The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-06-26
Navy HAS A CLASH
WITH STATE COURTS
Virginia Seeks to Prevent the
Launching Of the Cruiser
Galveston.
WILL BROOK NO DELAY
Navy Department Declares 1t Cannot
Permit Civil Law to Stop Work on
the Warship-Officers Ordered
to Go On With Work.

Richmond, Va, June 20.-Judge Grin
nan, Of the Richmond chancery court,
has granted an Injunction restraining
LieutenantS Thesis and GroSdeck,
United States navy, from proceeding
further towards the launching OF the
cruiser Galveston. under construction
in the Trigg shipyards here.
The injunction was granted on the
petition of S. H. Halves & Co., of this
city, supply creditors of the Trigg COM
pany, now in the hands of receiver.
The officers named were sent here by
the navy department to superintend
the launching Of the Galveston, which
1t was the intention of the department
to send to the Norfolk yards for COM
pletion. All the preparations had been
made for launching the vessel Monday
next.
!! Out of Their Jurisdiction.
Washington, June 20.-It is stated
here that proper'respect will be shown
the mandate Of the courts so long as
they keep within their jurisdiction,
put that the navy department cannot
submit to interference with its rights.
The cruiser Galveston, at Richmond, it
was added, would be launched when
ready. Secretary Moody is not at all
disposed to act hastily regarding the
Galveston, but indefinite delay ON the
construction OF that vessel in the event
Of an international emergency might
prove a grave matter, and the depart
ment therefore feels justified to pro-
ceed with the work as rapidly as pos
sible. It is hoped that the vessel will
be in condition for launching next
Monday afternoon.
Secretary Moody was Informed last
night Of the action of the Richmond
court restraining the government from
further work on the Galveston, but de-
clined to talk on the subject until after
conferences to be held today with the
president and the attorney general.
Knox Will Investigate.
F.. Attorney General Knox also was I'M
willing to be quoted in the matter until
his opinion, rendered to the president
as to the jurisdiction of the govern
nlent over the Galveston, has been
made public.
1t can be stated, however, that
the attorney general regards as
eminently well taken the conten-
ton advanced by Rear Admiral
Bowles, chief of the bureau Of con-
struction and repair, that no court has
the right to interfere with work on a
war vessel, and that the government
would be warranted in calling federal
troops to protect it's agents engaged in
such work. Instructions have been sent
Lieutenant Thesis and Naval Con-
structor Grosdeck. in charge of the
work on the Galveston, to proceed with
all possible dispatch in the effort to
get the ship ready for launching on
Monday.
The government regrets to take any
step which might be regarded as re-
flecting in any degree or the sovereign
rights of the state of Virginia, but feels
that it has acted with unusual leniency
towards the Trigg company since the
failure Of the latter last spring, and re-
grets that financial embarrassment of
the company should have necessitated
seizure OF che vessel.