Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1904 — The State Loses Big Judgment. [ARTICLE]

The State Loses Big Judgment.

The United States Supreme Court has just rendered its decision in the case of Indiana against the Vandalia Railroad Company. The state, a year or two ago, got a judgment against the company for $913,905. It was claimed that under the original charter of the company, a ceitain per cent of all its freight and passenger receipts were to be paid to the state. In 1873 the road surrendered its special charter, and operated under the general railroad laws of the state. No attempt was made after that to collect the state’s per cent from the company until 1897 when laws were passed enabling the attorney general to begin suits for its collection. The result was the big judgment mentioned, and the railroad went into the hands of a receiver. The U. S. Supreme court now declares this judgment void. If it had been collected it would have gone into the state school fund, less the big slice the attorneys were to have had for collecting it.