The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-13
Chief-Justice EnGlelins.

THE MODEL JURIST OF THE PACkARD-CASEY
CROWD.
To the Editor of the Philadelphia Evening
Telegraph:
The names OF Brother-iu-Law Casey,
Judge Durell, and other Louisiana worthless
are tolerably well known throughout the
country, but that of Chief-Justice Ludeiing
has been less conspicuous.
In order that your readers may know
what sort Of person the Republican State
government OF Louisiana chooses to appoint
to the office of Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of that State, permit me to furnish
YOU with a few extracts from the opinion Of
the Supreme Court OF the United States,
delivered by Mr.. justice Strong in the re-
cent case of Jackson Us. Ludeling, in q
Wallace, page GIG. ...<.
The case was one in which the managers
Of an insolyent railroad obtained an order
for the sale Of the property and bought it
in for themselves at much less than it's value.
The sale was conducted in secret manner
at small village in the interior Of the State,
and in such way as to enable the conspira-
tors to secure the property at the lowest
possible price.
This sale was carried out by an arrange
ment to which Ludeling was party; and
OF the agreement made by him Judge Strong
~
says:
"It is impossible to characterize this
agreement as anything else than fraudulent.
It's obvious purpose was to remove compe-
ton at the sale. 1t was a fragrant breach OF
trust on the part Of Horne, and it was
fraud in Ludeling, with knowledge OF the
trust Horne had undertaken, to persuade
him to violate his instructions and sacrifice
the interests OF his constituents, himself
becoming party to the violation.
Thus directors Of the company, owing
duties to its stockholders and creditors, not
only combined to obtain the company's
property for themselves at sacrifice through
the formation Of judicial sale, but were
active participants in successful efforts to
defeat sale for $550,000 in order that
they might become the purchasers for
$4,000.
''It is impossible to sustain such trans
action. Throughout it was grossly inequi-
table. That the property was sacrificed by
means of an unlawful and widespread COM
bination is abundantly proved, and that the
directors who were parties to it. and who
became the purchasers, were guilty OF an
inexcusable violation of confidence reposed
in them, admits Of no doubt. ..Ludeling, 1t is
true, was not director; but he was lead
ing member of the combination and Its chief
agent to carry out its plans. He knew Its
purposes. He knew its illegality. He had
negotiated the surrender OF Horne with full
knowledge Of Horne's breach OF trust. He
assumed the control OF Gordon's eXecutory
process, and, Us we have noticed when told
that Gordon had consented to stay the sale,
he declared that Gordon had no power to do
it. Indeed, Ludeling appears to have had
complete possession Of the sheriff. He drew
up the sherif's return, carefully stating in
it that all the requirements and formnlities
of the law had been complied with in the
second Offering, as they had been in thef first;
and he was, as the evidence shows, most
active in defeating an adjudication to
Brauner & Go. on their large bid.
"Thc defendants can take nothing from
such sale thus made. Were we TO sustain
1t we should sanction great moral and
legal wrong live enco couragement to faith
lessness to trusts and confidence reposed,
and countenance combinations to wrest by.
the forms OF law from the uninformed and
confidtng their Just rights. .
This Is the record which secures judicial
appointment from the Republican party In
the State OF Louisiana. and IL Is the govern
ment OF such men that Senator Sherman has.
the efrontery to defend upon the floor OF
the United States Senate. 3. d.