The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-16
THE SUPREME COURT.
Decisions Affecting Land, Patent and Rail-
way Interests.

Decisions Affecting Land, Patent and Rail-
way Interests.
WASHINGTON Nov 15-A decision was rem
dered by the United States Supreme Court. to-
day, in the case Of the Choctaw nation against
the United States, suit brought in order to
obtain judicial settlement Of all existing claims
of the Choctaw nation against the United States
government The court. in long and carefully
prepared opinion by Justice Matthews, holds
that the Choctaw nation is entitled to judg
ment against the United States for the follow
ing sums: First $2,981, 247, subject to the
deduction of $250, 900 paid under the act of 1861
second. for unpaid annuities, $50. 49, third for
lands taken in fixing the boundary between the
State of Arkansas and the Choctaw nation,
$68, 102. The judgment of the Court of Claims
is therefore reversed ard the cause is remanded
to that court with instructions to enter judg
ment in conformity with this opinion. Chief
justice Waite read dissenting opinion.
A decision was also rendered by the court in
the patent case of the Consolidated Safety valve
Company, appellant, against Augustus B.
Kunkle; appeal from the United States Circuit
Court for the Northern district of Illinois This
was suit in equity, brought by the consolidat
ed company to recover damages for an alleged
infringement of its patents upon an improved
safety valve. This court holds that the defend
ants valves do not infringe the Consolidated
Safety-valve CompaDy's patents The decree of
the Circuit Court is therefore affirmed Opinion
by Justice Blatchford.
A decision was also rendered by the court in
the case of the town of Oregon, ILL., against
Eliza Jennings, brought here by writ of error to
the United States Circuit Court for the North
ern district of Illinois This was a suit
upon the coupons of a series of bonds
issued by the town of Oregon as a donation to
the Ogden & Carroll County Railroad Company.
The validity of the bonds attacked in the
court below, upon the grounds of various in
formalites and irregularities, mostly technical,
in the proceedings which led to the issue of the
bonds This court holds that there was in the
execution of the bonds no fraud or circumven-
ton; that the appointment OF the supervisor
who signed them was valid, and that the town is
estopped by the recital on the bonds from assert
ing, as against bona fide holder, that the stat
utory conditions were not duly complied with
The charge of informality in the organization of
the town meeting which authorized the issue of
the bonds is held to be without foundation. The
judgment of the court below, in favor of the bond
h~lder, is, therefore, affirmed Opinion by
Justice Blatchford.
decision was also rendered by the court in
the land case of Chas. W. Butts, executor,
against the Northern Pacific Railroad Company:
appeal from the Supreme Court of Dakota The
controversy in this case relates to the owner
ship of tract of land in Dakota. formerly
cupied by the Dakota or Sioux Indians The
appellant, Butts, claims it under the preemp
ton laws, and the railroad company under it's
land grant. The court holds that Butts could
not establish any preemptive right to the
lands SO long as the Indian title remained nm
extiDgushed, because an act of Congress ex-
cludes lands ia that condition from pre-emption;