Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-26
3 =
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Council to Discuss Pending
Legislation.
PROPOSED CHANGES
CONCERNING ASSESSMENT OF
RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK.
Murder Trial Begins in County Court
Virginia Republicans to Indorse
President Roosevelt.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, January %. 1904.
The regular semi monthly meeting of the
city council will be held this evening, when
it is probable that there will be some dis
cussion over measures now before the Vir-
ginia legislature concerning the assessment
of the rolling stock and realty of railroad
companies in the state. 1t was proposed
to hold special meeting last night to con-
slider the matter, but that was. abandoned.
The first word that came to this city
about the proposed change in the method
of assessment was in the form Of COM
munication from some of the municipal
authorities of Roanoke, who represented
that bill was about to be considered In
the legislature to assess the stock of the
railroads in the various counties of the
state according to the milage. This, it was
pointed out, would be to the disadvantage
of the municipalities which contain COM
paratively short portions of the roads. The
matter was inquired into here by the OFF,
GERS of the city council and the statement
was made that bill has been introduced
in the house of delegates by Delegate James
r. Cation of this city, the provisions of
which would be of advantage to the city of
Alexandria.
Inquiry about the city hall this morning
ELECTED the fact that the exact status OF
1t appears that there have been two bills
in reference to the assessment formulated
in the legislature, one which was the OBJ
ject of the attack of the Roanoke municipal
officials and the other which was introduced
by Mr.. Cation. The provisions of the last
could not be definitely ascertained here this
morning, but it is said to be drawn for an
equitable assessment of the rolling stock or
the railroads in the various cities OF the
state.
How either of these bills can change the
present system of assessment fixed under
the new constitution is question raised
here. Alexandria, it is claimed, has been a
heavy loser in the matter of railroad taxa
ton under the present system. An aggre-
gate sum of $714.000 in rolling stock has
been taken from this city and transferred
to Richmond. The heaviest item Is that OF
the Southern road, formerly the Virginia
Midland, for the establishment of which
the city of Alexandria went into debt.
Murder Trial Commended.
In thelAlexandria county court this morn
ing Judge J. M. Love presiding. a petit
jury was Impaneled and the trial of John
Williams colored. charged with the murder
of Joseph Johnson. also colored, was COM
menced- The prosecution Is being conduct
ed by Commonwealth Attorney Crandall
Mackey and the prisoner is defended by
Attorneys Lewis II. Machen and r. c. L.
Moncure. Williams Is charged with shoot
1RS Johnson ia tue HedU ME lIfS tWO WelS
on a road just north o. this city the night
of November % At the time of the shoot
ing johnson was walking with his wife,
who was arrested with the alleged muir
derer and brought to this city, whence they
were taken to the Alexandria county court
house. Several witnesses will be examined
on each side
State Convention Called.
Chairman Park Agnew of the state re-
publican committee has issued a call for
the state convention, to be held March 3, in
Norfolk, for the selection of delegates for
the national convention in Chicago June 81
The call is dated in Richmond, January 90
and is signed by Chairman Agnew and
Secretary Rogers. Mr.. Agnew thinks Pres
ident Roosevelt will be nominated by ac-
clamation at the Chicago convention and
it is prophesied that the Virginia delega-
ton will be instructed for the President.
General Matters.
The case of Samuel Otis, charged with
robbing Wesley Kennedy of money, was in
vestigated at length by Mayor Simpson in
the police court this morning. 1t appears
from the testimony of several witnesses
that the complainant had lost a considera-
BILE amount of money in small change. and
that the prisoner had been in his company
for some time just before the money was
missed. but there was evidence to show
@Idl ie ildu tdheH II, anu II was IeStifled IN
his behalf that he had been In Washington
a part of the time mentioned. The case was
dismissed.
George H. Norris. who was employed in
the machine-shops of the Southern railroad
died early this morning at the home of his
father. Mr.. Mark Norris, 1923 Prince street.
He was just about to complete his term as
apprentice In the shops Death was due to
pneumonia. He was a member of the Alex
andra Light Infantry
The funeral of Mrs. Martha Dohrety.
whose death occurred Sunday, took place
this morning at 10 o'clock from the under
taking rooms of B. Wheatiey on King
street Rev. Father r. J. Cutler of ST
Mary's Catholic Church conducted the SER
vices and the internlent was made in st.
Mary's cemetery.