The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-20

WASHINGTON. April 1s.-In the case
OF Charles VI. Nordstrom, under sentence
OF death In Washington state. the court
granted a stay of proceedings to await the
decision OF Nordstrom's appeal 10 this
court from a decision below, refusing ham
a writ Of habess corpus.
In the case OF the United States vs.
Clarence r. Gresthouse. Justice Harlan
rendered an opinion holding that the
Tucker act did not repeal the clause OF q
former Law giving six years additional TO
claimants beyond the sea" 10 file claims
in the court Of claims against the govern-
ment. Greenhouse was consul-general To
Japan, and made claim for the return Of
fees turned into the United States treas
ury 10 which II sfterward appeared he
was entitled His case turned upon the
fact whether the case was barred by
limitation
The petition for writ Of certiorari in
the case of the Mutual Life Insurance
Company VS. Nellie Phinney. was grant
ed. The case comes from California and
involves claim for the payment OF an
insurance policy of 100000.
Justice Harlan handed down the opir-
Ion OF the court In the case OF the North
eTn Pacific VS.. Junius @. Saunders and
others, involving the validity OF claims
of land made by settlers under the land
laws within the limits OF the Northern
Pacific grant subsequent to the governs
ment circular OF 1872 withdrawing the
land, and prior 10 the definite location Of
the line of the road. The decision was
favorable to the claims of settlers.
The court affirmed. in an opinion de-
lfvered by Justice Brown, the decision
OF the circuit court OF appeals for the
sixth circuit in the case of the petition
of James Lennon for a writ of habeas
corpus Lennon was locomotive engi-
neer on the Lake Shore & and Michigan
Southern railroad and as such refused
to haul the cars Of the Toledo, Ann Ar
Dor & Lake Michigan railroad In disobe-
dience OF an order Of the circuit court
for the Northern district of Ohio. because
the engineers of the Ann Arbor road were
IN sympathy with them. Lennon was
arrested and a fine of $50 imposed This
occurred In the circuit court for the
Northern district of Ohio. He immediate-
ly filed petition for a writ of habeas cor
pus. which was successfully defeated by
the courts below, and their action was
sustained by the supreme court today.
The case originated In 1855, and attracted
wide attention.
The supreme court refused the applca-
ton for a writ of certiorari and habeas
corpus by Elverton r. Chapman, the bro
ker who refused TO testify In the sugar
speculation investigation whether sena-
the Wilson tariff bill was before that
body. Chief Justice Fuller, who deliv-
cred the opinion. held that the senate, un-
der Its constitutional right TO censure and
expei members, had the right to investi-
gate any alleged improper conduct of SEN
ators and could compel witnesses to give
testimony. The sentence of the supreme
court of the District of Columbia to 30
days Imprisonment and 800 fine was af-
nrmed and Chapman's application for
writs OF certiorari and habeas corpus were
denied.
The chief Justice said the case was en-
firely different from the Kibourne case.
The subject matter as affecting the situ-
ation," he said, was within the Jurisdic-
ton OF the senate. The questions were not
inrrusions into the affairs OF the citizens;
they do not seek to ascertain any facts as
TO the conduct. methods, extent or details
of the firm in question, but only whether
that Arm confessedly engaged In buying
and selling stocks and as TO the particular
stock named was IL employed by any sen
ator TO buy or sell for him any of the
stock whose market price might be af-
fected by the senates action. We can
not regard these question as amounting
20 an unreasonable search into the pri-
waite AFFAIRS OF the witness simply because
he may have been In some degree con-
nected with the alleged transactions and
"a Investigations OF this sort are within
the power OF the two houses they cannot
be defeated on purely sentimental
grounds"
Brokers MacCsrvney and Seymour.
Aessrs- Havcmeyer ana Searles. OF the
sugar trust. Correspondents z. ]. Ed
wards. OF the philadelphia Press. and
John s. River. Of the New York Mail and
Express. all refused TO give testimony be-
fore the investigating committee. and are
affected by the decision. Mr.. Chapman is
the only recalcitrant witness who has
been retired by the courts. his being test
case