# List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 120

This is a list of cases reported in volume 120 of United States Reports, decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1887.

## Justices of the Supreme Court at the time of volume 120 U.S.

The Supreme Court is established by Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States, which says: "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court . . .". The size of the Court is not specified; the Constitution leaves it to Congress to set the number of justices. Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 Congress originally fixed the number of justices at six (one chief justice and five associate justices). Since 1789 Congress has varied the size of the Court from six to seven, nine, ten, and back to nine justices (always including one chief justice).
When the cases in volume 120 U.S. were decided the Court comprised the following nine members:
| Justice | Office | Home State | Succeeded | Date confirmed by the Senate (Vote) | Tenure on Supreme Court |
| Morrison Waite | Chief Justice | Ohio | Salmon P. Chase | January 21, 1874 (63–0) | March 4, 1874 – March 23, 1888 (Died) |
| Samuel Freeman Miller | Associate Justice | Iowa | Peter Vivian Daniel | July 16, 1862 (Acclamation) | July 21, 1862 – October 13, 1890 (Died) |
| Stephen Johnson Field | Associate Justice | California | newly created seat | March 10, 1863 (Acclamation) | May 10, 1863 – December 1, 1897 (Retired) |
| Joseph P. Bradley | Associate Justice | New Jersey | newly created seat | March 21, 1870 (46–9) | March 23, 1870 – January 22, 1892 (Died) |
| John Marshall Harlan | Associate Justice | Kentucky | David Davis | November 29, 1877 (Acclamation) | December 10, 1877 – October 14, 1911 (Died) |
| William Burnham Woods | Associate Justice | Georgia | William Strong | December 21, 1880 (39–8) | January 5, 1881 – May 14, 1887 (Died) |
| Stanley Matthews | Associate Justice | Ohio | Noah Haynes Swayne | May 12, 1881 (24–23) | May 17, 1881 – March 22, 1889 (Died) |
| Horace Gray | Associate Justice | Massachusetts | Nathan Clifford | December 20, 1881 (51–5) | January 9, 1882 – September 15, 1902 (Died) |
| Samuel Blatchford | Associate Justice | New York | Ward Hunt | March 22, 1882 (Acclamation) | April 3, 1882 – July 7, 1893 (Died) |

## Citation style

Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 the federal court structure at the time comprised District Courts, which had general trial jurisdiction; Circuit Courts, which had mixed trial and appellate (from the US District Courts) jurisdiction; and the United States Supreme Court, which had appellate jurisdiction over the federal District and Circuit courts—and for certain issues over state courts. The Supreme Court also had limited original jurisdiction (i.e., in which cases could be filed directly with the Supreme Court without first having been heard by a lower federal or state court). There were one or more federal District Courts and/or Circuit Courts in each state, territory, or other geographical region.
Bluebook citation style is used for case names, citations, and jurisdictions.
* "C.C.D." = United States Circuit Court for the District of . . .
** e.g.,"C.C.D.N.J." = United States Circuit Court for the District of New Jersey
* "D." = United States District Court for the District of . . .
** e.g.,"D. Mass." = United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
* "E." = Eastern; "M." = Middle; "N." = Northern; "S." = Southern; "W." = Western
** e.g.,"C.C.S.D.N.Y." = United States Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York
** e.g.,"M.D. Ala." = United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
* "Ct. Cl." = United States Court of Claims
* The abbreviation of a state's name alone indicates the highest appellate court in that state's judiciary at the time.
** e.g.,"Pa." = Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
** e.g.,"Me." = Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

