The Washington herald., 1912-01-11
NEWSOFALEXANDRIA
Conference Held on Question of
Ownership of Land on River
Front-Unique Case in Court.

Alexandria, Va. Jan 1e.-on behalf OF
the State Of Virginia, Attorney General
Samuel W. Williams. OF the State Of
Virginia, came to Alexandra to-day and
looked over the forty acres of land on
the river front, extending from the plant
OF the Marine Railway Shipbuilding
Company TO Jones Point on the south.
now claimed by the government
Later Mr.. Williams held a conferences
with the attorneys representing the
claimants to the newly made land, in
cluding James r. & H. B. Cation, rep
resenting the property owners, and Col.
F. l. Smith, representing the Southern
Railway Company. Mr.. Williams. after
looking over the situation, declined TO
express and official opinion. but returned
10 Richmond, where he will lay the mat
ter before Gov. Mann.
Before returning to Richmond, how
ever, the attorney general and the at
torneys interested held a conference con-
cerning the case with Senators Martin
and Swanson and the Attorney General
for the United States in Washington.
The result of the conference was not
made public, although the claims of the
State, together with the claims Of the
attorneys representing the property own
ers were laid before the United States
Attorney General by those comprising
the committee on conference.
It is announced that another confer
ence win be held at an early date by
the parties interested with the Secretary
of War and the matter laid before him
in all of its details, with a hope Of set
stling the question Of ownership, which is
the point at issue.
The claimants to the reclaimed land
include the Southern Railway Company,
Marine Railway ShipbuildinE Company,
Park Agnew's estate, NJ B. Harlow, and
the heirs of Richard LIbbey.
Some time ago the government COM
pleted the work OF dredging the harbor
of Alexandria, and all OF the mud taken
from the river was used in filling up
the forty acres Of land now in dispute.
On Monday last the government sent
engineers to Alexandria, and the work
of placing a fence around the reclaimed
land is now in progress.
That the question of ownership is one
which will eventually find its way into
the courts for final adjudication there
seems 10 be but little doubt. All OF the
property owners abUttinG the reclaimed
land are, as stated, represented by J. r.
& II. 3. Cation, while Attorney F. L.
Smith represents the property owned by
the Southern Railway Company.
w. II. Thorpe. who was arrested in
Alexandria on a warrant issued in the
District of Columbia for alleged non
support. will have 10 so back TO the Dis
trict OF Columbia to answer the charge
according to a decision handed down this
afternoon by Judge Edmund WaddiIl. in
the United States Court for the Eastern
district Of Virginia.
This decision was announced by the
court after hearing arguments on behalf
OF Thorpe by Attorney r. c. L. Mon
cure, Of the iirm OF Moncure & Cloth, Of
Alexandria County, and District Attorney
Lewis representing the government.
Thorpe gave bond in the sum OF $50
for his appearance in the court OF the
District Of Columbia on Monday next
The case Is a rather peculiar one from
A legal standpoint. According to Thorpe
lie obtained divorce from Margaret ].
Thorpe, now said to be resident OF the
District of Columbia, according TO a de-
cree handed down by the Circuit Court
for Alexandria County, Judge J. B. T.
Thornton, presiding.
In the meantime Margaret J. Thorpe,
II ON whom he had obtained a divorce
instituted divorce proceedings in the
courts Of the District Of Columbia. His
failure to defend the action instituted by
her resulted in the court awarding her
alimony resulted in a warrant being
issued for his arrest to answer a charge
Of nonsuppOrt.
The warrant was placed in the hands
Of a deputy United States marshal in
Washington, who came over TO AIexan-
dria and served it. Thorpe, after being
taken in CUSTODY, at once sued out a
writ Of habeas corpus, through Attor-
ney r. c. L Moncure.
Tho writ supd he's
on the same night heard before Judge
l. c. Barley, Of the Corporation Court
Of this city. Judge Barley, after hearing
the arguments on the writ Of habeas
corpus, decided that Thorpe was illegal
ly held and at once ordered his release.
The next move was made by the gov
Prnment authorities and they issued A
second warrant for his arrest. He was
not found the day of the issuance of the
warrant, but he appeared in court the
next day, accompanied by his attorney,
after which he was placed under bond
for the hearing which took place this
afternoon before Judge Waddill.
Ths George Washington Birthday Asso-
cistion, at its annual meeting tonight
decided to turn over approximately 500
it now holds to the athletic association of
the Alexandria High School and appoint
ed the following committee TO confer
with the members Of the city school
board relative to the advisability of
holding tag day February . next:
]. V. williams. F. j. Paff, +. Won De
Westlaken, A d. Brockett, and Harrie
White. II was decided not to hold any
parade on Washington's Birthday.
The association then held its annual
election Of officers which resulted as fol-
lows: F. j. Psf, A. D. Brockett, J. v.
Williams, and J. II. Trimyer, former
presidents, advisory committee: z. e.
Downhanl. president; r. NJ. Graham, first
vice president; o. H Kirk. second vice
% president; Harry Hammond, third vice
president; Thomas Chauncey. fourth vice
president; H. B. Cation, fifth vice presi-
dent; Harrie White, secretary; Carroll
Pierce, treasurer
Chairmen Of committees appointed fol-