The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1900-04-17
Kentucky Govemorship Matter
Docketed in the Federal Su.
preme Court.
Will Be Heard April 30, With
Four Hours Allowed to
Each Side.
Federal Court Also Renders a De-
cision in the Express
Stamp Cases.

WASHINGTON, April 17.-The cases
involving the Kentucky governorship
have been docketed in the United States
supreme court. A brief statement, in
which counsel for both Taylor and
Beckham joined, was filed at the same
time, asking for an early hearing In
this agreed statement, it is set forth
that both Taylor and Beckham as gov.
ernor, John Marshall as lieutenant gov.
ernor on the Republican side, and L. H.
Carter as president pro tenn of the sem
ate, and John B. Castleman as adjutant
general on the Democratic side, are each
and all claiming the right to, and ere
actually attempting to exercise the pow.
ers Of the respective offices severally
claimed by them, thus producing great
confusion in Kentucky by reason of the
doubts as to which Of the persons named
has the lawful right to exercise the au.
thority pertaining to the several offices
named, all to the great injury and det-
riment of the people Of the state.
The agreed statement says that both
parties are claiming the right to per.
form all the functions Of the Office Of
governor, and each of them is attempt.
ing aud has actually attempted to per-
form many Of the said functions, and
concludes:
"Some of the officers of the state rec
ognize the acts of the plaintiff in error,
William S. Taylor, as the lawful acts Of
the governor of the state and refuse to
recognize similar acts by defendant in
error, J. G. w. Beckham; while other
officers Of the state recognize the acts of
]. G. w. Beckham as the lawful acts Of
the governor Of the state and refuse to
recognize the acts Of William S. Taylor
as such governor.
'By reason of all these facts and
others which might be enumerated, it i!
of the utmost importance to the people
Of the state of Kentucky that the ques
ton to the right to the offices involved
in the aforesaid litigation be deter
mined. The questions of law involved
in said causes are of very great ant
grave interest and importance, involv
ing the nature and extent of the power
Oh Ou elcCtlOu COutSSt AAuuASsA uAu VIZ
powers of the judiciary with relation
thereto"
Mr.. Bruce presented t:,e above state
ment Of facts aud the court set the case
for hearing on the 30th inst. granting
each side four hours for argument
While Mr. Bruce was making his state
ment, the chief justice asked him If b
did not expect the question of jurisdic
ton to be raised, and whether he di
not also expect motion to dismiss
Mr.. Bruce replied that both were prot
able, but that there was such confusion
in the state that all were anxious for
decision during the present term of tn
court, and that the case undertaken wa
apparently the only one open.
"If," he added, ''the court should SUI
tain the motion to dismiss for lack {
jurisdiction, that result would Of course
end the controversy
If the opinion on such a motto
should be adverse to dismissal, it woul
then, he admitted, probably be too Lat
to hear the case on its merits.
Mr.. Bruce concluded his statemel
and the case was assigned to hearing Q
the 3Oth inst, and four hours allotted
each side for argument.