The Portland daily press., 1873-04-01
WASHINGTON.
Decision. Of the Supreme Court.

DectslOnS Oh tue supreme Court
WASHINGTON, March 31.-The following
opinions were delivered by the Supreme Court
to day. In the case of New Orleans against
Myra Clark Gaines, from the Circuit Court of
Louisiana, the appeal sought to reverse the de-
cree of the court below in favor of Mrs. G lines
for S125, 266 as rent and profits of land belong
ing to her, which had been in possession and
use of the city. Mrs Gaines brought an action
to recover possession under the former decision
of this court in her favor on the general ques-
ton of her rights The report of the master to
whom the case was referred was in her favor,
and the court entered decree thereupon Ac-
cordingly the court directs the afirmance of the
decree disallOwing the receptions thereto. jus
tice Hunt delivered the opinion.
Barrett VS.. Barney ct al, This is the action
brought by Barrett to recover of Wells. Fargo
& Co.'S Express Company the damages alleged
to have been done to a building in which their
Office in San Francisco is located, by an expio-
sion of nitro-glyceIine, which caused so much
CONSERVATION few years ago. The question
was whether, as common carriers. they were
liable for having in their possession the fatal
box, and consequently for the damages done by
the explosion to other portions of the building
other than the rooms occupied by them. The
decision below was in their favor, and il is here
affirmed. The court says that if express car
riers are charaable with notice of the contents
of packages carried by them. they must lhave
the right to refuse to receive packages unless
their contents are known. 1t would be unreal
sonable to require them in that case to acc ,pt
as conclusive, every instance of information
given by the owners They must be at liberty
whenever in doubt, to exact the right of inspec-
ton of the contents as condition of carriage,
Init the doctrine which would lead to such a
course of business would cause great inconven-
fence and seldom accomplish any good. For
tunateIy the law is not so unreasonable and
does not enforce such doctriue, and the con-
clusion is that the carrier is not chargeable
with mott, e of the contents of the packages and
should not be held liable for an act done with
out his fault.
James Brooks.
1t was thought last week that the condition
OF Hon. James Brooks was improving, but
yesterday and to-day it was not SO so favorable.
The MOd0cs.
zen. Candy telegraphs to Gen. Sherman that
sne commission to the Modocs works well. he
says mat on the 9th inst. the Modocs again
.ms..eu conference, and Col Gillen, with the
party examining the approaches to the lava
beds, had a short interview with two of the
.no ,.s inteIllgent, both, however of the peace
party. ne Is OF the opinion that thew are more
suouued, amlaole to reasoning than at the last
interview Gen. Candy thinks when the ave.
nGes OF escape are closed and their snnniies cnt
on OF abridged, they will come in. 'pp'''' Wv
Financial.
The Comptroller of the Currency to-d.r o.;
fed the Secretary of the Treasury of L! ; ;aoe'
of $500, 900 national bank notes during ISSUE
and the Secretary will tomorrow cali IN ~,
balance of the three per cent Certificate VIZ. no
manning unpaid, which will finally comn,ato
the retirement of the whole of the $45 God 0on
of the thrse per cents. as provided in the act of