Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-19
SAM FEssENDEN's BIG FEE.
Gets s151,e GAO Out of connecticut's Civil
 Gases

l Gases.
 Governor Chamberlain has received
 from the United States sub b-treasury i'll New lork check of the government
 TOT $bO6,o6O.o9, i'll payment of the
 claims of the state of Connecticut for
 money and interest on money advanced Dy the state in the equipment, malns l romance and outhtting Of troops during 1 the civil war. The check was received
 Dy the governor on Thursday of last week. It was payable to LIS order.
 Under the contract entered into, by the state with Hon Samuel Fessenden of
 Stamford, state attorney for Fairfield i county, 2o per cent of the amount of
 the check is payable to Mir Fessenden,
 and Governor Chamberlain endorsed l the check over to him and forwarded
 the check to him. Of the total amount
 of the check the state will receive
 S454, ,920.44, and MT Fessenden's share
 will be $151, ,64O.15.
 1 The check which has been received 1 by the governor and by him turned
 over to AIr Fessenden is the result of l litigation before the United States
 court of claims which has extended
 over term of several years. In May, ] 1897, the general assembly passed the l following special act in reference to
 the matter:
 Resolved by this assembly, That the l governor is hereby authorized and em-
 powered to appoint and employ agents
 or attorneys on behalf of the state, at
 such compensation as he may deter
 mine. payable without further appro-
 priation, but only out of any sums that may be collected hereunder, and with
 out any liability on behalf of the state 1 for any expenses. to present, prosecute
 and recover before the congress. any
 department. the court of claims, or the
 supreme court of the United States, the
 costs. charges and expenses properly
 incurred by this state for enrolling, sub-
 sisting. clothing, equlpping, supplying,
 arming, paying and transporting its 1 troops employed in aiding to suppress i the insurrection against the United I States between the years 1861 and 1865, both inclusive, under an act entitled
 An act to indemnify the states for ex- penses incurred by them in defense of
 the United States approved July 27, | 1S61,"
 Acting under the above resolution, l Governor Lorin A. Cooke appointed
 Samuel Fessenden the agent of the
 state of Connecticut to prosecute the l claims of the state for recompense for
 expenses incurred for the government
 in the civil war. A contract was made under which MT Fessenden was to un- 1 dertake all duties and bear all expenses | in the prosecution of his claims and was to receive for his services p per l cent of any award made to the state. MT Fessenden performed the duties 1 under the contract and as result of | the award of the court of claims his 1 share of the amount ie $151 ,640.15. The amount of the award is considerably i larger than was at first expected It
 was thought that the state would re-
 ceive about f--0,Ouo, but relying on
 decision on the claim of the state of Indiana. in which interest was added
 to the original outlay by that state the Connecticut agent and his lawyers
 made a similar claim for Connecticut l and the original sum expended, with i interest. was awarded. In his appear ances before the court of claims at l Washington and in other matters con- nected with the award. Mir. Fessenden
 was assisted hy the law firm of Cotton & White of Washington, D. C. The charges of these lawyers, all court fees, and expenses of every character, will be paid by MT Fessenden out of his p per cent of the total award, As it l was provided in the contract with the | state that Mir Fessenden should receive 1 the award from the government, and after deducting his share, should turn over the balance to the state, Governor 1 Chamberlain endorsed the check from l the government and forwarded it to MT FessendeR.