Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-04-20
O. D. LAND COMPANY A
PARTY DEFENDANT NOW
Corporation Joins With Counties to
Fight Against Extension of City
limits-City Attorney massie
Scores Against Strong Array Of
Opposing Counsel.
(Frcm Stan Correspondent.


April l9.-City Attorney Massie, bat
Ting single-handed against an impoa-
posing array of legal talent repre-
senting Warwick and Elizabeth CITY
counties. today scored his first victory
in the Newport News annexation pro-
ceedings now pending in the Circuit
Court of Warwick county. Judge
George Shackeiford. of Orange county,
sitting by Governor Mann's designa-
ton in the stead of Judge ID. G. Tyler.
Oyerruled a demurrer and two mo-
tions to dismiss by counsel for the
counties and announced that, after
locking over the territory proposed
to be annexed, he would begin hearing
the case on its merits this morning.
Thus the annexation case, in which
all the lower peninsula is interested
and which has been held practically
at a standstill for nearly six months
by the legal strategy of counsel Tor
the counties. actually is to come to
trial today. the ingenious opposing at
tOrneys having exhausted every con-
ceivable technical resource to hinder
and harass the city in its effort 10 get
the proceedings before the court upon
their merits.
Judge Views Territory.
Judge Shackelford returned to New
pert News from Warwick Court
House about o'clock and spent the
afternoon driving over the territory
involved in the proceedings. He will be
on the bench again tomorrow morning
at $3.50 o'clock and. unless counsel for
the parties defendant spring a sur
prise in the way of some newly dis
covered or withheld technically. the
first witness probably will be called
to the stand a few minutes after court
convenes.
AS there are more than a score OF
witnesses to be examined and as the
seven lawyers in the case probably
will have lengthy arguments to make.
it is hardly probable that the hearing
will be concluded before Thursday
night, # then.
o. o. Land Company IN Fight.
One of the important. though not
unexpected. developments in the case
came today after the court
had oyerruled the motions TO
dismiss and the demurrer. J.
Winston Read, of counsel for
Warwick county, presented on be-
half of X. G.. Bickford. a request that
the Old Dominion Land Company and
the Newport News Light and Water
Company be made parties defendant
in the proceedings. This means that
the Old Dominion Land Company
powers will join forces with the coun-
ty to make a strenuous effort to pre-
vent the proposed extension of the
city's limits.
This action had been anticipated,
as the land company owns many sores
Of vacant property in the territory be-
low the southerly limits. and IL this
territory should be taken within the
limits. at the end Of FIVE years the
city tax rate world apply to the com
pany'S vacant property.
At the time Mr.. Bickford's request
was filed, counsel for both counties.
who heretofore had appeared special
ly- and only for the purpose OF Of
iFttlAt ttSnIt1dl OBlttAlClc- iOill1flt
asked that their clients be made
parties defendant.
Sixty Other Defendants.
Mr.. Read also 6led petition sign
ed oy some sixty individual property
owners residing in the territory pro-
posed 10 be znnexed. all Of whom de-
sired 20 come into the case as de
PENDANTS
Pleadings were made CD and filed.
and today the opposing forces will
meet az the bar sn battle array. with
the city OF Newport News. represent
cd by City Att0rney J. A. MsSsie. on
one side. and on the other Warwick
county. represented By Common
weaIth's Attorney p. 81. G.. Wilcox. J.
winston Read ard Judge Christian,
OF Richmond: Elizabeth City county.
represented by Commonwealth At
iorney = T. Montague and s. Gordon
CUNNING: the Old Dominion Land
Company and the Newport News
Light and water Company. represent
Cd by r. q. Bickford. and tho sixsy
property owners represented b. the
counsel for Warwick.
Six Months Of Delay
The annexation g-5cedinEs we're