New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-14
THE COURTS.
GOLD COIN Is MONEY.
SO THE SUPREME COURT DECIDES IN THE MIS-

GOLD COIN Is MONEY.
SO THE SUPREME COURT DECIDES IN THE MIS-
sIssIpPI BOND CAsEs-oTHER DECISIONS.
Washington. April lS.-The Supreme Court OF me
United States reconvened to-day, after ten daEs
. recess, and handed down opinions ~ score ah- Il
half the cases. Mississippi litigation was the oc-
caslon of one OF the most important decisions.
Amos Woodruff. trustee. and the German baii" Vi
Memphis holders OF certain bonds issued by the
Mississippi Levee Board No. l. brought suit In the
Court of Kinds County. that State, TO enforce q
lien and trust upon certain lands in that county
created in their favor as holders OF such pohds'
These bonds issued in lSl and were mauo
payable in "god COIN. although the interest
coupons were payable in lawful money. Inc case
went against the plaintiffs, and the supreme CURT
of the State affirmed the judgment OF the trial
court. In its decision the State Court said:
When the bonds were issued gold COIN was rot
the basis of the business of the COUNT. IL W"s
money but Of much gTeater vfs saes Treas
ury notes and Of National Bank notes OF WmGn We
take judicial noss now sovab aSn IN s
but obligation payable In gold com eah DC us
In Ordering the ISSUANCE of bonds for NNocoo
and in the of the term money me i1eslsa az,
S Sed m fhs money me Which Constituted the the
general business OF the country ana vas * 81.
tender for the tho OF a for The issuance Ct
bonds payable In gold com. ana tnes E ~ a
for wan Of Dr fr deparnrs in
most material feature from the at autn2TIn.s
bonds to be issued, and rendered them 'oia HON
the beginning.
From this decision the bond owners appealed 10
the Supreme Court of the United States. The opin-
ion of the Court was announced by Chiei JUSTICE
Fuller 1t discussed at great length the question
whether or not gold t foI was wss money AND
therefore that the of that term In bona ssuea
under authority to borrow money was not lhe va,
indV supreme
was reversed, and the cause was renandeo WIN
structions proceed not inconsistent with 'he op
ION.
Three cases which were presented for the de'erih-
nation of the manner CT distributing the money ap-
proprated by the act OF March 8. 1885, for the pay
ment OF French spoliation claims were decided IN
the Supreme Court Of the United States to-day Two
OF them came from Massachusetts and one iro'"
Connecticut and in all OF them payment oi ''e
money was ordered to be made to the deVlsees MI"
legatees Of the original claimants. From those JUG
ments those next Of kin at the present time APP
pealed to the Supreme Cour. OF the United STATES
Chief Justice Fuller read an elaborate opinion, re-
viewing the diplomatic and legislative history OF the
claims and discussing the proviso In the act APP
proprlating money for their payment 'hat INC
money shall so to the next Of kin The conclusion
that It was the intent OF congress , sha w, me
time of the passage of the act-March 3. lSsi-ahu
that the distribution was to be made accoras
the statutes governing the distribution OF estates ~
the several States The next OF Kin were those near
est of blood at that date. The judgments Oh ,le
State courts were reversed and the causes reinaiocu
FOR further proceedings not inconsistent with ms
opinion The decision Is important, affecting as II
does the distribution Of this fund among the claim
ants in numerous States.
Justice Harlan to-day announced the decision OF
the sunreme Court of the United States upon the
validity of an act passed by the Legislature OF Ar
IONA in which the limits within which the courts
NAV act in determining the action OF the Legisat-
ure were defined. The was that OF w a. liar-
wood against A. Wentworth. a contest FOR possess
sion OF the office OF Recorder of Cochse County IN
that Territory The question involved was whether
nv not the ACT in question TO take effect on jan
nary l. 1897 or at the time of passage. me omIia!
dociment did not contain that stipulation, anu II
vas sought show by parole evidence lhdl tlss
original bill was so amended. Justice harlan sIatei
that in line with the views expresseu III ieiu
against Clark presenting similar question relai-
ING 10 an act Of Congress, the courts were not just
fa1 in going behind the record as shown by the en-
roed act as deposited with the Secretary OF stare
aunroved nv the Governor and signed by the speaker
81 the House and President OF the senate j ne
INA OF the Supreme Court or the Territory was
affirmed
rebearinR of the case Of Santiago Anisa. ADMIN
,strator. ct al. against the United States was re-
fused by the Supreme Court of the United states
to-day This came from the Court OF private Lana
claims and involved the famous Nogales land grant
was in favor of the United States whicn attackeu
the validity of the grant and hat nefisHVs ,s,
affirmed by the Supreme Court OF the Ch''eo ola'eS
March 2 rc'