Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-01-08

One OF the most important causes likely to be
tried nj its present term, and which will attract
attention as well on account of the legal prin-
ciPles a. the amount of money involved, will
come up before the Supreme Court of the
United States tomorrow, if the case in hand
can be- disposed of in time
We alluds to the matter familiarity designated
BY those cognizant of il as the .Elgee Case one
ofa numerous class growing out of operations
under the captured and abandoned property
acts during the late rebellion. Without going
into technical details, the main facts of the cas-
As We understand them, may be briefly stated as
follows:
During hostilities in the Mississippi Valley.
IN 1-6S, a party acting under Government au-
thority, and conveyed by a gunboat. assembled
one of the bayous or minor affiuents of the Mis-
SIssippi, on the eastern bank. and removed
from plantation lying thereon. and belonging
10 one John h Elgee.-since deceased. but at
that time dOmiciled in the western part of Lou
isiana--between five and six hundred bales of
cotton, on the ground that the same was aban-
doned or confiseable property. The cotton,
after considerable delay and some dangerous
NicIssitudes, reached st. Louis, consigned 10 a
Government agent. On arrival there legal pro-
ceedings for its recovery were instituted on be-
half of the claimant Elgee. Pending these pro-
Ceedlngs,-whch We're somewhat complicated
m their character. and threatened for time to
bring about collision between the civil and
military authorities. and to avoid loss from de-
probation in price, il was agreed between both
parties IN interest that the cotton should be
sold and the proceeds invested in ten-forty
bonds. TO be held to abide the final issue of the
suit. The fight then went on in one of the St
Louis courts, subsequently in the Circuit Court
OF the United States, and it now comes up on
appeal TO the Supreme Court, on some prelimi-
nary questions. we believe, but the decision of
which will have an important bearing on the
ultimate disposition of the case.
In the meantime, some half a dozen diverse
Claimants to the same property have appeared,
all claiming title or rights through or under
Elgee, and efforts will be made by them, it is
understood, TO b. recognized in the case but
whether they can gain any status in il, or
Whether any decision as to their claim will be
given, as the case now stands, is not clear.
The amount of money involved Is about
e4U,OcD, and, as may be expected from its mag
nltude, eminent counsel are engaged on both
Sides The Government will be represented by
Senator Drake and Judge Hughes. while the
Claimants interest will be cared for by Glover
Shepley, of St Louis, and J. NJ Carlisle
Esq, OF this city. The other parties in interest
have also employed counsel no less distin-
guIshed and able. The case will OCCUPY. IL is
thought, several days, and will doubtless
sttract, as stated above, considerable attention
from both the bar and the public al large OF
course ideas differ 10 the ultimate result of
toe case, though we believe the weight of
opinion is TO the effect that the Government
VIII come out victorious