Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-07-10
United States Court.

The third DAYS session of the July
term of the United States Court began
at 80 this morning, Judge Waddill
having been delayed by railroad acct
dent on the Long Bridge.
The first case called was that OF Geo.
w. Taylor alias Geo. Taylor, colored,
charged with frauduleDtly obtaining
pension. A special examiner OF pen
sions testified that Taylor had admitted
that he had not served as soldier but
only as a servant of an officer. The
jury returned verdict of guilty, and
Taylor was sentenced to l year and !
day in the penitentiary at Atlanta.
The second case was that of VIM. f.
Webster, charged with sending obscene
matter through the mail.
Mr. Edmund Burke opened the case
for the defense and asked for con-
tinuance, as new indictment had been
brought in and on which he believed
that his client had a stronger defense
than on the old one. He asked for a
postponement until tomorrow TO enable
him to summon new witnesses.
The court decided to so on with the
governments side and let the defense
90 over until tomorrow. Demurrer was
entered and Oyerruled.
Webster entered plea of not guilty.
Assistant Postmaster Thomas Burroughs
was put on the witness stand and testi-
fed that the letters had been received on
December 6 and 20 at this pOstOffice.
The letters were written on yiolet-colored
paper and addressed TO OR. Z. Burnett,
corner Duke and Peyton streets, City"
Webster had complained to him that he
had been receiving anonymous letters
at his boarding house in Washington
and that he had been obliged to move in
consequence of them.
H. G. Burnett was the second witness.
He recognized the letters in question
which were signed "Ada Langley"
District Attorney Allan asked to have
the letters read, but Mr.. Burke objected,
saying that it must first be proven that
Webster wrote them.
The objection was oyerruled and after
the room had been cleared Of spectators
the letters were read to the jury. They
were choice specimens ofobscenity, reek-
ing with filthy language and incnmina-
ted Burnetts entire family. Burnett
testified that Webster had visited him
and that he had shown the latter the
letters and wondered who could have
written them. He did not know when
Webster had last visited him. He had
received many more letters all in the
same hand writing. When closely
questioned he admitted that he was not
much of reader, but that the letters all
looked alike.
Miss Ada Langley was next called.
She testified that the letters in question
were not in her hand writing and that
she knew nothing aboutthem. She said
that about the same time she had also
received scurrilous letters.
P. f. Downey, letter carrier, was
the next witness. He said that he had
delivered the letters to Burnett
Post Office Inspector Owens was then
called and told of the letters being given
to him by the assistant Postmaster. He
said that he had never seen the de-
PENDANT write anything, then corrected
himself and said he had seen him write
two names. When asked where they
were he said he could get them, and
walked around to a table and picked up
some pieces of paper which he proposed
to paste together. This was unexpected,
but the Court ruled it out, as irreyelant.
At this time the government rested Its
case and Mr.. Burke requested the Judge
to instruct the jury to bring in verdict
of not guilty.
District Attorney Allan concurred In
this, and the jury retired returning in a
few minutes for instructions. The
court informed them that there was no
evidence to show that the defendant was
guilty of writing or mailing the letters,
and that the district attorney thought
best to discharge him. The jury then,
without leaving their seats, brought in
verdict of not guilty, completely exoner-
ating Webster.
Judge Waddill today announced that
no shirt wait men would be allowed in
his court room, and that those who came
therehereafter must be attired in the
conventional coat.