UNITED STATES V. WESTERN UNION TEL. CO., 160 U. S. 53 (1895)

Subscribe to Cases that cite 160 U. S. 53 RSS feed for this section

Link to the Case Preview: http://supreme.justia.com/us/160/53/

Link to the Full Text of Case: http://supreme.justia.com/us/160/53/case.html

U.S. Supreme Court

United States v. Western Union Tel. Co., 160 U.S. 53 (1895)

United States v. Western Union Telegraph Company

No. 19

Argued December 18, 1894

Decided November 18, 1895

160 U.S. 53

Syllabus

Although the United States was entitled to retain and apply, as directed by Congress, all sums due from the government on account of the use by the Telegraph Company, for public business, of the telegraph line constructed

Page 160 U. S. 54

by the Union Pacific Railway Company, the entire absence of proof as to the extent to which that line was, in fact so used, renders it impossible to, ascertain the amount improperly paid to, and without right retained by, the Telegraph Company, and subsequently divided between it and the Railroad Company.

The case is stated in the opinion.