The Washington herald., 1908-01-02

The past year has been busy one at
the courthouse. where seven courts-two
Law courts, Two equity, two criminal and
one probate court-have disposed of the
business that comes from a city Of the
population of Washington. and one in
which the capital machinery Of the Capt.
tai Of the country is located.
One of the important suits that have
been settled during the past year was
that of the two Baltimore promoters,
Robert a. Burton and George A. Du-
hrueil, against Senator Elkins. of West
Virginia, for $509.eO0 for services in con
nection with the sale OF the Western
Maryland Railroad to the Wabash sys-
TEN Burton and Dubruen claimed that
they had evolved the plan leading TO the
successful sale of the railroad and had
outlined It to Senator Elkins. who used
it. and then ignored them when the time
came 10 settle After a trial lasting over
a month before Justice Wright and a
jury in Circuit Court No. /, the two pro-
moters were awarded 5000
me mag=NOHen Ease.
Another case that attracted widespread
attention was in Criminal Court No. be-
fore Justice Stafford and a jury. This
was that of Jennie +. May. charged with
assault with deadly weapon on Lucien
\. COnen. This case was peculiar. IN
that Conen. who was member Of the
Marine Band, as was also Ole J. May.
the husband of Mrs May, died from the
effects OF a pistol wound inflicted by Mrs.
May, but she was tried for assault with
deadly weapon, as the man fingered a
year and q day after the iufiction OF the
wound. Mrs. May alleged that Conen
had Won her confidence ana then SIAN
dered her, and 1t was thought that the
unwritten law would be successfully in
voked in her behalf. The district attor-
ney. however, brought forward a series
of discriminating letters written by Mrs
May 10 the dead man. She was convicted
and sentenced to ten years In the pani-
tentiary.
During the year DR.. Edward Leon
Thompson. or DIT Leon. many times
before the courts. once convicted of man.
slaughter, and whose name was mem
toned in connection with the famous
Bywater case Of Virginia, was tried and
convicted of an Illegal operation on
Sadie Vokes. His case is now before the
Court of Appeals
After a trial lasting over two months,
Representative Ringer Hermann was
acquitted of destroying government rec
ords 1t was charged that Mr. Hermann
when he resigned as Commissioner Of
the General Land Office, destroyed GER
tain letter-press copyboolls which might
incriminate I'm connection with land mat
ters. Il was thought by many that the
prosecution was forced by the then Sec
retaTy of the Interior. MT. Hitchcock. but
the eX-COngressman was acquitted.
Joseph Paolucci. an italian, was con-
viCted of the murder Of Elizabeth v
Dodge, "a sixteen-year-old girl with whom
he was in love. The Court of Appeals
recently decided against him, and he viii
be executed on January 20 unless Presi-
dent Roosevelt interfeTes.
Kate Maxey, an elderly woman. a mid
wife. and Paul Meagher, were convicted
and sentenced 10 ten and five years. re-
spectively. in the penitentiary for caus.
ing the death Of Claudia Parrish a six
teen-year-old girl, through an Illegal
operation.
Mrs. BradIey's Case.
The case OF Mrs. Annie NJ. Bradley
who was recently acquitted, is too fresh
In the public mind 20 need recountng
and that the unwritter law was success
u!Iy invoked for her is not doubted By
ny one.
The case of the train crew charged
nth causing the terrible wreck at Terra
'otta Just a year ago is also too fresh
o recount.
Among the important trials that viii
axe place early in 1903 will be that OF
laston p. Philip. charged with the muir.
er Of Frank b. Macaboy. the cabmsn
he second trial of Edwin s. Holmes, jr.
harged with being the chief conspiratoI
the cotton leak case; the trial oI
he Hyde -Benson-Sc Schneider land fraud
ases, in which these men are charged
With defraU5'ng the government out OF
Millions Of acres OF land in Western
states: and OF Vice President Davis and
Secretary Bryan, Of the Capuzaya Mining
Company, charged with embezzltng moro
han a hundred thousand dollars from
he company.
Buck stove Case.
Perhaps the most important opinion
handed down from the civil courts here
luring the past year. and for many years
may be said, was the recent action OF
Justice Gould in enjoining the American
Federation Of Labor from prosecuting a
boycott against the Buck Stove and
Range Company. thus enectually elimi-
nating this as a weapon in the hands OF
organized labor if the decision is sus-
tanned by the Supreme Ciurt of the United
States
During the year 4,OsO marriage licenses
were issued by the clerks Office thus
placing that many dollars IN the treas
ury. These were not all Washington
couples about 70 per cent coming from
Virginia and Maryland
Wills to the number Of 562 were filed
during the year, and Isl guardians were
appointed