The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-01-07
OIL TRUST WINS
S29,OOO,GOOCASE
US. Supreme Court Denies Peti-
ton TO Review Gig Fine.
OUSTlkG OF TROOPER UPHELD
Supreme Court A.so Affrrs Dismissal
Of Brownsville Soldiers - sustains
Eighty Cent Gas Law In New York
and Says P.olie Franchises Are
Properly Scheduled AZ Assets.

WasAiustom. Jan o. Denial Of the
government ieNtun i,r d review Of
the Standard OH s-s. UvO.OOO case. up
holding Oi the action OF President
Roosevelt in di-chei gius the soldiers
OF the Iwenty-nlth infantry Tor par
uCipation in the riots al Brownsville.
Tex. aud also the uphoiding Of the SO
cent gas rate i'm New York. were three
important decisions by the United
States supreme court
There was no opinion read in the
standard Oil case. The chief Justice
merely announced that the court hal
decided not 10 grant the application Of
the government tor writ Of Ger
tiorari.
II is believed that this settles tac
matter for uh tune. approving. as il
does. hy failure 90 take jurisdiction.
the decision oi the circuit court of ap
peals. which reversed the now famous
decision ut Judge kenes4w 1laii4. OF
the United States district court 90 chi
cago in as .essiug the immense fine
upon the o' oc,opls ior acce ping re.
bates from railfoaas
ousted Trooper Beaten.
The decision UNFOLDING the presi.
dent In the dismissal of the colored
troops was in the case OF Oscar W
Reid Vs. the United States Reid was
one uf the soldiers dismissed Ly eN
ecutl,e order ca NOV q. 1900 ~.
brought suit IN New York Ter $ise "a
salary due him from the time of his
dischprce tu the time when his enlist
ment woui haNo r1pired
lie c0nfcuded that the prcsi lent had
no warrant under the law to thus dis
charge him The New YorG court dis
missed tne vase ani ho then sued "a
writ ui er'ur to the supreme count uf
the uri' States. The hirhcr tri-
bunal D. eco. sos The writ thu, affirm.
ing tfa e.. 20 ihe New Ycrk court.
eoccnt Cas- Lsw In New Yo.k Valid.
The $50 gas decision was the
case against the Consolidated Gas
company OF New Nuih
purins the summcr OF 1905 an IN
vestisation was conducted by the New
York Legislature into the operations
OF the gas companies AS result Of
this inNr rsi.gatiun the legislature at its
term succeeding passed the SO-cent
law. reducing by 20 cents per thou
sand feet the price consumers hal
been paying.
The matter went into the Circuit
court. which on Dec. 10 1907. by opln
ion OF Justice Hough. held the state
law unconstitutional in that II took
property without due process OF law.
The case hinged on the proprety Of
permitting the gas company 10 number
among its assets the value OF it, rran.
chises. worth $4,000. 600. which It had
secured from the state for nothing
Judge Hough held that the franchises
were properly scheduled as assets.
Pending final adjudication. over s.
100000 was deposited hx She gas com.
pany With 'A1 ,ierA % the court. rep.
sesenting the ainerepce between 81
and s0-cent SIS.
Tax Law Upheld.
The New York state collateral in.
heritanoe tax law of 1891 was upheld
as constitutional by decision of the su,
preme court OF the United States ,n
the case OF Franklin h and william
B. Lo:d vs. ,he comptroller of New
Nork
Government Wins Rebate Case.
The rebate case Of the government
against the Chicago & Alton Railroad
company. in which. Ia the United
States circuit court for the northern
district Of Illinois. the company ana
us officers were fined s6O.0O0 on the
charge OF making a refund 10 Kansas
City packers as terminal charges. was
decided by the supreme court OF the
United States against the company