United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Bachman v. Lawson, 109 U.S. 659 (1884)

Bachman v. Lawson

Submitted December 14, 1883

Decided January 4, 1884

109 U.S. 659

Syllabus

An agreement made a fortnight before the Treaty of Washington of 1871, and by which the owners of a ship and cargo taken by the armed rebel cruiser, the Florida, employed a person, whether an attorney at law or not, to use his best efforts to collect their "claim arising out of the capture," and

Page 109 U. S. 660

authorized him to employ such attorneys as he might think fit to prosecute it, and promised to pay him "a compensation equal to twenty-five percent of whatever sum shall be collected on the said claim," applies to a sum awarded to them by the Court of Commissioners of Alabama Claims, established by the Act of June 23, 1874, c. 459, and is not affected by § 18 of that act, providing that that court should allow, out of the amount awarded on any claim, reasonable compensation to the counselor and attorney for the claimant, and issues warrant therefor, and that all other liens, or assignments, either absolute or conditional, for past or future services about any claim, made or to be made before judgment in that court, should be void.

Action on a written contract to recover a commission agreed to be paid to the plaintiffs in the state court who are defendants here, for collecting a "claim arising out of the capture of the ship Commonwealth and her cargo by the armed rebel cruiser The Florida."