The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-11
ASSESSMENT CASE
IN SUPREME /. 1 I I COURT.
Judges Of Highest Court Hear
Argument and Take Matter
Under Consideration.
COURT TERMS
Legislator ,l'lrockrnorton Seeks
10 Have EIasty Legislation
lfntapglctl.

| At a special term Of the Supreme Court
| land assessment cases were argued ana
submitted. The argument, on butli sides
| was strong and brilliant, and the per-
! sonncl Of tic attorneys, together with
| tho Importance OF the asses, attracted Il
| large number of lawyers ana citizens to
| tile court room.
Tile ease brought by Mr.. G. W.Throcls-g
morton to restore the former terms OF
! tho Circuit Court or IIcnrico county was
| submitted to the court without argument
aud the court Will, in all probability,
| rcnhera decision or enter IN order on tho
subject to-day, thoughGno one can con
lecture when an opinion on the assess
lncnt matter will be handed down
Legislative Error.
Mr.. ThrOckmorton cont ends that by ir-
| adycr'encc tho terms OF tho Circuit Court
OF IIcnrico county Wore changed III such
q manner as to cause serious inconvcn!-
cnce to the court tic bar ana the people,
and lie asks that the court Intervene 10
remedy the trouble and TO give the court
its former terms.
The court allowed five hours for this
discussion or the Ia nd assessment cases
and tile attorneys representing the coi-E
nicting interests all made powerful
speeches.
Mr James H. Cannon. Of the lrm Ut
Cannon and Gordon, representing the
Whitlocll estate, opened the case for tho
appellants In a Stag speech or one
hour and Il half. and he was followed by
City Attorney Fl. r. Pollard, who spoke
for about an hour. Acknowledgement
Anderson. appearing for tho State. aud.
In Injunction with Mr.. Pollard, for the
A., INF Sfg mn 81 -
mont Of an hour and n half. Senator
NJ. j.. Fulton, representing his law p,rt-s
nc..4 Hon. d. G.. OI'lnhcrty. substituted
trustee, In the matter of the estate at
tho late Franklin Stcarns. closed the
argument III Il strong speech Of one
hour for tic appellants. and about .
p. NJ, the court adjourned and took the
cases under advisemcnt.
Many Authorities Cited.
The lawyers OIL both sides carried great
stacks or authorities with them to the
court room and they wore often re.
fcrrcd TO-
Nearly every possible phase OF the
cases were deliberately argued, ana law
yc;s IN attendance declared that the at
,oiIoys on the opposing sides had taken
care of themselves In an able manner.
The matter was brought up IN three dis
tlnct forms. One was q nandamus pro-
ceedin: ~ which the hiEhcr court mas
origina' jurisdiction. seeking 10 compel
the commissioner of the revenue Of tho
city of Richmond to extend upon his
books, the land assessments made by the
/ former board of asscssors.
IS Another was q case appealed from the
Hastings Court in which the method OF
assessment was objected TO. and tho
I third Was an Injunction proceeding, over
ruled by the Law and Equity Court, re-
straning the commissioner from extend
ing the present assessments.
The alleged unconstitutonality OF the
present assessment law was argued at
length. and the representatives OF the
city ana state contcndcd that even
though tile statute IN question should
be Ineffective, the former law WAS in
force.
Tho eases arc OF tie greatest possible
amount Of public interest and their de-
cision by the highest court in tho Stale
is awaited with much anxiety