The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-06-25
$ $4,000 FOR THE STATE.

The State of Louisiana may, we suggest,
have large interest in the decision rendered
ON Friday last by Judge Woods, OF the United
States Circuit Court, in the case OF jackson
and others versus the Vieksburg, Shreveport
and Texas Railroad Company, John l. Lude-
ling and others, by which the defendants
Iudeling and his associates, purchasers OF the
railroad between Monroe and Vicksburg, who
have been adiudged by the Supreme Court OF
the United States fraudulent possessors OF
that pppelty. recover from the owners OF
the same the sum Of about 600, by way OF
reimbursement of their expenditures In It's re-
construction repair and Improvement This
decision of Judge Woods is In partial
response to a demand made by Lude-
ling and his associates that they should be
allowed their entire expenditures In repair
ing, improving and operating the railroad re-
ferred to during their possession of 1t. from
February 3. 1866, until April 10, 1875 when
they were compelled to surrender it. We say
partial response because Ludeling and as
sociates claimed the sum of $1,096.091 So,
which they allege they expended
We are not cognizant of the reasons as
signed by Judge Woods for this Judgment, the
decision of the court not being before US, and
indeed, 1t is not our purpose now TO inquire
into or discuss them. Our object in the present
article is merely to show the interest which the
government of the State of Louisiana may
have In the Judgment to which we allude. and
that. II the railroad between Monroe and
Vicl1sburg owes debt 10 any one for the re-
construction, repairs and improvements
made upon it since the year 1866, that debt is
due 10 the State and not to Ludcling and as
sociates Our object Is further to suggest
that the State may possibly have the right to
lay its hands upon this Judgment and COM
pensatc itself for the outlay 1t has incurred
ON account OF this railroad through the mis-
representations and fraud of Mr.. Ludeling
and his co-beneticiaries under certain acts of
our State Legislature.
The facts are these: while the suit of Jack
son and tho bondholders of tho V. s. and I.
Il, II. Co. was pending in the United States
Circuit Court, the Legislature Of 1868, on the
application Of John 4. Ludeling, and others,
Incorporated them under the name of the
North Louisiana and Texas Railroad Com
pany, and granted them State aid TO the ex-
tent OF $4,000 per mile of railroad which they
might construct between Vickshurg and
Shreveport. This act of incorporation and
this aid were authorized upon the hypothesis
that the line of railroad between Vieksburg
and Monroe had been legally pur-
chased by the parties named in the
act Mt q certain sale made by the
sheriff Of Ouachta on February 8, 1866. and
was their lawful property.
The first section Of Act No, los, of 1868. ap-
proved September &c, in that year (undoubt
eddy drawn by John T. Labelling and John
Ray. declared that John Ray w. r. Gordon.
John r. Ludeling, and Others had purchased
the property Of the Vicksburg Shreveport
and Texas Railroad Company at sheriff
sale made on February 3, 1866. and invested
them with all the rights and powers which,
that company had and such others as might
be granted by the Legislature.
Under section II of the same act the com
pany. thus Incorporated was granted fort,
wear eight per cent bonds of the State of Lou
isiana to the amount of $4,000 per mile of rail
road the said company might construct from
point on the Mississippi river, in the parish