KNOTT v. ST LOUIS SOUTHWESTERN R CO , 230 U.S. 509 (1913)

United States Supreme Court

KNOTT v. ST LOUIS SOUTHWESTERN R CO(1913)

No. 343

Decided: June 16, 1913

Mr. Elliott W. Major, Attorney General of Missouri, and Mr. Sanford B. Ladd for Knott et al.

Messrs. Frank Hagerman, Gardiner Lathrop, S. H. West, Martin L. Clardy, O. M. Spencer, J. G. Trimble, Wells H. Blodgett, James L. Minnis, R. A. Brown, Burton Hanson, H. H. Field, Silas H. Strawn, and Edward L. Scarritt for the railroad companies. [230 U.S. 509, 510]  

Memorandum opinion by direction of the court. By Mr. Justice Hughes:

These suits, with ten others, were brought to restrain the enforcement of the freight rate and passenger fare acts of the state of Missouri, passed in the years 1905 and 1907, as violative of the Federal Constitution. See Knott v. Chicago, B. & Q. R. Co. decided this day. [ 230 U.S. 474 , 57 L. ed. --, 33 Sup. Ct. Rep. 975.]

Upon hearing below, a stipulation was made in each of these eight suits, and orders were entered thereon, that it should abide 'by the orders, judgment, and decree that may be made and entered' in one of the other suits named, as follows:

The suit of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company was to abide that of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain, & Southern Railway Company; the suits of the Missouri [230 U.S. 509, 511]   Pacific Railway Company, the St. Louis Iron Mountain, & Southern Railway Company; and the Chicago, Milwaukee, & St. Paul Railway Company, that of the St. Louis, & San Francisco Railroad Company; the suits of the Wabash Railroad Company and the Chicago & Alton Railway Company, that of the Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy Railroad Company; and the suits of the Quincy, Omaha, & Kansas City Railroad Company and the St. Joseph & Grand Island Railway Company, that of the Chicago Great Western Railway Company.

The decrees below were entered in accordance with these stipulations. No questions for our consideration are presented by the appeals and cross appeals in these cases. The remedy of the parties is to apply to the court below in accordance with the stipulations to have decrees entered in the respective suits similar to those which we have directed to be entered in the cases to which the stipulations refer. The appeals and cross appeals are therefore dismissed.

It is so ordered.