named from Justice OF the Peace John
Haynes, of Frederick county, Md.
Wagner claimed that he secured the
judgments at the rate Of about 1000
DER day between December 10 and %,
1883. The other suit wss against the
county commissioners of Frederick
county, Md, for 81, 34l, $3.50. which
be claimed due on Judgments rendered
about the same time, by the same
justice, and at the same rate per day.
Attorneys ]. r. and II. B. Cation, OF
this city, were retained by both of the
defendants, and they 10 turn employ
ed detective to fod out some
thing about WagDer's past record.
l. soon became evident that some
fraud Twas contemplated. It was
found that Wagner had secured
from the clerk OF the court the pro-
cssses, stating that he would have them
served, and had brought them to this
city and falsely representing himself to
be "Henry Hovey" had sworn before
Mr.. K. Kemper, notary public, that
The, Henry Hovey," had served the
two processes, one on the president OF
TIE county commissioners of Frederick
county and the other on an agent OF the
expires, comp ny. He alec made eff
davit that he was not interested In the
suits. These processes, of course, were
never served. 1t is alleged that Wag-
ner's object was to get judgment By de.
fault. He had requested the clerk of
the court to say nothing about the
suits, and the matter was kept quiet
while the investigation was going on.
The cases were set for trial Monday
last, when 1t was hoped that Wagner
would appear, but when the casea were
fret called he could not be found. Lat.
er in the day, while 30 attachment for
his arrest was beiog prepared, Wse-
ner arrived aud started into the clerks
office. But when he saw aud recognize
ed Mr.. W. 8. Thomas, of Baltimore, the
general attorney for the Adams Ex-
press Company, be took to his heels.
Deputy Sheriff Palmer jumped into
buggy and gave chase, but Wagner
crossed the bridge into Washington
aud escaped. Tuesday, however, he
crossed into Virginia again and was
taken into custody aud jailed. Oaing
to the fact that the processes to which
he swore falsely were void on their faces
and the declaration did not show the
jurisdiction of the court it was I'm
possible to hold Wagner for either per-
jury or forgery. However, q prosecu-
lion for contempt OF court, ia that he
had abused the processes Of the court,
mad been prepared by the Common.
Wealth's Attorney and the Messrs Cation.
Wagner secured Messrs. Machen and
Moncure TO defend him against the
charge Of contempt, and Mr.. Clements
conducted the prosecution Wagner
stated to the court that, he was at the
courthouse Monday, but was suddenly
taken with neuralgia OF the stomach,
and bad to hurry to Washington. II
came out in evidence that Tor the past
twenty-five years In different sections
of the country Wagner has been suing
the Adams Exnress Company for enor.
nous sums OF money, and for the past
six years has been institutiOg similar
suits against Frederick county. I, 70.
gard to the alleged judgments agaiust
che Commissioners, on the stand Veg
DER said that ne was living 10 Frederick
county some years ago, aud thore we're
many bad people in the county; that
be exposed them and they sued hlm for
ibei, and he had secured the judgments
10 question by suing them for the
amounts be had expended 10 defending
these libel suits. As to the alleged
Judgments against the express company
ne said they bad been secured 10 suits
for excessive charges on patent medi-
cines be had manufactured and shipped
by that company. 10 rendering bis
opinion 10 the contempt case, Judge
Nicol said that Wagner was evidently
Of unsound mind, but had sense enough
IN knnw rioht from vvronO