Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-19
FIGHTING OVER A DRAFT.
MIR. LAWRENCE RENDERS AN
IMPORTANT DECISION.

The Rights of Creditors Everywhere In
volved-Unused Stamped Bank Checks
/ 20 be Redeemed-RecOmmen
from Chalmers of Little AvaiI-HOw
Virginian Lost CIerkship.
| WASHINGTON, April 1S.-A case was
decided to-day by First Comptroller Law
renee OF the Treasury Department which
is considered of Importance. 4 citizen of
Tennessee, named John V. Pulliam, en-
| ployed a Washington lawyer to prosecute
a claim against the United States in 1880,
and in 1882 the claim was allowed and
a draft for the amount, payable to the
claimant, was delivered to the attorney.
The attorney claimed fee of $1,000
which he assigned to the Ger
man-American National Bank, which
failed, and Pulliam's draft was
delivered to the receiver of the
bank. Pulliam died in Tennessee
and an administrator was appointed i'm
that State. An administrator was also
appointed in the District of Columbia.
The receiver applied to the First Comp
troller TO instruct the Treasurer to paw
the draft ON the Endorsement of the Dis.
trict administrator, which was refused
because the Supreme Court in the case OF
Vaughn VS.. Northrup, 10 Peters, |, had de-
cIded that IN such case payment must
be made to the Tennessee administrator.
The receiver then hled a creditors
bill in equity in the District against the
District administrator attorney and BY
a published notice attempted to make the
Tennessee administrator party de-
fendant. The decree was made that the
receiver should indOrse and collect the
money on the draft and retain 81 800
a i'm NJ
Tennessee administrator. The decree was
presented to the First Comptroller. with
a request that he instruct the Treasurer
to make the payment. Comptroller Law
renee decided that the title of the draft
was vested in the Tennessee adminstra-
tor; that the latter could not be sued in
the District, even if he was found here.
and, consequently could not be sued on 4
published notice, and that the decree of
the District Court did not aflect,the rights
of the Tennessee administrator. The
possession of the draft by the District ad-
ministratOr did not affect the result. The
Comptroller says that this conclusion is
required by the public interests. Citi-
ZenS in the States will not deal with the
government if creditors may come from
all parts of the United States and prevent
them from receiving the payment of
money due them so that they may pay all
creditors alike and not permit preference
to such as come to w aShington to bring
suit. The Treasurer will be informed
that he can only lawfully pay the draft to
the Tennessee administrator.
Commissioner Of Internal Revenue
Raum has decided to redeem and return
with the word redeemed stamped upon
each check all bank checks and drafts
with a two cent stamp imprinted on them
which may remain unused after DULY l.
This will enable the holders TO use up their
stamped checks after the redemption Of
the stamps.
Postmaster General Gresham to-day
directed that in making post Office APP
pOintments in Mississippi the recon-
mendations Of eX-COngressman Chalmers
shall be given no greater weight than may
be properly attached to them as recon-
mendations for a private citizen.
An order was issued Yesterday to ap-
point Samuel Gregg to q $1,000 clerkship
in the Post Office Department. Mr.. Gregg
was indOrSed by member Of Congress
from Iowa. To-day, when the gentleman
applied to take his oath of office, he was
asked if his residence was in Iowa, TO
which question he replied in the negative,
adding that he lived in Virginia. The
matter was referred to the Postmaster
General, who declined to make the APP
pointment, on the ground that the Nir-
ginia quota is now full and that he did
not think it proper to credit resident OF
Virginia to the State of Iowa, notwith-
standing that the application was ln-
dOrsed by an Iowa Congressman