The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-09
U. S. COURT WEEK
JUDGE sPEER AND OFFICERS OF
COURT WILL ARRIVE WEDNESDAY.
SESSION BEGINS THURSDAY.
MARCH TERN WILL BE AN IN
USUALLY LONG ONE.

Cases Were Assigned At Last Term
of COurt-Term VIII Last from IL
10 - Inst-Grand Jury VIII Not
. Meet on First Day of COurt-Mnny
Gases of Interest to SaVHnnahians.
Rauers Case and CASTOR street
Paving Case viii BE Heard.
Changes Made in Calender of
Court.
Judge speer and officers of the court
win arrive day after tomorrow for the
purpose of converting the United States
Circuit and District courts on Thurs
day. The March term gives promise of
being an unusually long and interest
ing one, cases having been already set
for three weeks, and there being also
many matters, not already set for a
hearing, which are of first Importance
The cases were assigned at the Jam
uary term of court. there being sew
eral assignments for every court day
from Thursday, March T., to Saturday
2Sth, inclusive. These assignments, as
was announced by the court. were
made early that the attorneys might
have abundant time to prepare their
cases and have no excuse to offer for
a continuance and that the dates
might not conflict with the assign
ments in the Superior and City Courts
This caution was observed by the To-
cal members of the bar in having
cases assigned at the beginning of the
terms in the two courts.
The matters already assigned are
nearly all civil cases. The jury boxes
have not yet been sent for, so that
there will probably be no grand jury
during the first part Of the term,
though one will be drawn later-prob-
ably soon after the court convenes
Assistant United States District At
torney Alexander Alderman was in
structed at the last term of court to
prepare his criminal business for this
term of the court. AS soon as the
matters now pending are disposed of
by him. it is probable that new bust
ness will be brought before the grand
jury by Assistant United States Dis
trict Attorney William r. Leaken.
business for Grand Jury.
Mr.. Alderman was in Savannah for
a few days last week. At that time
he said that he had received no infor-
nation as to the plans of the court.
Whether or not there would be a grand
jury he did not know, though he was
inclined to the belief that one would
be drawn shortly after the converting
of the court. There are a. number of
criminal matters to be disposed of, and
together with other matters which
have since arisen. and cases which
have been heard before Commissioners
Ryals, will constitute quite batch of
criminal business for the court,
The common law and equity dock
cts will first be taken up, after which
the bankruptcy and admiralty cases
will be heard. In the district there are
many matters in bankruptcy to be
disposed of. including about half a
dozen hearings on exceptions and OBJ
jections to discharge, and a score, or
more, of applications for discharge.
Will Interest Savannnhinns.
There are several cases of interest
to Sayannahians in particular which
will be heard at this term of court.
Among the most interesting is the
condemnation proceedings of the gov
eminent for the acquisition of a light
house site on st. GATHERINGS Island.
The defendant in the case is Mr. ia
cob Rauers, owner. of the island. The
Castor street paving litigation will
also claim fair share of attention
The suit is familiar to readers of the
Morning News. 1t was brought by
George w. Owens and other property
owners on CASTOR street to prevent the
Mayor and Aldermen from paving that
thoroughfare with asphalt. 1t is not
probable that the ConallyCarter case
will come up at this term of court,
though 1t has been assigned, 1t being
subject to the restraining order
granted in the main case which will
be tried soon in; Chicago
The Rauers case has been set for a
hearing on Wednesday, March IS.
Some time ago the government con-
demned certain land upon which to
erect a lighthouse on the island owned
by Mr.. Rauers. To this proceeding
Mr.. Rauers objected. claiming that
there We're other places on the coast
where Uncle Sam could erect a light,
which would be as serviceabl and as
practicable as the spot chosen by him
on his game preserve. This answer
was filed subject to a demurrer in
which it was submitted that the gov
eminent was proceeding without legal
authority.
History of Rauer's Case.
On hearing the argument on the de-
murrer. in which the government was
represented by Mr.. Marion Erwin and
the defendant by Capt. w. w. Gordon,
Jr., Judge Speer dismissed the pro-
ceedmgs. Subsequently, however,
without the further act of Congress,
the government began its second suit,
to which the defendant filed another
demurrer and also plea in bar sub
uniting that the matters involved had
already been determined by the court
Both were overruled by the court aud
the condemnation proceedings were re-
opened.
Three appraisers were chosen. The
government chose Col. John Screven,
the defendant chose Mr.. j. X. Gar
nett, and the two so chosen selected
Mr. John r. Young as an umpire. The