Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-08
TION IN THE CUURTs'
.DlNWIDDIE RAILROAD CASES.
suit. GROWING out Of Fires said to.
De Caused by Engine SPARKS

Suits Growing out OF Fires said to
De Caused by Engine Sparks
/ Death Of George Davis in BtrmtnR-44
I ham-An old Soldiers Visit.
PETERSBURG, VA, October 7.-tspe-
cial. )-The Circuit Court Of Petersburg
resumed its session to-day. Judge nan
cock has been away from the city since
September 9th, holding NottoWay ana
Dinwiddie Circuit Courts. The Judge re-
turned to-day, and seems to be IN good
health.
The case of Kent against Fl. c. Roper
suit for heavy damages for assault,
was, by consent of counsel, continued
until the first day Of the December term
of the. court.
The case OF Ruff1n VS.. the City OF Pc
tersburg, a suit for $4,000 damages, is
now on trial, and all of the evidence was
introduced to-day. Some Is or 80 wife
nesses have been examined, and much In
terest is felt in the case,
IMPORTANCE OF THE CASE.
It is the first case of the kind ever tried
in the city, and if it should be decided in
Ruff1n's favor, it means that the city
must pay damages: and it means. fur
Their, that the city must remove obstruc-
tons In it's streets or be liable for dam
ages to any one injured thereby. The
case has already taken three days. but
will be concluded tomorrow.
The court will be in session until Satur-
day of this week, when it will adjourn
for the term.
The Circuit Court of Dinwiddie, Judge
B. A. Hancock presiding, after being In
session for eight days. adjourned yester-
day. DEGREES were entered in about 35
cases.
The ten fire cases against the Seaboard
Airline railway were continued until
December 1st, when special term of the
court will be held.
The fire damage suits of Cobb and 9TH
ers. against the Norfolk and Western
railway, was on trial for four days, and
resulted in verdict Of $500 in favor Of
the plaintiff. The defendant demurred
to the evidence in the case. and the argu-
ment upon the demurrer will be heard at
the special term in December.
The railway company is contesting
these cases very vigorously. Mr.. George
S. Bernard and Judge W. H. Mann rep
resent the railway, and Mr.. R. H. Mann
appears for the plaintiff. Some 80 or 40
witnesses were examined and d great
many objections were made to the rul-
ings OF the court.
A MODEL ENGINE IN COURT.
The railway company had model
engine, made of wood, of exact size and
construction of those in use on its road,
which was divided through the center,
so that the jurors could see the spark
arrester while in use, and could observe
its operations.
The plaintiff contends that the defen-
dant may have had perfect engines with
the best spark drresters, but having ope-
rated them negligently, it is liable to
fine in damages.
The railway says that having provided
itself with the best engines and spark ar
rosters, and having used due care in ope-
rating them, it is not liable, even though
it did set fire to the PLAINTIFFS land.
The jury having found verdict for an
amount less than $780, there is no ap-
peal under the old Constitution, and it
is considered that the provision of the
new Constitution allowing appeals in
cases of $500, is not self-executing, and
hence does not take effect until the Leg
Of Judge Hancock upon the demurrer to
the evidence will, therefore, likely end
the case.
DIED IN ALABAMA.
Mr.. George Davis, of Petersburg, died
in Birmingham, Ala, about o'clock this
morning of blood-poisoning. Mr.. Davis
was about 60 years of age and had lived
in Petersburg all his life. recently going
to Birmingham to visit relatives. He had
beEn Ill but a few days. For
many years Mr.. Davis was
prominent dealer in peanuts in
this city, and was widely known and
respected. He was a man of kind heart,
of strict integrity, and honorable in all
his dealings. He leaves relatives and
many friends here and two brothers and
sister residing in Richmond: Messrs.
Mark and Goodman Davis, and Mrs.
Levy. Mrs. Judge A. NJ. Kelley was one
of his sisters.
GENERAL NEWS.
A general meeting of the Board of Di-
rectors of the Central State Hospital
will be held at that institution to-mor-
row. It is not known that any special
business is to be considered, beyond the
report of the superintendent, DR.. W. F.
Drewry.
Train No. %, on the Atlantic-C Coast
Line, due here from the north at 9:48
A. ~, was delayed sfor nine hours by
reason Of a washout near Guinea Sta
ton.
Mr.. James Anderson. Of Springfield,
Mass, a prominent Grand Army man,
is visiting friends in Petersburg. He has
formed very warm attachment for the
people Of the South, and especially for
the Confederate veterans he is an hon
orary and regular contributing member
of A. P. Hill Camp. and his visits here
are always welcome. Mr.. Anderson is
hopeful Of getting the Grand Army En-
campment in Washington TO endorse the
scheme of the Petersburg Battlefield
Park.
No appointments for public speaking
in the Fourth District, in behalf of the
Democratic candidate for Congress, have
yet been made. Mr.. Southal and his
immediate friends seem to be doing all
the work.
GOING TO TELL THE PRESIDENT.
committee Of five prominent negroes
left last night for Washington to explain
to the President and the Republican Ma
tional Committee the political status Of
the negroes in Virginia They complain
that they have been abandoned to their
fate by the white Republicans. and they
are asking assistance from their Northern
friends.
The engagement Of Miss Parkc Powell,