Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-26
NEWS OF WINCHESTER
RULE AGAINST COUNTY AUTHOR
ITIEs-FATALLY BURNED.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

WINCHESTER, Va, November % 1905.
The first instance of record where judge
of the court left the bench during session
of his tribunal in the valley of Virginia, If
not in the state, to make personal exam
nation of the county jail occurred this week
at Woodstock. Circuit Judge Thomas W.
Harrison of Winchester, judge of the
eighteenth judicial circuit, surprised the
officials during a term of his court by de-
claring a recess and proceeding, unan-
nounced. to the Woodstock prison to insti-
tute an investigation of conditions exist
ing there He was prompted to do SO by
having heard that a pretty girl, named
Maude Nicholson, who had been sent to jail
by magistrate for three months for steal
ing satchel containing clothing, was con-
fined in a cell along with number of
vicious male prisoners one of whom was
diseased negro and another a boy of ex-
ceedingly bad habits.
Judge Harrison returned to the court
house, declared that the conditions were
most shocking, and issued a rule against
the board of supervisors to show cause why
peremptory mandamus should not be Is
sued compelling them to erect new Jail or
provide quarters for prisoners In conform
ity to law. The affair has created a sensa-
tion and an investigation of the prison
situation is to be made at once. The Mich
olson girl was released by the court on her
own recognizance pending trial.
While standing in front of open fire
place at her home, in the western part of
Frederick county, a few days ago, Miss
Lucy Adams, beautiful woman of thirty
five years, was seized with sudden illness
and fell into the fire. Her clothing ignited
Immediately, and, crazed with pain and
fright, she ran to the yard. Her mother
dashed water over her in an effort to save
her. but was too late, Miss Adams having
inhaled the fire and being horribly burned
all over her body. She remained in semi
conscious condition for eighteen hours be-
fore expiring Miss Adams was formerly
the wife of Conrad Dehaven, from whom
she was divorced, resuming her maiden
name.
A clever piece of forgery was brought to
light at the Shenandoah Valley National
Bank yesterday when check came in from
the banks Philadelphia correspondent for
collection, drawn on the Union National
Bank of Winchester" made payable to
Rev. 7. Van Dyke and signed by the
jamestown Exposition Company, per e. l..
Shepherd, secretary. The check had been
cashed by the Merchants National Bank
of Burlington, N. j., as genuine, as across
it's face in red ink was written the word,
good" under which appeared Charles r.
Grim, assistant cashier
When the check came on here for co,lec-
ton the officials of the Shenandoah Valley
National Bank suspected that something
was wrong, as the Union Bank OF VIM
chester Is STATE iHStltutiol ana tHS
cashiers name Is Lee r. Grim. The check
was put under a magnifying glass, and 1t
was then ascertained that 1t was the work
of an expert penman. Every letter and
character had been penned, but to the
naked eye 1t looked like a weil-executed en-
craving. A telegram was sent to the Phil
adelphia and New Jersey banks interested
stating that the check was mo good
To Attend Washington Conference.
Robert T. Barton of Winchester in chair
man of the Virginia delegation named by
Governor Montague to attend the forth
coming Washington conference for the pur-
pose of bringing about uniformity in the d.
vorce laws of the United States. The
other members of the Virginia committee
are Arthur A. Phlegar of Christiansburg
and Col. John Gatland Pollard of Rich
mond.
Judge Charles e. Nichol of Manassas.
Va, who preSides over the seventeenth Ju-
dical circuit is being urged to enter the
contest for a seat on the bench of the
supreme court of appeals of Virginia,
which is to be elected by the general as
sembly In January. It Is not known here
what he will do.
The probable candidacy of Circuit Judge
Thomas w. Harrison of Winchester of the
eighteenth circuit for the supreme bench,
which was referred to in this correspond
ence week ago, Is attracting much atten-
tion throughout the state.
The news has leaked out that while in
New York at dinner given in his honor
by Mr.. Vernon H. Brown, vice president OF
the cunard Steamship Company, Prince
Louis of Battenberg took occasion to say
that Mr.. Browns daughter-in-law. Mrs.
Gardner Willard Brown, was the most
beautiful woman he had seen In America.
Mrs. Brown was formerly Miss Mary Eliza
Russell, daughter Of Mr.. James b. Russell.
president OF the Union Bank OF Winches-
ter. and was married 10 Mr.. Brown last