United States v. Northern Pacific Railroad Company (152 U.S. 284)

This was an action brought by the United States against the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, the Willamette Steam Mills Lumbering & Manufacturing Company, Julius Ordway, George W. Weidler, and Aaron Kinney, to recover the value of lumber alleged to have been unlawfully cut from public lands. The judgment below was for defendants on the ground that the lands in question had ceased to be public lands, (41 Fed. 842,) and the United States sued out this writ of error.

Sol. Gen. Maxwell, for the United States.

James McNaught and F. M. Dudley, for defendants in error.

Mr. Justice HARLAN, after stating the facts in the foregoing language, delivered the opinion of the court.