Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-09
HYATTsvILEE AND VICINITY.
Common Council Fills Vacancies
Caused by Observation-Disclosures.

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Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
HYATTSvILLE. Nd. December 8, 1902
The council held special meeting satur-
day night at the Office of Justice Carr, with
Mayor Wells in the chair for the purpose
OF filling the vacancies oceasioned by the
designations of Councilmen r. E. White
and w L. Curry Of the second ward,
whose names were stricken from the lists
of qualified voters of Hyattsville district
last October by the registration officers.
Mr. White, who temporarily removed to
Washington last winter without making the
necessary affidavit before the clerk of the
circuit court at Upper Marlboro, appealed
his case to the circuit court, but Judge
Merrick sustained the action Of the regis
tration officers. Mr.. Curry temporarily re-
moved to Washington last October, also
failing to make an affidavit that he intend
ed to return. He did not take an appeal
from the decision of the registration Off
GERS. He is residing In Washington but In
tends to return to Hyattsville early In the
spring
Councilman Owens brought up the matter
of filling the vacancies caused by the resg-
nations and offered a preamble and resolu-
ton setting forth the reasons why they
should be reappointed to fill the vacancies
which We're caused by their resignation Be
fore the resolution was acted upon the
opinion of Mr.. James c. Rogers, attorney
for the board, was asked In regard TO the
matter. and Mr.. Rogers stated that the
question of their eligibility to serve as coun-
cilmen was not free from doubt, but in his
opinion the doubt was in favor of Mr..
White. There was some difference between
the cases of the two men. In Mr.. Whites
case he was by no means certain, yet IN
his judgment, he would be entitled to regis
ter and vote next fall Mr.. Curry could
not, in the attorneys opinion, under any
circumstances register and vote next fall.
At the next election Mr.. White will have re-
sided continuously in Hyattsville twenty
months. Mr.. Curry is absent, and under
no circumstances can he acquire sufficient
residence to entitle him to register and vote.
Councilman Owens resolution was amend
ed and offered, providing for the appoint
ment of r. L. White as a citizen of the
second ward to fill one of the said vacancies
until the next general election.
The charter provides that a person to be
eligible to election as councilman must have
the same qualifications as a legal voter, but
in case of death, removal or disqualification
the mayor and council may appoint c;ti-
zen to fill the vacancy from the ward III
which the vacancy occurs and shall hold Of
flee until the next general election. Coun-
Gilman Owens made a strong speech in
favor of appointing Mr.. White. He said
Mr.. Whites name was wrongfully stricken
from the registration books. He did not
criticise the action of the registration Off
GERS or the court, but the spirit of the law
was not carried out.
unanimously elected by the council to be
his own successor
Mr. Ed. Devlin was nominated by Council
man Welsh and elected to fill the vacancy
caused by the resignation of w. L. Curry.
The road committee was ordered to gravel
Avalon, Jackson and Merose avenues and
to gravel Wine avenue, near the Tierney
lots; to repair Railroad avenue from
Aman's wood yard to Melrose avenue; to
gravel sidewalk on Maryland avenue from
Guy avenue to the Chesapeake Beach rail-
road tracks. and to relay the bricks on
Maryland avenue between the City and SUI
burban and Baltimore and Ohio railroad
tracks. The council decided that no mains
or service pipes be laid at the expense of
the town till further notice.
Mr. W. w Rushe was reappointed engi-
neer for the ensuing year and also appoint
ed under bailiff. Mr.. James c. Rogers at
torney for the board, was given a vote CT
thanks for securing from the county COM
missioners and county road commissioners
the sum of 81 ,226.s9 due the town for back
road rebates.
There is said to be no doubt whatever
that there is oil On the property of Mr.. B.
D. Stephen near Riverdale Professor Poe
a well-known chemist, who has explored
the oil regions of Pennsylvania and Califor-
mia, visited the neig1hborhood two years ago
and at the time was convinced there was
Oil on Mr.. Stephens place Last spring he
moved from Hartford, Conn, to East
Riverdale for the express purpose as he
now states, of making further investiga-
tons IN regard to the oil, and is now salts
fed that there Is fluid there in abundance
In 1893 Mr.. Stephens dug a well fifty feet
deep on low land on his place, and the well
was so fmpregnated with oil that it could
not be used for drinking purposes, even by
the stock. and had to be abandoned. over
two months ago Professor Poe obtained
some oil from the well, analysed it and pro-
nounced it to be crude oil.
Mr. Geo P. Browning, who died in Wash
ngton last Thursday, was a son of the late
p. w. Browning and spent nearly all his
life near Riverda1e
Thieves entered the Hyatt mansion, used
by Mrs. Clayborne as a boarding house,
Sunday night. They entered the house
through the front door, which was left open
for the boarders who were out. They went
into the room occupied by two young Gu
bans, Messrs. Rammonet and Ruiz, and
stole So from the former and 81 from the
latter. These gentlemen had q guest from
Baltimore, Mr. Alfret, and the robbers took
a diamond and ruby pin valued at $50 and
dress coat belonging to him. They tried
to enter the room occupied by Mrs. Dickey.
but her little boy was awakened and
screamed for his mother. The rogues made
q rush for the hall, dropping the coat as
they left the house. Mr.. Ruiz states that
when he reached the house late Friday
night he saw man crouchng near the
steps leading to the porch. Ruiz pretended
to draw pistol and the man disappeared
In he chf