Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1885-10-15
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.

The Court Sitting Itself For a Grand Rally
to Close Out the 1,4G6 Gases Remaining
On Its Docket Within the Prescribed
Time - Court Employees Working On
Faith.
WASHINGTON, d. c., October Con
the reassembling Of the Court OF Ala
bama Claims yesterday, Presiding Judge
Harlan said:
sit is obvious that the ! ,4G6 remaining
cases can not be properly adjudlcated,
the interest computed, and lists of judg-
ments compared and certified to the
Secretary OF State swithin the seventy.
four working days remaining, without
extraordinary efforts on the part of the
court, its officers and employees, and
Also on the part of the counsel for claim
ants. But with such. efforts and co op.
Grafton, the court thinks it will be pos
sble TO achieve this result In view OF
the great hardship which would accrue by
further postponemcn to many thou.
sands of legal claimants, who have al
ready waited long for their just dues,
the Court feels compelled to adopt and
to rigidly enforce the most stringent
rules consistent with justice and the u.s.
aGea OF courts, to hasten the trial and de-.
termination OF causes; and on its own
part to devote all the time within TIN
limits Of physical endurance, without
reference 10 the usual hours for Office
work, In the endcavor to complete this
work prior to the date name1."
After stating certain requirements
which counsel for the claimants would
be expected to observe in order to facili-
tate business Judge Harlan continued:
"ln the opinion of the Court after
careful consideration, it will be impossi :
bic for it to complete its work within the
time limited by law with a smaller
force of employees than it now has on
lis pay rolls. Nor does 1t think that
their compensation could be Justly
diminished. The monthly payment OF a
considerable number of these employees
has been Unexpectedly suspended
on account of question having
been recently raised by the ac-
counting officers OF the Treasury
Department as to the legal authority of
the court to authorize their employment,
which it is understood Is under consid-
eralion by the Department of State. The
court is not yet advised of the views of
tat department. In the meantime the
employees whose payment was suspended
have continued to discharge the duties OF
their respective positions, and have vol.
unfairly informed the court of their will
lingness to continue to do so with their
former a lelity at their own risk of being
hereafter paid by the government" 1t
has also come to the knowledge OF
the members of the court, that dur
ing the recess counsel for claim
ants, learning that the major
part of the employees depend solely on
their salaries for the support OF them
selves and families, and knowing thai
| their services could not be dispensed
| with without serious embarrassment tc
| the court, nave made arrangements tc
relieve the immediate pecuniary necessi
| ties Of said employees during such tim
| rs their pay be suspended, which actor
under the urgent circumstances of the
case, meets the approval Of the court
The court heard and took under ad
visemant during the day :wenty-nint
cases. and forty.one other cases were
dismissed by consent About thrtI
cases day will be set for trial until tn,
docket is cleared and all cases in which
claimants are not ready when called vii
| be dismissed.