## List of cases in volume 120 U.S.

| Case Name | Page and year | Opinion of the Court | Concurring opinion(s) | Dissenting opinion(s) | Lower court | Disposition |
| Wildenhus's Case | 1 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.D.N.J. | affirmed |
| Allen v. St. Louis National Bank | 20 (1887) | Gray | None | None | C.C.S.D. Iowa | reversed |
| Nehmaha County v. Frank | 41 (1887) | Matthews | None | None | C.C.D. Neb. | affirmed |
| United States v. Symonds | 46 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| United States v. Bishop | 51(1887) | Harlan | None | None | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| United States v. Philbrick | 52 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| United States v. Rockwell | 60 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| St. Tammany Waterworks v. New Orleans Waterworks | 64 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | C.C.E.D. La. | affirmed |
| Hayes v. Missouri | 68 (1887) | Field | None | None | Mo. | affirmed |
| Forsyth v. Doolittle | 73 (1887) | Field | None | None | C.C.N.D. Ill. | affirmed |
| Huntington v. Saunders | 78 (1887) | Miller | None | None | C.C.D. Mass. | affirmed |
| Heinemann v. Arthur's Executors | 82 (1887) | Blatchford | None | None | C.C.S.D.N.Y. | affirmed |
| Roberts v. Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company | 86 (1887) | Blatchford | None | None | C.C.D. Ky. | affirmed |
| United States v. Parker | 89 (1887) | Matthews | None | None | C.C.D. Nev. | affirmed |
| Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad v. Worthen | 97 (1887) | Field | None | None | Ark. | multiple |
| Kansas Endowment Association v. Kansas | 103 (1887) | Waite | None | None | Kan. | dismissed |
| Gibbs v. Crandall | 105 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.W.D. La. | affirmed |
| United States v. Schlesinger | 109 (1887) | Blatchford | None | None | C.C.D. Mass. | affirmed |
| United States v. Otis | 115 (1887) | Blatchford | None | None | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| United States v. Cooper | 124 (1887) | Field | None | None | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| United States v. Saunders | 126 (1887) | Miller | None | None | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| Kirby v. Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company | 130 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | C.C.S.D.N.Y. | affirmed |
| Crescent City Livestock Company v. Butchers' Union Slaughterhouse Company | 141 (1887) | Matthews | None | None | La. | multiple |
| Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad v. Huntington | 160 (1887) | Field | None | None | C.C.E.D. Ark. | reversed |
| Hibernia Insurance Company v. St. Louis Transportation Company | 166 (1887) | Blatchford | None | None | C.C.E.D. Mo. | affirmed |
| United States v. Hill | 169 (1887) | Blatchford | None | None | C.C.D. Mass. | affirmed |
| Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company v. Raddin | 183 (1887) | Gray | None | None | C.C.D. Mass. | affirmed |
| Boffinger v. Tuyes | 198 (1887) | Matthews | None | None | C.C.E.D. La. | affirmed |
| Meyers and Levi, Lehman, Godchaux and Company v. Block Brothers | 206 (1887) | Bradley | None | None | La. | affirmed |
| United States v. Ramsay | 214 (1887) | Waite | None | None | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| Everhart v. Huntsville College | 223 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.N.D. Ala. | reversed |
| King Iron Bridge and Manufacturing Company v. Otoe County | 225 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | C.C.D. Neb. | reversed |
| United States v. Pacific Railroad | 227 (1887) | Field | None | None | Ct. Cl. | reversed |
| City of Quincy v. Steel | 241 (1887) | Miller | None | None | C.C.S.D. Ill. | reversed |
| United States v. Dunn | 249 (1887) | Miller | None | None | Ct. Cl. | affirmed |
| Indianapolis Rolling Mill Company v. St. Louis, Fort Scogg and Wichita Railroad Company | 256 (1887) | Miller | None | None | C.C.D. Kan. | affirmed |
| Beard v. Nichols | 260 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.D. Mass. | affirmed |
| Schlesinger v. Beard | 264 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.D. Mass. | reversed |
| Bank of Maysville v. Claypool | 268 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.D.W. Va. | affirmed |
| Grant v. Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company | 271 (1887) | Waite | None | None | Sup. Ct. D.C. | receiver to pay costs |
