The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-01-10
U. S. SUPREME COURT.
Important Decisions Rendered
BY the Highest Tribunal
Of the Land.

the SHIicu Suites sui,TcIlle court YES
terlay decision was rendered in the
ease brought by the State of Iowa
against the State of Illinois to settle
the boundary line in the Mississippi
river between the two states. Nine
bridges cross the Mississippi between
the two states, and it was desired by
each state that decision as to the
boundary line Of the river be made in
order that each state might tax only
the property within its borders. The
State OF Iowa contended that the
boundary runs To the middle
of the main body of the river
from the banks, without regard
to the steamboat channel, and that the
measurements OF the middle distance
should he taken when the river waS at
it, normal stage On behalf OF Hi
nois. it wa, claimed that jurisdiction
of each State extends to the middle of
the steamboat channel, wherever that
may he. In an opinion rendered to-
day by Justice Field the Court adopts
the Illinois view Of the matter, hold
ing that the true boundry line Is the
middle of the main channel of the riv-
er. or OF the principal channel, il
there be more than one channel OF
navigation. As counsel oi each State
desired that the houndrv line be eS-
iabIished ut the places where the
| bridges cross the river. the Court or
dered that commission Of three per-
SONS be appointed to ascertain and des-
ignate the line an each bridge and de-
lineate same ON the map. The cnm-
mission To- he guided in fixing the line
by the opinion ri the court, and TO
make return To it for further action.
ELECTED From 4 TRAIN.
Chalmer Vi. c. Trentis>, IL physician
of Norwalk, o., while travelling on
excursion tickets with his wife and
other persons On the Lake Shore road
to Chicago, purchased the return-trip
tickets III number oi passengers. The
conductor learned OF this. arrested
Prentiss just before reaching Chicago,
subiectine hin. him to violence and
his wife to insult, and had Preniiss
locked up on a charge ot di>orderly
conduct. which charge was dismissed
the next day for lack of appearance
on the part of the conductor. Prem
tiss sued the railroad company, which
admitted that the arrest WAS wrong.
The company, however, objected to
the charge ri the judge that damages
in the way OF compensation might he
awarded for the humiliation suffered,
AMI also exemplary damages as pun
ishment for the oiiense. Judgement
for sl0,0 WAS brought in, but sub
sequently Prentiss had it reduced to
$4,000. The railroad appealed, not
, understanding Prentiss' voluntary act,
done probably 10 avert an appeal. In
an opinion by Justice Gray, the SUI
prone court to-day upheld the Judges
charge, except as to exemplary dam
ages, ruling that the railroad can not
be punished tor the wanton and unau-
thorized act OF its agent, and therefore
remanded the case for new trial. not
knowing how much this factor entered
into the verdict rendered.
THE LETTEI-CAREIER CASES.
Solicitor General Aldrich, for the
government. made Il motion to adj
vance what are known as the letter
carrier cases. The cases arise under
an act of Congress OF March ~, 1888,
''to limit the hours that let;er-carriers
in cities shall be employed per day.
and involve the questions whether Il
carrier is entitled to count all work
performed by him, whether on the
street or in delivering or collecting
mails. in making up mail for delivery
in the post office or in doing other
postal service under direction
/ OF the Postmaster; whether he
is entitled to extra pay for any
time which he works in excess of eight
hours in any one day, even though lie
NAV work less than eight hours on
some other day. and other questions,
important tn the administration Of the
Postoflice Department. The cases
came to the supreme court on ap, eals
from the Court of Claims, where the
decisions were against the government
and in favor of the letter carriers.
They affect very large number, ii
not all, of the letter carriers through
out the United States, AMI large
sum of money is Involved in the dc
! cision.
Children Cry for
Pitchers CastoSia.