Case ID: us-ct-cl_22/html/0486-02.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Mr. Justice Hablan", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

JOHN PAUL JONES, ADMINISTRATOR OF GEORGE McDOUGALL, DECEASED, v. THE UNITED STATES.
    (21 C. Cls. R., 511; 121 U. S. R., 89.)
    
      On the defendant’s Appeal.
    
    This was a claim for cattle furnished tho Indians.
    The court below, following decisions in Frémonty. The United States (2 O. Gis. E., 4C2, and 4 O. Ols. E., 252) and Belt v. The-
      
      United States (15 O. Cls. E., 106), gave judgment for the claimant for $81,250, without an opinion.
    The judgment of the court below is reversed, with directions to dismiss the petition, on the grounds—
    (1) The fact that Gongress by special acts has provided for the payment of claims of a class which could not have been recovered on in the Court of Claims under its general jurisdiction does not make the United States liable in that court on a similar claim.
    (2) The faet that the Court of Claims has given judgment in favor of claims of a particular class from which no appeal has been taken is no reason why judgment should be given against the United States for a claim of the same class if the United States are not otherwise liable therefor.
    (3) That the contracts sued on were unauthorized.
    (4) That no officer of the United States can make a valid contract for subsistence for the Indians not based on an appropriation.
   Mr. Justice Hablan

delivered the opinion of the Supreme Court, March 28, 1887.