This is a list of cases reported in volume 120 of United States Reports, decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1887.

Justices of the Supreme Court at the time of volume 120 U.S.

The Supreme Court is established by Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States, which says: "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court . . .". The size of the Court is not specified; the Constitution leaves it to Congress to set the number of justices. Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 Congress originally fixed the number of justices at six (one chief justice and five associate justices). Since 1789 Congress has varied the size of the Court from six to seven, nine, ten, and back to nine justices (always including one chief justice).

When the cases in volume 120 U.S. were decided the Court comprised the following nine members:

Portrait Justice Office Home State Succeeded Date confirmed by the Senate(Vote) Tenure on Supreme Court Morrison Waite Chief Justice Ohio Salmon P. Chase (63–0) –March 23, 1888(Died) Samuel Freeman Miller Associate Justice Iowa Peter Vivian Daniel (Acclamation) –October 13, 1890(Died) Stephen Johnson Field Associate Justice California newly created seat (Acclamation)–December 1, 1897(Retired) Joseph P. Bradley Associate Justice New Jersey newly created seat (46–9) –January 22, 1892(Died) John Marshall Harlan Associate Justice Kentucky David Davis (Acclamation) –October 14, 1911(Died) William Burnham Woods Associate Justice Georgia William Strong (39–8) –May 14, 1887(Died) Stanley Matthews Associate Justice Ohio Noah Haynes Swayne (24–23) –March 22, 1889(Died) Horace Gray Associate Justice Massachusetts Nathan Clifford (51–5) –September 15, 1902(Died) Samuel Blatchford Associate Justice New York Ward Hunt (Acclamation) –July 7, 1893(Died)

Citation style

Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 the federal court structure at the time comprised District Courts, which had general trial jurisdiction; Circuit Courts, which had mixed trial and appellate (from the US District Courts) jurisdiction; and the United States Supreme Court, which had appellate jurisdiction over the federal District and Circuit courts—and for certain issues over state courts. The Supreme Court also had limited original jurisdiction (i.e., in which cases could be filed directly with the Supreme Court without first having been heard by a lower federal or state court). There were one or more federal District Courts and/or Circuit Courts in each state, territory, or other geographical region.

Bluebook citation style is used for case names, citations, and jurisdictions. "C.C.D." = United States Circuit Court for the District of . . . e.g.,"C.C.D.N.J." = United States Circuit Court for the District of New Jersey "D." = United States District Court for the District of . . . e.g.,"D. Mass." = United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts "E." = Eastern; "M." = Middle; "N." = Northern; "S." = Southern; "W." = Western e.g.,"C.C.S.D.N.Y." = United States Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York e.g.,"M.D. Ala." = United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama "Ct. Cl." = United States Court of Claims The abbreviation of a state's name alone indicates the highest appellate court in that state's judiciary at the time. e.g.,"Pa." = Supreme Court of Pennsylvania e.g.,"Me." = Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

List of cases in volume 120 U.S.

