The times., 1899-05-13
NORTHERN LIBERTY
MARKET CLAIMS
The Hearing of the Cases Again
Postponed.
Many Claimants Hope to Have the
Injunction Dissolved.
The Question of Commission to he
Paid the Attorneys by
Their Clients.

postponement of the hearing in the
matter of the injunction which was filed
April 13 last. in connection with the eff
forts of Attorneys Solomon ]. Fague, ]. ].
Hemphill, and William p Wood to re-
strain payment of allowances 10 the North
ern Liberty Market claimants, was Sc
cured yesterday. The hearing was orig
ipally set for April II, but was postponed
on account of the Illness of Judge Cox. 1t
was afterward transferred to the docket OF
Judge Cole and was to have been held
yesterday. No date has been set for the
hearing, this feature having been left un-
til today.
A strong effort is being made by the
claimants to have the injunction dissolved,
and matters have progressed SO satisfac-
torily for them, they say, that they expect
to secure just what they are seeking. The
claimants will be represented at the hear
ing by competent counsel, and S. T. Thom-
as, Attorney for the District, will repre-
sent the District Commissioners, who are
! also named as defendants.
1t appears that majority of the market
claimants were represented by Attorneys
Fague, Hemphill and Wood when the va
rious bills for damages were argued before
Auditor Payne of the District Supreme
Court 1t is alleged that the attorneys
stipulated with their clients that they
should be paid commission, in some in
stances ranging as high as so per cent, for
their services.
Congress seems to have been aware OF
the fact that the attorneys were alleged
to be claiming large fees for their advice
and efforts and inserted a provision in the
appropriation fer the payment of the olaimE
providing that section 3477 OF the Revised
Statutes of the United States should De OBJ
served. This statute provides that all
transfers and assignments made of any
claim upon the United States. whether 6 b.
solute or conditional, and, under whatever
consideration shall be absolutely null and
void, unless freely made and executed in
the presence of at least two attesting wit
nesses, after the allowance of such claim
and the issuance of the warrant for its
payment
In accordance with the provision of this
statute Auditor Petty decided TO pay checks
in settlement of the claims only to the
market claimants and their heirs, enumer-
ated in the Northern Library Market act
In view of this condition the attorneys en-
deavored TO insure themselves and secured
the writ which held up payment of the
claims as provided by law.
Since then several hundred claims have
been PAID out IN many instances tne claim
ants agreed to transfer the warrants to
their attorneys. There seems to be mat
ter of difference between the attorneys and
| their clients as TO the exact amount OF
commission to be paid by some OF the latter
number of persons allege that they are
willing to pay 20 and % per cent commits
sion, but that the attorneys refuse 10 ac-
cept that amount
The object OF the writ of injunction was
to stay the hand of the District until ar
rangements could be made whereby the
| warrants OF the clients might be paid &c
the attorneys. The claimants will try tc
have the injunction dissolved so that the
Auditor may pay the allowances TO then
in person. They assert that they will after.
ward see to the payment of their counsel.