The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-07-21
JUDGMENT REV0KIMG a HOUMAS
TANn. PATENT

l
We have obtained q copy Of the decision
rendered by Judge Billings in the United
States Circuit Court at New Orleans on the
9th of June, zevoking the land patent
granted to VIM. Donaldson and Jnc. w.
Scott on the ed Of August, 1884, and the
document is presented herewith:
q. S. Circuit Court, Eastern District, Louisi-
ana-Unitea States Us. No. 1875, Donaldson q
Scott.-The joint demurrer OF the defendants
herein having been oyerruled at thus term and
the defendants allowed until rule day III Sep
TENDER, 1888, to answer TO the BID; the sad de-
PENDANTS. by their counsel, Il. X. Mason. ESQ,
this Gay appeared Mt tho bar and stated to the
court thai said defendants desired and elected
to stand upon their sad demurrer, and there
upon, IN the presence OF and with the assent OF
tho U. 3. Attorney, submitted the cause upon
the record for final decree; Whereupon, on con-
sideratlon thereof, the court doth now order,
adiudge and decree, that the patent set forth
and described III compainants bill, to-wit: a
patent issued on the I'D day of August, A. D.,
1871, by John Tyler, then President of the Uni
tod States, to William Donaldson and John w.
Scott, or to their legal and heirs
for certain lands lying and beng III the State OF
Louisiana and III the Eastern District OF SAID
State, and described and designated as section
thlFty-seyen In township eight OF range one
east, section thirty-seven IN township elght, OF
range two east, section eighty-two in township
nine OF range one east, section hftg-tsirea IN
township Eine Of range two east, section forty
III township r1ne of range three east, section
tWenty-Six lii township ten OF range two east
and section six IN to-alIshlp ten OF range three
east, containing together thirty-slX thousand
five hundred and eighty-two acres and nineteen
hundredths of an acre, lying On the Mississippi
river, and situated in the South Eastern Dis
trlct Of Louisiana, be and the same Is hereby
adjudsyed and decreed to be void, set aside and
held for naught.
And it is further ordered that defendants pay
of
EDWARD G. BILLINGS, Judge.
As will be readily apprchended by all
familiar with loyal proceedings of this char
acter, the action Of defendants counsel in
" elocting to stana npo,a the demurrer was
taken with view OF fastening and faclli-
tating the appeal Of the case to the Supreme
Court Of the United States. The decision
Of Judge Billings docs not touch upon the
morris CT The case excepting as the point or
points involved IL The demurrer, concerning
which We have no information. We shall
endeayor to procure a copy OF the decree
overriding the demurrer and lay i. also be-
fore our readers.
As We have before stated, he lands COW
cred b. tho Donaldson and Scott patent ere
Locales in the parish Of Ascension anl Gem
prise Z portion Of the celebrated Iionmas
grant, the status of which has been in
condition Of uncertainty ana dispute for
many years. 1t is to be hoped on early de-
cision of the matter will be reached in the
court Of last resort, in order that the large
number of settlers on these lands may be
enabled to secure good and final titles to
their homesteads, either from the govern
ment or the Houmas claimants.