Case Name Page and year Opinion of the Court Concurring opinion(s) Dissenting opinion(s) Lower court Disposition Wildenhus's Case 1 (1887) Waite None None C.C.D.N.J. affirmed Allen v. St. Louis National Bank 20 (1887) Gray None None C.C.S.D. Iowa reversed Nehmaha County v. Frank 41 (1887) Matthews None None C.C.D. Neb. affirmed United States v. Symonds 46 (1887) Harlan None None Ct. Cl. affirmed United States v. Bishop 51(1887) Harlan None None Ct. Cl. affirmed United States v. Philbrick 52 (1887) Harlan None None Ct. Cl. affirmed United States v. Rockwell 60 (1887) Harlan None None Ct. Cl. affirmed St. Tammany Waterworks v. New Orleans Waterworks 64 (1887) Harlan None None C.C.E.D. La. affirmed Hayes v. Missouri 68 (1887) Field None None Mo. affirmed Forsyth v. Doolittle 73 (1887) Field None None C.C.N.D. Ill. affirmed Huntington v. Saunders 78 (1887) Miller None None C.C.D. Mass. affirmed Heinemann v. Arthur's Executors 82 (1887) Blatchford None None C.C.S.D.N.Y. affirmed Roberts v. Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company 86 (1887) Blatchford None None C.C.D. Ky. affirmed United States v. Parker 89 (1887) Matthews None None C.C.D. Nev. affirmed Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad v. Worthen 97 (1887) Field None None Ark. multiple Kansas Endowment Association v. Kansas 103 (1887) Waite None None Kan. dismissed Gibbs v. Crandall 105 (1887) Waite None None C.C.W.D. La. affirmed United States v. Schlesinger 109 (1887) Blatchford None None C.C.D. Mass. affirmed United States v. Otis 115 (1887) Blatchford None None Ct. Cl. affirmed United States v. Cooper 124 (1887) Field None None Ct. Cl. affirmed United States v. Saunders 126 (1887) Miller None None Ct. Cl. affirmed Kirby v. Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company 130 (1887) Harlan None None C.C.S.D.N.Y. affirmed Crescent City Livestock Company v. Butchers' Union Slaughterhouse Company 141 (1887) Matthews None None La. multiple Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad v. Huntington 160 (1887) Field None None C.C.E.D. Ark. reversed Hibernia Insurance Company v. St. Louis Transportation Company 166 (1887) Blatchford None None C.C.E.D. Mo. affirmed United States v. Hill 169 (1887) Blatchford None None C.C.D. Mass. affirmed Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company v. Raddin 183 (1887) Gray None None C.C.D. Mass. affirmed Boffinger v. Tuyes 198 (1887) Matthews None None C.C.E.D. La. affirmed Meyers and Levi, Lehman, Godchaux and Company v. Block Brothers 206 (1887) Bradley None None La. affirmed United States v. Ramsay 214 (1887) Waite None None Ct. Cl. affirmed Everhart v. Huntsville College 223 (1887) Waite None None C.C.N.D. Ala. reversed King Iron Bridge and Manufacturing Company v. Otoe County 225 (1887) Harlan None None C.C.D. Neb. reversed United States v. Pacific Railroad 227 (1887) Field None None Ct. Cl. reversed City of Quincy v. Steel 241 (1887) Miller None None C.C.S.D. Ill. reversed United States v. Dunn 249 (1887) Miller None None Ct. Cl. affirmed Indianapolis Rolling Mill Company v. St. Louis, Fort Scogg and Wichita Railroad Company 256 (1887) Miller None None C.C.D. Kan. affirmed Beard v. Nichols 260 (1887) Waite None None C.C.D. Mass. affirmed Schlesinger v. Beard 264 (1887) Waite None None C.C.D. Mass. reversed Bank of Maysville v. Claypool 268 (1887) Waite None None C.C.D.W. Va. affirmed Grant v. Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company 271 (1887) Waite None None Sup. Ct. D.C. receiver to pay costs Winchester v. Heiskell, Scott and Heiskell 273 (1887) Waite None None Tenn. rehearing denied In re Snow 274 (1887) Blatchford None None Dist. Ct. Terr. Utah reversed Memphis and Little Rock Railroad v. Dow 287 (1887) Harlan None None C.C.E.D. Ark. multiple Farley v. Kittson 303 (1887) Gray None None C.C.D. Minn. reversed Pensacola Ice Company v. Perry 318 (1887) Waite None None C.C.N.D. Fla. reversed Sherman v. Jerome 319 (1887) Blatchford None None C.C.E.D. Mich. reversed United States v. Northway 327 (1887) Matthews None None C.C.N.D. Ohio. certification The L.P. Dayton 337 (1887) Matthews None None C.C.S.D.N.Y. affirmed Meriwether v. Muhlenburg (sic) County 354 (1887) Harlan None None C.C.D. Ky. reversed Harmon v. Adams 363 (1887) Matthews None None C.C.N.D. Ill. affirmed Durand v. Martin 366 (1887) Waite None None Cal. affirmed Martin v. Thompson 376 (1887) Waite None None Cal. dismissed Speidel v. Henrici 377 (1887) Gray None None C.C.W.D. Pa. affirmed Rolston v. Missouri Fund Commissioners 390 (1887) Waite None None C.C.W.D. Mo. multiple Grier v. Wilt 412 (1887) Blatchford None None C.C.D. Del. reversed Hopt v. Utah 430 (1887) Field None None Sup. Ct. Terr. Utah affirmed Plummer v. Sargent 442 (1887) Matthews None None C.C.D. Conn. affirmed Rosenbaum v. Bauer 450 (1887) Blatchford None Bradley C.C.D. Cal. affirmed Herron v. Dater 464 (1887) Matthews None None C.C.W.D. Pa. affirmed United States v. Arjona 479 (1887) Waite None None C.C.S.D.N.Y. certification Robbins v. Shelby County 489 (1887) Bradley None Waite Tenn. reversed Corson v. Maryland 502 (1887) Bradley Waite None Md. reversed Schuler v. Israel 506 (1887) Miller None None C.C.E.D. Mo. affirmed Laclede Bank v. Schuler 511 (1887) Miller None None C.C.E.D. Mo. reversed Carter County v. Sinton 517 (1887) Waite None None C.C.D. Ky. affirmed Accident Insurance Company v. Crandal 527 (1887) Gray None None C.C.N.D. Ill. affirmed Fletcher v. Fuller 534 (1887) Field None None C.C.D.R.I. reversed People's Savings Bank v. Bates, Reed and Cooley 556 (1887) Harlan None None C.C.E.D. Mich. affirmed Chicago, Burlington and Kansas City Railroad v. Guffey 569 (1887) Harlan None None Mo. affirmed Schley v. Pullman's Palace Car Company 575 (1887) Harlan None None C.C.N.D. Ill. affirmed Gilmer v. Stone 586 (1887) Harlan None None C.C.S.D. Ill. affirmed Marsh v. Nichols 595 (1887) Waite None None C.C.E.D. Mich. dismissal denied Marsh v. Shepard 595 (1887) Waite None None Mich. dismissal denied City of East St. Louis v. Amy and Company 600 (1887) Waite None None C.C.S.D. Ill. affirmed Gonzales v. Ross 605 (1887) Bradley None None C.C.W.D. Tex. reversed Dushane v. Benedict 630 (1887) Gray None None C.C.W.D. Pa. reversed Porter v. Pittsburgh Bessemer Steel Company 649 (1887) Blatchford None None C.C.D. Ind. reversed Baldwin v. Franks 678 (1887) Waite None Harlan; Field C.C.D. Cal. reversed Viterbo v. Friedlander 707 (1887) Gray None None C.C.E.D. La. reversed Ex parte Parker 737 (1887) Matthews None None Sup. Ct. Terr. Wash. mandamus granted Fourth National Bank v. Francklyn 747 (1887) Gray None None C.C.S.D.N.Y. affirmed Bolles v. Town of Brimfield 759 (1887) Harlan None None C.C.N.D. Ill. reversed New Orleans Banking Association v. Le Breton 765 (1887) Bradley None None C.C.E.D. La. affirmed Goodwin v. Fox 775 (1887) Waite None None C.C.N.D. Ill. dismissal denied Leather Manufacturers' National Bank v. Cooper 778 (1887) Waite None None C.C.S.D.N.Y. affirmed Ex parte Harding 782 (1887) Waite None None Sup. Ct. Terr. Mont. habeas corpus denied

Notes and references

External links Case reports in volume 120 from Library of Congress Case reports in volume 120 from Court Listener Case reports in volume 120 from the Caselaw Access Project of Harvard Law School Case reports in volume 120 from Google Scholar Case reports in volume 120 from Justia Case reports in volume 120 from Open Jurist Website of the United States Supreme Court United States Courts website about the Supreme Court National Archives, Records of the Supreme Court of the United States American Bar Association, How Does the Supreme Court Work? The Supreme Court Historical Society