The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-11-22
THE HAksoE LINE SUITS.


jones Objects 80 Postponement and Judge
Barke Replies Promptly.
Attorney General Jones said In m interview,
published in an afternoon pepper, yesterday. thnt
the postponement OF the hearing Of the injznc-
ton cases against the harbor line commission
until December is had b. "a made by Judge
LiehIenb berg without notice to or the consent Of
the state. At the request of Colonel Haines he
had Ngreed to postponement from November
20 70 November a. bat 20 his surpriss and
without his consent the case was
postponed II was not customary to
continue causes without notice or consent Of
both parties. except under emergencies. which
DID not exist in this case. The hearing was
postponed on mere request of the plaintiff
He Claims that the courts are powefless 70 per
mapeutly interfere, but the hands of the har.
Dor line commissioners are tied until the court
decides the case. He win appear on December
Is unless Judge Lichtenberg again delays the
hearing against his protest
Judge Burke, one Of the attorneys for the
plaintiffs in these cases, said to . PosT-INrELLI-
GEEcER reporter in REGARD to this interview:
II do not think the attoruey general can have
been correctly reported, because the postpone
ment TO which he refers was really made upon
his own stipulation He stipulated with one OF
the attorneys ior rhe plaintiff to have the eases
postponed until November "a, and his letter tos
this eject 10 on file In the case. When appliea-
ton was made TO the court Tor q
postponemsnt OF the case. upon this
stipulation Of the attorney general, the
court found that the docket was already filed
with cases for November "A. and therefore. in
accordance with well-known rule of court
rule absolutely necessary to the orderly dis
patch Of the business-the court proceeded to
select the next earliest day upon which the
cases could be heard, and that day happened to
be December 16 II IL well known that the
number of cases brought and tried on the
chancery side of the superior court of this
county is very large. and cases have TO he Get
down weeks in advance When opposing attor-
neys stipulate between themselves, ~ they did
in this case, to postpone case to . later date
than the one set for the hearing. the court looks
at the docket and. if other cases are
already set for the later date,
the court proceeds 10 select day upon which
the case can be tried. This is 90 familiar q
practice ana so necessary for the transaction of
court bus ines. hat the attorney general must
be acquainted with ii, and therefore it is likely
that he mas been unsupported on tbs subject
This view is strengthened by the TACT that ne
makes no reference TO the case pending IN the
United States court against the harbor line COM
missioners. This case is set for hearing, Is am
informed, on December s
The contention that the courts have no juris-
dfctton over the commissioners is. of course, q
question TO be decided by the courts It wiz
Ger ainly be Q novel thing if il ehsli turn out
that there is in this state official BODY created
By the legislature that is above the courts aud
subject TO no control except its own sweet
viii