Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-01
TRANSFERRED
JUSTICE GOULD CERTIFIES PA
PERS TO JUSTICE ANDERSON.
Controversy Over Sale Of Property to
Seventh Day Adventists-Heirs
Present Claim.

Justice Gould. in Equity Court No. 2. to-
day declined to further consider the matter
of the sale to the Seventh Day Adventists
Of large tract of land in Takoma Park.
belonging to the Thornton heirs and certl-
fed the case to Justice Anderson in Equity
Court No. 1, for disposition. 1t was ex-
planned by Justice Gould that he has been
familiar with the property involved Tor
about ten years, and has his own Idea OF
its value. The opinion he has formed, JUS
tice Gould added. could not be overcome by
the affidavits of real estate agents and
others. Therefore, and as he would be the
court of last resort, Justice Gould thought
1t preferable to have another Judge pass on
the issues.
Parties claiming to represent as owners
five-sixths of the entire tract of land In
question late yesterday filed answers TO
the report of the trustees and entered OBJ
lection to the confirmation of the sale TO
the Seventh Day Adventists, advocated by
the trustees. 1t was on these answers ana
exceptions that the hearing was to nave oc-
CURED today. The matter will be called up
before Justice Anderson next Monday.
In the answers in which the heirs referred
to object to the sale that the trustees pro-
pose to make, they say that since the trus-
tees were appointed to take charge or the
property sales have been made aggregat-
ing $11 242 in value and that part OF Inc
land adjacent to that desired to be pur-
chased has been sold at 10 cents per square
foot. Offers of 10 cents a foot for other
portions ii is asserted. have been refused
by the trustees. If the sale. as reported
by the trustees. is approved, 1t is declared
that the most valuable part OF the THORN
ton tract will be taken, leaving undesirable
portions on either side unsold and, 1t Is
ayerred. the offer of cents per square foot
for the valuable part desired by the Adj
ventists is grossly inadequate and does not
represent much more than a third of the
value of the property.
Other Objections.
1t Is further stated that the purchasers In
question intend to utilize the land for the
erection of a printing establishment, and
series of stables. Office buildings and tene-
ment houses for their employees, which, 1t
is averred by the heirs, will render the re-
mainder of their land of much less value
than at present. Further, 1t Is declared,
the proximity of the Adventists would re
a detriment to adjacent property. The
heirs add that the property in Its present
condition Is capable of being practically
divided in kind among the parties entitled
to the same. which they request the court
to have done.
In detail the sale is excepted to upon the
grounds that the price offered Is made
qUate: that the land is capable of being
practically divided in kind; that the owners
oil 1Fe-SlStlS interest therein oUJeCt,
that neither the law governing such cases
nor the decree in the case contemplateS or
authorizes the sale of the property other
wise than al public auction; that the sale
would greatly injure the balance of the
land, and that the sale to the proposed
purchasers and the erection by them of
contemplated improvements would greatly
iEjura the adjacent property.
The affidavits of twelve real estate men
and others interested in property in the
locality of the tract were filed by the heirs.
The latter are represented by Attorneys
Lambert & Baker. while Attorney John
Paul Earnest appears for the trustees.