Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-30
D. C. Supreme Bench Dis
posed of 1,940 Criminal
Charges, Leaving 283.
THREE JUSTICES ADDED
TO TRIBUNAL DURING 1880
Acquittal of Doheny and Smith
Company Trial Among Out
standing Hearings.

The District Supreme Court estab-
llshed new record in 1880 through
the disposition of 1,94O criminal cases,
SGT lawsuits and 2S9 equity proceed
ings. OF the criminal cases 40 were
homicides.
With the addition of three justices
during the year, raising the number to
nine, the court is equipped to make
even greater inroads into the congested
condition of the law and equity calen-
oars In the coming year. The unprece-
uented ACTIVITY In the criminal branches
mas left only 283 cases ready for trial,
The third criminal division will be de-
voted during January to the hearing
OF about 40 paddock cases under the
national prohibition law which have
accumulated.
Justices Jesse c. Adkins, Oscar r.
Luhring and Joseph w. Cox were ap-
pointed during the year, and Alfred A.
Wheat, former associate justice, was
advanced to the Office Of chief justice.
Outstanding Cases.
Among the outstanding cases of the
year were the acquittal of Edward L.
Doheny of Los Angeles of a charge of
bribery in connection with 100000
loaned by him to Albert B. Fall, former
Secretary of the Interior; the conviction
OF three officers of the F. H. Smith Co. on
a charge of conspiracy to embezzle
100000 of the funds of the company;
the trial and acquittal of Herbert NJ.
Campbell Of Arlington County, Va, in
connection with the death of Mary
Baker, and the application of two of the
Dig packing concerns for a modification
of the consent decree of 1920 not to en-
gage in unallied industries, which is I'M
der consideration by Justice Bailey.
Indictments to the number of 1,461
were reported by the grand jury in 1880.
Pleas of guilty were received from 973;
verdicts of guilty, 200; verdicts of not
guilty, 129, and nolle presses, 638.
New litigation started in 1880 in
cluded 1897 equity suits and 1910 law
suits. The clerk of the court also re-
ceived $50 docketed judgments from
the Municipal Court, 856 mechanics
liens, 181 petitions in bankruptcy, 81
condemnation cases and So adoptionS.
Declarations of intention to become citi-
zenS totaled 236, while 355 petitions for
naturalization were received. New citi-
zens to the number Of 389 were passed
and AZ applications denied. Marriage
licenses showed a decline in 1880 from
the figures of the preceding year. Dur
issued, as compared with STAB in 1929.
Theodore Cogswell, Register Of Wills.
announced that during the year estates
valued at $26, 533, 71210 were appraised
by his office in 459 appraisals. There
were fled for probate 1,244 wills, 1883
petitions for letters of administration
and probate, and 191 applications for
guardianship. His Office force made
certified copies of 6,084 pages, stated
2,436 accounts and prepared 1913
bonds. Photostatic copies were made
of 45,823 pages.
Amos A. Steele, probation officer, re-
ported that he investigated $50 crimi-
nal cases in 1880, Of which 404 were
placed on probation, including IS for
non-support, making total on proba-
ton at this time of 686, of which los
are for non-support The court re-
voked % probations during the year.
Steele collected about $4,000 in nom
support cases. which he handled as
trustee and distributed among about
100 families.