Huntsville gazette., 1885-10-10
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.

l. 4F ~
Tho Court Sitting Itself For . Grand Rally
to Close Out the 1,466 Cases Remaining
On Its Docket Within tho Prescribed
4 Time Court Employees Working On
| Faith, td t3f'G fth
WASHINGTON, D. c., October S.-Ou
the reassembling of the Court Of Ala
bama Claims yesterday, Presiding Judge
Harlan said: # i#
"It is obvious that the / ,466 remaining
cases can not be properly adjudicated,
the interest computed, and lists Of iudg-
ments compared and certified to the
Secretary of State :within the seventy
four working days remaining, without
extraordinary efforts on the part of the
court. its officers and employees, aud
also on the part of the counsel for claim
ants But with such efforts and CO -op-
GRAFTON, the court thinks it will be DOS
sible to achieve this result. In view OF
the great hardship which would accrue by
| further postponement 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.
ages of courts, to hasten the trial and de.
termination of causes; and on its own
part to devote all the time within thu
limits Of physical endurance, without
reference to the usual hours for office
work, in the endeavor to complete this
work prior to the date named"
After stating certain requirements
which counsel for the claimants would
be expected to observe in order to facili-
tate business. Judge Harlan continued:
SIN the opinion of the Court, after
careful consideration, it will be impossi-
Bile for it to complete it's work within the
time limited by law with smaller
force of employees than it now has on
its pay rolls. Nor does it think that
their compensation could be Justly
diminished. The monthly payment of
considerable number of these employees
has been Unexpectedly suspended
on account OF a. 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 employ
which it is understood is under consid-
Grafton by the Department of State. The
court is not yet advised of the views of
that 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
lngness to continue to do so with their
former fidelity 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 that
their services could not be dispensed
with without serious embarrassment to
the court, have made arrangements to
relieve the immediate pecunary necessi-
ties of said employees during such time
as their pay be suspended, which action
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-nine
cases. and forty-one other cases were
dismissed by consent. About thirty
cases day will be set for trial until the
docket is cleared, and all cases in which
claimants are not ready when called will
be dismissed