The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-07
THE UNITED STATES VS.. JOHN FRASER
u co., AND OTHERS.

We hayo received from the publishers copy Of
tho peadngs in this case, flied up to this datc in
tho Circuit Court of tho United States for the Dis
trict of South Carolina. They consist of tho bill
Of complaint filed by the United States ON tho S0th
OF May, 1857 and Of tho separate answers OF
THEODORE D. WAGNER, JAMEsT. WEL.sMAN, GEORGE
A. TRENHOLM, VIM. L. TRENHOLM, JOHN B. La
FIrTE. No answer up to this timo has been fled
on behalf OF CHARLES X. PRIoLEAp one Of the do
PENDANTS,
The hill fled by the United States i'll substance,
alleges that the above-named defendants were,
prior to the month of April, 1861, and have over
since been copartners, doing BUSH nss in Charles
ton undor the namo OF JOHN Erase Co, andin
Liverpool under the name of FRAsL TRENHOLM
& Co,
That shortly after the breaking or, the late
unlawful rebellion" the firm Of J, FIR az Co.
was appointed the agent of tho ''so-cal " Con-
fcderate States for the expectation o. otton
ard other goods and for the purchase of rms
and other military supplies for that government
and that GEO. A. TRENHOLM, "titular" Secretary OF
the Treasury of tho Confederate Statos, employed
the said firm as financial agents Of the said gov
ernment. That in pursuance of such agency, tho
firm received large amounts Of cotton and other
goods from tho said government, That at the ex-
piration of tho war large quantity CT goods,
moneys, and several steamships, tho property of
| the Confederate States, were in tho hands of tho
said firm, and arc still retained by them and that
with the proceeds of the moneys and goods the
said firm had made large purchases Of real estate
in the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama
and Texas.
The Bill then charges that all property OF tho
late Confederate States in possession Of tho doten.
dants at the close of the war; and all tho real
tate purchased by tho said defendants with the
proceeds Of such property, vosted in the United
States by operation Of law that trust in tho
said property resulted to tho United States, and
that tho said defendants held all such property as
trustees for the United States,
The bill then proceeds to ask for discovery
and an account of all the aforesaid property, for
an injunction restraining the defendants from
disposnS OF, or cncumbering tho said real estate,
Tor the appointment of receiver and for the
payment and delivery to tho plaintiff of all the
said money or property.
On the 29th day Of May 1867, the injunction
prayed Tor by tho bill, was granted by Judge
BRYAN on the affidavit OF SAMUEL. A. DUNCAN.
special agent of the United States Treasury.
The effect OF this injunction is to restrain the
defendants from disposing Of, or encumbcring
theii real estate until their answers are filed, or
until further order of tho court.
The answer Of THEODORE DEuoH WAGNER ad-
mits that all the defendants, together with
EDWARD L. TRENHOLM, was prior to April 1851,
copartners, as alleged; that EDWARD l.. TnEN-
HOLM retired from the two firms ON the 1st OF
September, 1861 that GEO. A. TRENHOLM retired
from both firms in November, 1851 that JAMES r.
WE1sMAN retired about the 1st of January, 1866
and that JOHN Il. LAFErrE has never been Il
copartner.
That FRASER, TRENHOLM Co., did have deal