Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-12


and the pangs CT hunger were unappeased for
five days. Some of the men meditated sui
eide. God knows how many of them thought
of murder and cannibalism. Had not the
steamer come to the rescue. the Captain of
the Tiger said he thought something more
terrible than starvation would have been en-
acted. TIE Nebo sent months provisions
on board. When the first boat load arrived
the mate leaped aboard the Tiger eating
biscuit. He was bounced upon by his ship
mates, who literally fought like dogs for the
cracker. They rushed upon the other provi-
sions and tore them in the same way as
famished wolves might have done. The off
Ger of the Nebo adds We got the provisions
on board and sent them at large. Once more
they shook the reefs out of their topsails, set
their top-gallant sails, and steered in our
wake The wind was right aft, but the ves-
sells bottom was so full of barnacles that she
could not make much Roadway. She was
able to get along, however, and when last we
saw her she was signaling adieu and thanks.
supreme Court Decision I'm Railroad
Case.
WASHINGTON, April 1th-In the Supreme
Court to-day a decision was made in the case
of Thomas Wardell, appellant, vs. The Union
Pacific Railway Company ct al.-An appeal
from the Circuit Court of the United States
of July, 1868, Oliver Ames, President of the
Union Pacific Railroad Company, acting by
direction of the Executive Committee of the
Board of Directors, entered into a contract
with Wardell and others, by which the latter
were empowered to occupy and work, upon
extremely favorable terms, coal lands belong
ing to the company along the whole line of
the latter's road. Shortly thereafter a stock
company, under the name of the Wyoming
Coal and Mining Company, was organized,
with Wardell and number of Directors of
the Union Pacific Company as its leading
stockholders. To this corporation Wardell
transferred his contract without consideration
On the 18th of March, 1874, the
officers and agents of the railroad COM
pany, by order of the United States
Directors, seized the mines, bonds,
papers and personal property of the
mining company, and have held and
used them ever since Wardell sues under
the contract for damages resulting from such
seizure, and from the attempted abrogation
of the contract. The railroads main defense
is that the contract is void, on account of
fraud that it was executed for the company
by the Executive Committee of its Board of
Directors majority of whom, by previous
agreement, were to be equally interested ia
it; that for that reason its terms were made
so favorable to the contractors and I'M
favorable to the railroad company as to
enable the contractors to make very large
gains at the railroad companys expense, and
that the organization of the Wyoming Coal
and Mining Company was new device to
enable those Directors to participate in the
road company, they had executed, and which
as contractors they proposed to make
money out of. This Court holds to
the argument of the utterly illegal
and indefensible character of this con-
tract. 1t was scheme to enable the
Directors who authorized it to divide among
themselves and the contractors large sums of
money, which should have been saved to the
railroad. All arrangements by the Directors
of the railroad company, by which new
company is formed as an auxiliary to the
original one, with the understanding with the
Directors of the original company that some
of them shall take stock in it, and then that
valuable contracts should be given it, in the
profits of which the Directors, as stockholders
of the new company, shall share, are so many
unlawful schemes to enrich their promoters
at the expense of the stockholders and credit
ors of the original company, and they will be
condemned whenever they are brought before
the Courts for consideration Of the complaint.
Wardell can derive no benefit from a contract
tainted as this is with fraud, or sustain any
claim against the railroad company for its
reputation. The decree of the Court below
is affirmed, with costs.
Miscellaneous Washington News.
WASHINGTON, April Representative
Goode has returned from Virginia. He says
the Democrats will easily carry Virginia.
Malone declares that his supporters made all
the gains.
Beck will reply to Sherman's speech on the
alliance with Malone
The Republicans deny rumors of an extra
session. and say the President approves the
present position of the Republicans
Senator David Davis has written letter
to John Martin, of Kansas, on the present
political situation, having reference to the
Senate deadlock. Davis says both parties
are controlled by monopolists, and neither
stituents. The only solution of political dif-
ficulties is in a reorganization of the parties.
Davis says if the Democratic party would
disband, the Republican party would fall to
pieces, because it is only kept together by
Federal patronage and by the agitation Of
sectional questions.
The Missouri River Situation.
OMAHA, April 11th.-The river is falling
fast here, having gone down about two feet
since yesterday morning: but the low lands
are still submerged. 1t is expected that
active operations can be resumed at the Union
Pacific chops On Wednesday or Thursday.
Some portions of the shops were partially
cleaned to-day, and one engine was started
up again. Passengers for the East and West
are now transferred by means of foot
bridge, and trains arrive and depart with but
little delay. The river is falling very fast at
Sioux City, Yankton and other points above.
A great deal of ice is again floating past
Sioux City to-day.
1t has rained, sleeted and showed here to-
day. Snow fell very heavily here for three
or four hours this afternoon. The storm was
quite extensive throughout Iowa, Nebraska,
Minnesota and Dakota. In Northern Ne
braska about one foot of snow fell. The
wind was blowing hard and the snow was
drifting. The cuts on the Chicago, st. Paul
land were filed by drifts to depth of two
and three feet. Some roads from st. Paul
and Mankato, in Minnesota, distance of
200 miles, are again blocked with snow.
An Audacious Robbery.
ST. LOUIS, April 11th.-The Republicans
Little Rock ARK. special says; a body of
armed and masked men rode into Toledo,
Dorsey county, sixty miles south of here, at
daybreak yesterday morning, and while part
of them surrounded the Courthouse as
guards, the remainder broke into the Treas
urers Office, blew open The safe, distracted
therefrom $1,000 to SO. 900, mounted their
horses and escaped. An alarm was immedi.
ately sounded, and large number of officers
and citizens started in pursuit. The robbers
were well mounted but as the whole country
is aroused it is believed they will certainly
be captured.
Prospects of Break In the Senate Dead
lGck.
WASHINGTON, April 11th.-The deadlock
in the Senate was to all outward appearances
to day as firm as ever, but in specially we'll
infnrned CIRCLES an irnressinr is canning