Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-01

tIen IN course OF CoiidpSeu
at the corner of both and P streets.
Albert NJ. Raymond, who fed the Jur1S-
diction after he was convicted several
years ago of criminal libel and sentenced
to the penitentiary for five years. was ap-
pretended in June last living in ST. Louis,
Mo-. and was removed to the penitentiary
to serve his sentence.
"Ducky'' Holmes. otherwise called
Henry L. Schrifoge. was convicted of
murder in the first degree November 10
in connection with the death of Mary
Hamilton. The case is pending. awaiting
the disposition of the motion filed for
new trial SEQ.
William Jones, who attempted to shoot
Charles Guiteau, the ASSASSIN of President
Garfield. was indicted for murder in the
second degree December is. charged with
the killing of John A. Mcpherson, Octo-
Der IL, 1908.
Patent Fraud Trial.
The first irregularities that have been
discovered in the United States patent
office during its history were revealed in
the course of the trial of Ned w. Bar
ton. Henry E Overriding and John A.
Heany. who were called on in Criminal
Court No. l, November 25, to answer be-
fore Justice Gould and jury the charge
OF conspiring to commit an offense
against the United States by substituting
false records for genuine ones in the
patent office. During the impaneling of
he jury. Ned W. Barton, former eX
aminer in the patent Office, pleaded guilty
and was sentenced to the penitentiary
for three years Barton went on the
witness stand and swore that all the
wrongful changes in the public records
were made by him and the defendant
Everding pursuant to an understanding
between them, and that the defendant
Heany had no knowledge of what they,
or either of them. had done. the jury
convicted Everding and acquitted Heavy
The grand jury during the year re-
turned 314 indictments; 3O4 persons were
convicted
At the request of Attorney General
Bonaparte, United States Attorney Baker
last August instituted. on behalf of the
United States, condemnation proceedings
to acquire title to seven squares of ground
in the District Five of the squares lie
sout hof Pennsylvania avenue between
18th and 18th streets, and two south of
street northwest between Dist and 23d
streets The latter ground is needed for
an enlargement of Potomac Park, and an
appropriation of 10000 is available for
it's acquisition. For the purchase of the
five squares as site for government
buildings Congress appropriated $500, 600.
Chief Justice Clabaugh October ] APP
pointed George Truesdell, George w. r.
Swartzell and Fl. RoZier Dulany a COM
mission to assess the value of the prop
erty In the five squares. The chief JUS
t1ce also SELECTED Isaac T. Shoemaker.
uCliidS NJ f1dfNeS ~ DOuneIl
as commissioners to determine the value
of the two squares to be added to Po-
tomac Park. Hearings before both COM
missions are now in progress. Attorneys
a. A. Birney. Morgan H. Beach and
David d. Caldwe were appointed as
sistants 10 the United States attorney
to conduct the proceedings before both
commissions.
New Warden of Jail.
Ja,,, II;
Jail resigned last spring. and Capt
Thomas II. Mckee was selected as his
successor. Capt. Mckee, on taking
charge of the Jail, began to improve the
condition of that institution and took
steps to ameliorate the crowded condi-
ton of the Jail. He turned the chapel
and library into dormitories, and there
by relieved the congestion materially.
The condition of the jail had been the
subject OF much concern to Justice Wen
dell T.. Stafford during his term on the
criminal bench. During last year he de-
clined to sentence any prisoners to that
institution, but imposed workhouse sem
fences in such cases. He strongly urged
on the Department of Justice the neces-
Sity of lettering the jail condition, and
by his efforts succeeded in having a COM
mission appointed to look into the Jail
conditions and to examine similar inSti-
tutions throughout the country.
The department appointed Justice STAFF
ford. John JOY Edison and R. Y. La Dow
on the commission.
Building Association Failure.
William +. Ambrose was appointed by
Justice Wright last July as receiver of
the First Cooperative Building Assoc!a-
ton of Georgetown. When a number of
stockholders asked the court to appoint
receiver the directors of the company
opposed the action, aiming that the COM
pany was solvent and had assets of about
500 OU0. The day before a hearing as
to the appointment OF d receiver was
had the officers OF the company succeed
ed, in having the companys safe opened
and maze the discovery that the books
of the association were missing and that
no statement of its financial condition
could be made. J. Barton Miller. who
had been the secretary-treasurer of the
association, was deposed and q successor
named.
After the receiver was appointed a rule
was laid on Mr.. Miller, who was con-
fined to his home by illness. to appear
in court and show cause why the books
should not be returned to the custody of
the receiver. Miller answered that he
did not have the books in his possession
and could not produce them. He invoked
his constitutional prerogative not to be
required to testify against himself and
dec ined to make further explanation on
the plea ttldt IL might tend To lncrlmlnate
him.
While he was still in bed d warrant
was issued from the Police Court for his
arrest on a charge of destroying the
books. Bail in the sum of $4,000 was
furnished and the case is still pending.
Conveyances of Land.
Twelve conveyances of land less than
the number filed with the recorder of
deeds in 1907 were placed on record last
year. The total number recorded in 1905
WAS 20, 49,. The number of papers record
ed by months follows January. 1,49S:
February. 1,3sS: March. LIB: April. LIP;
May 1.922; June, 1884; July. 1,Sa1; Au-
gust. 1911: September. 1.525; October
2.15S; Novenber( 1,746, and December,
1853
During the year 1908 there was ap-
praised in the Office of the register OF
wills personal property -orth S4,531,-
904. ~. divided into pa cases. There were
1,21S accounts handled and 1,124 letters
answered. The number of wills filed for
probate was 575. and there were 800 wit
nesses examined concerning them.
There were 9i1 bonds taken and ap
proved by the courts: 1874 applications
for guardansl'ps. and 769 applications for
letters of administration or collection.
The stenographers have executed 7.132
pages of typewrit ng, 1894 of which were
office there We're $500 letters sent out
notifying fiduciaries TO render account to
the register of wills.
Cupid Not Very Busy.
Notwithstanding the lean wear privilege