New-York tribune., 1896-12-02
WASHINGTON NEWS NOTES..
IMPORTANT RAILROAD SUITS bEfoHH
THE SUPREME COURT.


FREIGHT ASSOCIATION cAsEs-coMMIssIoNER
STUMP BAcK FROM ITALY-THE SOL
pIEHs. HOME INVESTIGATION
Washington. Dec 1.-The case oi .ne NJ
States against the Southern Paclhc i'aHio"" I'm
papv and others will probably come up III Inc gu
preme Court Of the United States tomorrow ioI
argument II involves the title 10 and possession Vi
about 700 coo acres OF land opposite to ana coter
rinous with a portion the Southern Paciiic fali-
road from Tchachapa Pass by way OF Los ->hs''e',
to Yuma on the Colorado River The iai'o''
company claims the land by virtue OF It's sncccsS'o'
to the rights of the Texas Pacific Railroad 'oi'',
pany to which grant originally maze ""
under that claim has sold parcels OF 1t 10 ABOUT -
purchasers who are conceded 10 be bona ilde set
tiers. ,
The Government contends that the i'n"S ~
dispute were granted to the Atlantic an" r"o'"0
Railroad Company and were overlapped py '"e 'o'"
ton of the Texas and Pacific line. In lN6 the gran.
to the Atlantic and Pacific Company was forieltea
for failure comply with the conditions ihpos'u h
and it is asserted that the forietn'e ,hunu M norai No
TO vest tide in the Texas and Pacific Company. Inc
Government claims that the souih.ra ,a a', ,s tpns
pany successor to the Texas and Pacinc, Is ~, ~
passer. and asks that the itlc OF tne I'M =, % tho
to the lands be qucted ana mat II recote, ,, sod
railroad company s. 20 an acre ior an an n io T he
bona hdo settlers. whose htics Snaa, ,nnp, ~
quieted in them The circuit Court d ana s,a,es
Appeals both gave judemen: for tne ,od States
ana now the Supreme Court OF the lntea SUE ,n
VIII pass on the he 'STfGnmSn
Dickinson and Special Assistant United sthtrS Gil
to iornsy J aTTy by J oscp In" r. chos Of
and j. Hubcy Ashton. OF this ci'y
one Of the cases set down for argument this week
before the Supreme Court is that Of the suit OF the
United States against the Transmissouri freish'
Association and the fifteen railroad companies COM
nrjs,ng the organization 10 dissolve the ASSOCIATION
as being in contravention of the Antitrust law ana
also of the Interstate Commerce Law. The Govern
ment WAS defeated in the courts below and the At
torncy-(;encraI appealed from the judgment OF the
Court Of Appeals for Win Circui. In the mean
lime however the freight association has been
voI,,ntariy dissolved. and it is question whether
or not the Court will consider the case AZ a mas
much under these conditions no Te,e' can ,ec S
afforded to the Government. A briei IN tHe casc
was fled to-day by W. +. Guhric sohcitor lot lot ,mr Nv
I'm Nebraska one of the defendant corporations.
Among the motions filed in the Supreme Court
OF the United States yesterday was one py co
licitor-Gehera, Conrad asking an early nearing o'
a case involving the Governments claim 10 u'le
to nearly half u million acres OF land in New
Mexico Jefferson Raynolds for himself and Other
inhabitants OF the town and grant OF Las Vegas.
~ NJ. brought suit In the courts OF the bis'rlc' .
Columbia restrain Iioke Smith. Secretary OF the
Interior. and :. w. lamoreanx, COMMISSIONER ~
the General Land Office, from prosecuting the sur
v.v of 1876 AZ acres In the grant or from attempting
n turn the lands back into the public domain and
asking tina. their title thereto be confirmed. MI
this was decreed 10 the complainants on January
4 last. the Court specifically deciding that t''
United States had parted from all interest IN the
land and that the title thereto he quoted III ana
TO the town of Las Vega. This decree was con
filmed by the District Court OF Appeals on Sept'ni-
bcr 80 and the law officers OF the Gov'rnment APP
nealed 10 the Supreme Court Of In" United states
The suit rs 20 Secretary Smith. abated by his
,oner "a morraux shorty after the ih Of March.
and If the appeal Is not decided p'iore NJ ~ ~irtii'
w lvi' nenns of rccr from tho judr1,ent OF the Ds
trici Court. and its claim TO the lana VIII nave
vanished.
Herman stump the Commissioner OF lminisra-
ton has returned from Trip TO Italy lie re-
surred his duties to-day. Mr.. Stump said he had
presented preliminary report Of the result
OF his work in Italy to Secretary Carlisle.
but aside from saying that his visit was
erninentlY satisfactory - TO the results as-
complishsd hc would not talk for pub
4 alton. Nj Sirmp's visit was 10 consult with
fle Italian Government for ~" purpo-e of rea'h,,
lng somr agreement by which better class o'
iry. also 10 prevent sIeh a. do come from being
impor'' .a,,oImcni or .xe.s.iye @resnirc
menis held out by rival steamship companies
which cater to this class Of travel
Mrs Mary f. Johnson wife OF Jacob Johnson. Of
Kornan's I.yceum Theatre. found dead In bed
this morning AT her home. sunocaicd by illuminaI-
ing gas The Coroner pronounced 1t case Of
suicide. Mrs Johnson. who was twenty -ninc
years old went to her room yesterday afternoon
apparently in a. good spirits as usual shc dlI
not come down TO breakfast. and at noon some Of
the other occupants Of the house noticed the smell
OF gas.
Representative Grout Of Vermont. chairman n
the committee to Investigate the charges of mis-
management against Colonel Smith superintendent
Of ihe Soldiers Home at I.eavenwor,h. Kan. rassed
through Washington last night on his way home
from LeavcnwoTth. whore his committee has been
taking testimony. He said that great volume II
evidence had been secured. and a report could not
be expected under month. The charges against
Colonel Smith were numerous including tyrannical
employs. persons engaged in his personal service
and compelling inmates 10 take the kccey care,
Kccley Patients. and showing favoritism to such AZ
submitted thenseiyes To- 1t. The INVESTIGATION Will
week. when The members Of tn" BOARD Of Governors
Of the Soldiers Homo Will he heard.
Senator Lodge Of Massachusetts, who made a
flying visit 10 Canton and who had an interview
yesterday with Presidcnt-elcct Mckinney returned
to Washington this morning. The matters dis
cusssd by himself and Mr.. Mckinley were. he says
OF "A confidential nature, Senator Lodge pronounccs
absurd the report that he went to Canton secure
"A place In the Cabinet or "A foreign mission
The Posoiiicc Department will open bids to-nor-
row for carrying the mails all star and steam
boat routes In the New England and Middle States.
Maryland and West Virginia for a term Of four
years. TO begin In July, l@. These contracts will In
volvc expenditure of about sl.oOOcOO "A year IL
is expected that 10000 bids will De received.
The Treasury Department has issued an order
permitting cattle and sheep from Canada intended
for expectation from Boston 10 be- entered a, ST
AiDans and Island Pond, Vt. for inspection
FOR A SINGLE-HEADED POLICE BOARD.
Police Commissioners Avery u. Andrews yester-
day sent TO George NJ Pinney. jr the secretary OF
| the Greater New-York Commission. a long letter
presenting a number of arguments in favor OF con-
solidatng the regular police of this city and Brook
lyn and the Park police and the Bridge police
in one department under the control Of a single
Commissioned lie dccldred that his exncrience a q