Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-13
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Robberies of Cars in the
Freight Yards.
INVESTIGATION MADE
HEARING IN THE POLICE COURT
THIS MORNING.
ami Monthly Meeting of City Council
Move for New Lighting
System.
INVESTIGATION MADE
al Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, April 10, 1904.
Several robberies of merchandise in tran
lit from cars in the freight yards of the
Washington Southern and the Southern
railroads were investigated in the police
,ourt this morning Justice Cation presiding.
Henry Wrenn. Richard Burnett, Henry
Brown, colored, and Nellie Brooks, also
tolored, were in the dock to answer various
rharges In connection with the burglaries.
Wrenn and Burnett were charged with be-
ing I'm possession of the stolen goods; Brown
was charged with breaking and entering
cars on the Washington Southern tracks
and stealing consignments of shoes there
from. and the Brooks woman was held as
being an accessory to his alleged crime
Portions of the stolen property were placed
I'm evidence. Mr.. f. c. Joyce. local agent of
the Washington Southern, identified several
patches of shoes. He said they had been
taken from a car at the Fayette street yard
since Monday night. Mr.. j. T. Preston,
agent of the Southern. stated that cars on
the Union street track of his line had been
broken open since Friday night. In the adj
Joining room the floor was covered with
shoes. most of them Of expensive pat
tern. The aggregate of the several robber-
les amounted to nearly 300 pairs of shoes,
representing value of something like $3.50.
The arrests took place last night. and the
OIL GERS had not had time to work up the
case. the testimony was meager. They
asled that the, hearing be continued, and
Justice Cation postponed the cases until to-
morrow morning, with the exception OF that
of Richard Burnett who was dismissed.
Wrenn and Burnett We're arrested last
night by Officers Smith and Allen. The men
were in vehicle containing most of the
stolen property. and were driving from
WTenn's premises, at the corner of Duke
and Peyton streets. Wrenn stated that lie
was on his way 70 the station house to de-
liver up the property. having been informed
af ter he had purchased II that ii had been
stolen. He declared that Burnett had no
connection with the matter, except as his
companion on the drive and on this state
ment the latter was dismissed. Brown ana
the Brooks woman were arrested ny Ofil-
GERS Lyles and Arlington 1t is alleged
that most of the goods were secured in the
first instance by Brown who disposed of
them later on to Wrenn.
Move for New Lighting Plant.
At the regular semi-monthly meeting of
the city council last evening the committee
on finance and light recommended the pas
saee of an ordinance, which was intro
duced some time ago, providing for the sale
of the franchise for supplying the city with
arc and incandescent light to the highest
bidder. the passage of the measure was
opposed by Mr.. Spinks, who thought that
il would interfere with the cltys revenue
from the gas plant. He said that property
would pay handsome profit in the near
future. Mr. Bryan and Mr. Snowden argued
that the introduction of electricity had IN
creased the consumption OF gas In other
cities. Mr.. Burke said that Alexandra was
behind other cities in the matter of light
ing and Mr. Bryan remarked that the in
forma ton furnished by the committee on
light did not coincide with the prediction
of Mr.. Spinks.
Some discussion occurred over that pro-
vision OF the ordinance to the effect that
any dispute between the city and the pur-
chasers of the franchise shall be settled
by an arbiter to be appointed by each side
and a third to be named by the judge of
the corporation court. Many objected 10
this plan. stating that there was no ref1ec-
ton at all intended upon any judge or the
corporation court, but they believed 1t
would be better to have the third arbiter
appointed by arrangement between the
first two. This amendment was made TO
the bill and it was then passed by a vote
OF 9 to !. Mr.. Spinks voting against II.
Tax Law Reported.
The usual tax law reported by the
finance committee, imoosing an assessment
of $3.50 on every $l00 of real and personal
property. and it was adopted. The bill
calling for an appropriation of $,540 to
cover deficiencies in the annual amounts
was reported and passed. resolution Of
fered by Mr.. Leadbeater making the pay
of laborers engaged on sewer work 10 cents
an hour was adopted.
A bill of SSS7 30 presented by the board
of health for disInfecting houses was re-
ferred to the committee on finance. The
petition of the school board for appro-
priation of $500 for certain improvements
on the Peabody building was referred to the
finance committee. The committee on pub
lie property asked for additional appro-
priation of $500 to meet the bid for the
erection of an addition TO the Columbia en-
CINE house. and the matter was referred
,sIn Nf
small sums were referred. and council adj
journed.
General Matters.
A slight fire al the residence of Mr.
Charles B. Jewell. PA South Henry street
called out the department at o'clock this
morning. The flames were extinguished
without much damage being done.
Miss Josephine Harlow and Mr. Ross T.
Elliott will be quietly married this evening
at the residence of Mr.. and Mrs. NJ. b. Har-
low. parents of the bride-elect. corner Of
Cameron and Alfred streets.
The Episcopal High School base ball
team will play Richmond College tomorrow
afternoon at o'clock on the grounds of
the school, near this city.
Chapter of Accidents.
Frederick NJ. Stewart, fifty-eight years