| Winchester v. Heiskell, Scott and Heiskell | 273 (1887) | Waite | None | None | Tenn. | rehearing denied |
| In re Snow | 274 (1887) | Blatchford | None | None | Dist. Ct. Terr. Utah | reversed |
| Memphis and Little Rock Railroad v. Dow | 287 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | C.C.E.D. Ark. | multiple |
| Farley v. Kittson | 303 (1887) | Gray | None | None | C.C.D. Minn. | reversed |
| Pensacola Ice Company v. Perry | 318 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.N.D. Fla. | reversed |
| Sherman v. Jerome | 319 (1887) | Blatchford | None | None | C.C.E.D. Mich. | reversed |
| United States v. Northway | 327 (1887) | Matthews | None | None | C.C.N.D. Ohio. | certification |
| The L.P. Dayton | 337 (1887) | Matthews | None | None | C.C.S.D.N.Y. | affirmed |
| Meriwether v. Muhlenburg (sic) County | 354 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | C.C.D. Ky. | reversed |
| Harmon v. Adams | 363 (1887) | Matthews | None | None | C.C.N.D. Ill. | affirmed |
| Durand v. Martin | 366 (1887) | Waite | None | None | Cal. | affirmed |
| Martin v. Thompson | 376 (1887) | Waite | None | None | Cal. | dismissed |
| Speidel v. Henrici | 377 (1887) | Gray | None | None | C.C.W.D. Pa. | affirmed |
| Rolston v. Missouri Fund Commissioners | 390 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.W.D. Mo. | multiple |
| Grier v. Wilt | 412 (1887) | Blatchford | None | None | C.C.D. Del. | reversed |
| Hopt v. Utah | 430 (1887) | Field | None | None | Sup. Ct. Terr. Utah | affirmed |
| Plummer v. Sargent | 442 (1887) | Matthews | None | None | C.C.D. Conn. | affirmed |
| Rosenbaum v. Bauer | 450 (1887) | Blatchford | None | Bradley | C.C.D. Cal. | affirmed |
| Herron v. Dater | 464 (1887) | Matthews | None | None | C.C.W.D. Pa. | affirmed |
| United States v. Arjona | 479 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.S.D.N.Y. | certification |
| Robbins v. Shelby County | 489 (1887) | Bradley | None | Waite | Tenn. | reversed |
| Corson v. Maryland | 502 (1887) | Bradley | Waite | None | Md. | reversed |
| Schuler v. Israel | 506 (1887) | Miller | None | None | C.C.E.D. Mo. | affirmed |
| Laclede Bank v. Schuler | 511 (1887) | Miller | None | None | C.C.E.D. Mo. | reversed |
| Carter County v. Sinton | 517 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.D. Ky. | affirmed |
| Accident Insurance Company v. Crandal | 527 (1887) | Gray | None | None | C.C.N.D. Ill. | affirmed |
| Fletcher v. Fuller | 534 (1887) | Field | None | None | C.C.D.R.I. | reversed |
| People's Savings Bank v. Bates, Reed and Cooley | 556 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | C.C.E.D. Mich. | affirmed |
| Chicago, Burlington and Kansas City Railroad v. Guffey | 569 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | Mo. | affirmed |
| Schley v. Pullman's Palace Car Company | 575 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | C.C.N.D. Ill. | affirmed |
| Gilmer v. Stone | 586 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | C.C.S.D. Ill. | affirmed |
| Marsh v. Nichols | 595 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.E.D. Mich. | dismissal denied |
| Marsh v. Shepard | 595 (1887) | Waite | None | None | Mich. | dismissal denied |
| City of East St. Louis v. Amy and Company | 600 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.S.D. Ill. | affirmed |
| Gonzales v. Ross | 605 (1887) | Bradley | None | None | C.C.W.D. Tex. | reversed |
| Dushane v. Benedict | 630 (1887) | Gray | None | None | C.C.W.D. Pa. | reversed |
| Porter v. Pittsburgh Bessemer Steel Company | 649 (1887) | Blatchford | None | None | C.C.D. Ind. | reversed |
| Baldwin v. Franks | 678 (1887) | Waite | None | Harlan; Field | C.C.D. Cal. | reversed |
| Viterbo v. Friedlander | 707 (1887) | Gray | None | None | C.C.E.D. La. | reversed |
| Ex parte Parker | 737 (1887) | Matthews | None | None | Sup. Ct. Terr. Wash. | mandamus granted |
| Fourth National Bank v. Francklyn | 747 (1887) | Gray | None | None | C.C.S.D.N.Y. | affirmed |
| Bolles v. Town of Brimfield | 759 (1887) | Harlan | None | None | C.C.N.D. Ill. | reversed |
| New Orleans Banking Association v. Le Breton | 765 (1887) | Bradley | None | None | C.C.E.D. La. | affirmed |
| Goodwin v. Fox | 775 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.N.D. Ill. | dismissal denied |
| Leather Manufacturers' National Bank v. Cooper | 778 (1887) | Waite | None | None | C.C.S.D.N.Y. | affirmed |
| Ex parte Harding | 782 (1887) | Waite | None | None | Sup. Ct. Terr. Mont. | habeas corpus denied |