The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-04-13
believed nine of the twelve Democratic
nominees will be returned.
The County Board of Elections is in
session in the General Sessions Court
room today issuing certificates to en-
able voters to be registered.
FORTY YEARS IN COURT
Another Step Taken in Old
Governor Prices Famous
Suit-Took PossesSin
of California.
Especial to ..The Jersey City News.-1

Especial to ''The Jersey City News."I
TRENTON. April 49, 1s97-A writ of err
ror bearing the signature of United States
Chief Justice Fuller was yesterday filed
with Secretary of State Wurts, as Clerk
of the New York Court of Errors and
Appeals, removing te the Supreme Court
of the United States the case of Forest
against Price. This case has been in
the New Jersey courts for forty years,
and now goes to the highest court in the
land for final adjudication.
The suit was originally instituted
against Rodman L. Price, who died two
years ago, and is now carried on in the
name of his executors.
Rodman L. Price was formerly Cover
nor of New Jersey and the man who
read ON the beach of Monterey the Unit
ed States Declaration of Occupation of
California. He was one of New Jerseys S
Elstorical figures, and was known in
Washington as well as in Trenton. His
s,nln asuminlstratlon ISL ,o as Governor extended
known to fame then. His career on the
Pacific coast had attracted attention.
When but rs years of age, Price took
possession of the territory of Alta Cali
Iornla in the name of the United States,
and became the first project of that
State; He helped to build the city of
coast: The public are only partially
familiar with the proceedings. On the
records record the case IS that Of Forest V
bage, the facts are as foliows:-
The husband of the petitioner was a
warm and intimate friend of Rodman M
Irice. both being navy officers. The
that while in California Forest acquired
some land and was called away, giving
TO Price a power of attorney to dispose
fIn< h.
made good the purchase money to his
friend or his estate. A bill was filed in
iIaal,c Ginaancery IN 1874 in aid Of an unsatisfied
Judgment received June z, 1857, by Sam
@ uel Forest, deceased, for the sum of $17,-
600 and costs. -
A effort was made to find property. but
lay dormant until August s. 1892 when
MRS. Forest, the complainant represented
tnas aad the , sum of $4,000 was about to be
pald 10 Price by the United States Gov
ernment according to an act Of CONGRESS-
Thls act had just been passed to reim-
purse Price for monies advanced to the
government during, the period Price was
on the Pacific coast. The claim was sup
ported by facts and the appropriation
made.
Mrs. Forest asked that a receiver be
from handling the funds. An order was
made IN 1885, requiring Price, then alive
to show cause why the receiver should
not be appointed and he be prevented
IlaI
would prevent the Court controlling
drafts or checks the government was
about to pay to him. The total amount
named by Congress was s45 So4.os.
On the 5th of September 1893 seven
days before the return of the rule to
show cause, Price obtained some of the
government drafts and cashed them He
was then adjudged guilty of contempt Of
court, and he lived out of the State un-
til July 1893.
During the interim the former Cover
nor resided with his daughter in New
YORK, making periodical trips to his farm
IN bergen county. These trips were
made, as rule, on Sunday, SO that SER
ce~could not be made on him.
He was, however, carefully watched
and during one of his midweek visits. the
service was made, and he was subjected
to several interrogatives under an order
OF the Court. Price admitted having
cashed some of the drafts, and excused
his conduct on the ground that he under
stood that 1t, being a specific appropria-
tion of the United States government it
could not be used for the payment of the
debt. At this time Chancellor McGiH or
dered that Price make requisition to the
Secretary of the Treasury of the United
States that the sum of S31 900 still due he
paid TO the receiver appointed by the
Court This he did not obey, and he
was arrested and committed to the Ber-
gen County Jail in contempt After re-
fusing assistance for some time he final
" gave way, and his release was secured
Then the case was bitterly fought. On
May 8, 1894, he was again adjudged guilty
of contempt of the Court of Chancery
and ordered to restore to the receiver $31, :
704.0S or go to the common jail He was
again imprisoned, but was shortly re-
leased because of rapidly failing health,
and died soon afterwards. Since his
death the case has been carried to the
innurnerable delays, the decree of the
Chancellor was affirmed recently.