Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-27
A MOST DISTINGUISHED JUaIST.
JUDGE II. C. CALDWELL OF THE
COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS
Vow In Fort worth-.He Speaks of
the santa Fs Reoeivership--sayH
the Itoad wan Finally he Restored
10 tho Company.

to tho Company.
Judge II. c. Caldwell OF the United
Staten court OF civil appeals is here.
visiting his daughter. MIS-. G. W. Mar
tin. at Arlington Heights.
Judge Caldwell Is one Of the most
distinguished jurlsts in this country.
His celebrated decision In the Union
Pacific strike cases. which was publish-
ed extensively all over the country in
the newspapers. win be remembered as
one OF the most important features Of
question that at the time attracted
such widespread attention in this eoun-
try.
Yesterday afternoon Judge Caldwell
was seen by a Gazette reporter at the
office of Capt Thomas Il. West. where
lie met several members OF the Fort
Worth bar and business men Of the
city. Judge Caldwell is a Virglnian
by birth and has been on the bench for
the past thirty years. having entered
upon judicial duties when quite a
young man.
Although n man OF eminent ablll-
ties as Jurist, Judge Caldwell has
genial side to his nature. and Is ready
with anecdotes OF his own experience.
lie remarked when he met the reporter
that In tho past he had some expert
ence8 with the newspaper fraternity
and mentioned one occasion when no
arrived one night In Denver. Col.
He went 10 II hotel and spoke to
no one except the clerk and porter,
going straight to his room to retire.
lie was astonlshud the next morning
10 sec In a leading Denver newspaper
column and half interview which
expressed what was stated to be his
opinions on law. politics, religion and
nearly every other subject, This. Judge
Caldwell thought. was u little too much
journalistic enterprise.
The Judge was asked II he had any
thing to say upon the labor question
and in relation to strikes and he re-
piled that 1t was a subject that he
did not caro- to discuss, but he said.
however, that he hoped that congress
would COON take some action that would
result Ia creating more harmonious
relations between labor and capital.
When asked what about the financial
condition and future outlook for tho
Santa ne railroad, for which lie np-
pointed the receivers, he replied that
the question was, indeed, conun-
drum, which he would not undertake
TO uuravel, but that the proper COM
mittoo WAS at work In Boston and
IN New York upon the Affairs Of the
road, and that a report would ho made.
Judge Caldwell stated that he Is of
the opinion that finally the affairs OF
the Santa Re railroad system would
be arranged satisfactorily with view
10 the preservation OF everybody's in-
forests, and that the road would even
tually be taken out OF the hands OF the
receivers and restored TO the COM
pany. Just when this could he done
he could not undertake to say; II would
not be done Immediately, as the meas-
urc would involve matters OF vast mag
nltude; there were some $500, 900 600 OF
debtg TO be uloposed OF. In speaking
Of recoiVcrshlps In general, Judge Cald-
well remarked that II was not now, rs
formerly. so much a matter to be de-
sired by u railroad 10 20 into tho hands
of "a receiver; there was not so much
profit In it to the stockholders as In
the past, II used 90 be the case that
u railroad would frequently be anx-
iuusly desirouB FOR receivers to be ap-
pointed, ana for this there were several
reasons, one OF these was that when
a railroad WAS formerly operated and
became burdened with debts, when
the load became too oppressive. All
the operators OF tho railroad had to do
was 10 skin out of these debts by rush.
Ing Into the arms of receiver. AM
other snap which railrond In recelv-
ors' hands formerly had was with re-
gard to the payment OF taxes; II was
then customary for the railroad TO
use It's own pleasure aa to the limo
taxes should he paid. and apparently
whether they should be paid at all or
not. Then, again, u railroad In the
hands OF d receiver seems TO hold it.
self above the law OF the state. and
ran its trains to suit Itself Another
thing was that IN those days. when a
railroad went into the hands OF re-
celyer no suit could be brought against
It except through the court In which
the receiver had been appointed, 80 II
n railroad was 500 miles long and "a
citizen was injured by 1t In person or
property, he must 80 to the court In
which the receiver had been appointed,
to obtain redress, ut whatever eN-
pcnse or Inconvenience. But 1t was DIFF
forcnt now, AZ citizen can bring a
suit against railroad In any county
through which the railroad passes
A point upon which Judge Caldwell
spoke was with reference 20 the rights
OF people who supplied material and
labor In the construction OF railroad.
II has been his ruling that equity de-
mands that the laborers. contractors
for material. etc. have prior right
TO the mortgage holders. and that their
right 10 be paid for their material and
labor must be respected.
Judge Caldwell will leave Friday in
y special car over the Santa lcc for
Galveston. and VIII return to Fort
Worth ON sunday. Rla next court
VIII be held In ST. Louis.
Hoods Pills are purely vegetable.
carefully prepared from the best in
gradients. e5c.