List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 99


This is a list of cases reported in volume 99 of United States Reports, decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1879.

Justices of the Supreme Court at the time of 99 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. Since 1789 Congress has varied the size of the Court from six to seven, nine, ten, and back to nine justices.
When the cases in 99 U.S. were decided the Court comprised the following nine members:
PortraitJusticeOfficeHome StateSucceededDate confirmed by the Senate
Tenure on Supreme Court
Morrison WaiteChief JusticeOhioSalmon P. Chase


March 23, 1888
Nathan CliffordAssociate JusticeMaineBenjamin Robbins Curtis


July 25, 1881
Noah Haynes SwayneAssociate JusticeOhioJohn McLean


January 24, 1881
Samuel Freeman MillerAssociate JusticeIowaPeter Vivian Daniel


October 13, 1890
Stephen Johnson FieldAssociate JusticeCalifornianewly created seat


December 1, 1897
William StrongAssociate JusticePennsylvaniaRobert Cooper Grier


December 14, 1880
Joseph P. BradleyAssociate JusticeNew Jerseynewly created seat


January 22, 1892
Ward HuntAssociate JusticeNew YorkSamuel Nelson


January 27, 1882
John Marshall HarlanAssociate JusticeKentuckyDavid Davis


October 14, 1911

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 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. 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.
Case NamePage and yearOpinion of the CourtConcurring opinionDissenting opinionLower CourtDisposition
Wolf v. StixWaitenonenoneC.C.W.D. Tenn.multiple
United States v. FardenCliffordnonenoneCt. Cl.affirmed
Hussey v. SmithSwaynenonenoneSup. Ct. Terr. Utahreversed
Mills v. ScottFieldnonenoneC.C.S.D. Ga.new trial
Quinn v. United StatesMillernonenoneCt. Cl.reversed
United States v. AmesCliffordnonenoneC.C.D. Mass.affirmed
Platt v. Union Pacific Railroad CompanyStrongnoneBradleyC.C.D. Neb.affirmed
Lange v. BenedictWaitenonenoneN.Y.dismissed
Doggett v. Florida Railroad CompanySwaynenonenoneC.C.N.D. Fla.affirmed
Eastern Transportation Line v. CooperWaitenonenoneN.Y. Sup. Ct.affirmed
Barrow v. HuntonBradleynonenoneC.C.D. La.reversed
Hackett v. OttawaHarlannonenoneC.C.N.D. Ill.reversed
New Orleans Canal and Banking Company v. City of New OrleansBradleynonenoneLa.affirmed
Grafton v. CummingsMillernonenoneC.C.S.D.N.Y.reversed
Town of Weyauwega v. AylingWaitenonenoneC.C.E.D. Wis.affirmed
Case v. BeauregardStrongnonenoneC.C.D. La.affirmed
Wilkerson v. UtahCliffordnonenoneSup. Ct. Terr. Utahaffirmed
Burbank v. SemmesCliffordnonenoneLa.affirmed
Biebinger v. Continental BankMillernonenoneC.C.E.D. Mo.reversed
Railroad Company v. McKinleyWaitenonenoneIowaaffirmed
Klein v. City of New OrleansWaitenonenoneC.C.D. La.affirmed
United States v. City of Ft. ScottHarlannonenoneC.C.D. Kan.reversed
Harris v. McGovernCliffordnonenoneC.C.D. Cal.affirmed
Gordon v. GilfoilBradleynonenoneC.C.D. La.reversed
Burt v. PanjaudMillerFieldStrongC.C.N.D. Ill.affirmed
Atwood v. WeemsMillerFieldnoneC.C.N.D. Fla.affirmed
Ketchum v. BuckleyWaitenonenoneAla.affirmed
Southern Express Company v. Western North Carolina Railroad CompanySwaynenonenoneC.C.W.D.N.C.affirmed
Godden v. KimmellCliffordnonenoneSup. Ct. D.C.affirmed
Vansant v. Electro-Magnetic Gas Light CompanyWaitenonenoneSup. Ct. D.C.dismissed
Calhoun County v. GalbraithSwaynenonenoneD. Miss.affirmed
Farrell v. United StatesStrongnonenoneC.C.N.D. Ill.affirmed
United States v. GlabCliffordnonenoneC.C.D. Iowaaffirmed
King v. United StatesMillernonenoneC.C.N.D. Ohiomultiple
Fosdick v. SchallWaitenonenoneC.C.N.D. Ill.multiple
Fosdick v. Southwestern Car CompanyWaitenonenoneC.C.N.D. Ill.affirmed
Huidekoper v. Hinkley Locomotive WorksWaitenonenoneC.C.N.D. Ill.reversed
Campbell v. RankinMillernonenoneSup. Ct. Terr. Mont.reversed
United States v. PughWaitenonenoneCt. Cl.affirmed
Wheeling, Parkersburg, and Cincinnati Transportation Company v. City of WheelingCliffordnonenoneW. Va.affirmed
Tice v. United StatesHarlannonenoneCt. Cl.affirmed
Myrick v. ThompsonCliffordnonenoneMinn.affirmed
Phelps v. McDonaldSwaynenoneMillerSup. Ct. D.C.reversed
Northwestern University v. IllinoisMillernonenoneIll.reversed
Bank v. ParteeFieldnoneMillerC.C.S.D. Miss.reversed
Sage v. Central Railroad CompanyStrongnonenoneC.C.D. Iowaaffirmed
Hoge v. Richmond and Danville Railroad CompanyFieldnonenoneC.C.D.S.C.reversed
Denver v. RoaneStrongnonenoneSup. Ct. D.C.reversed
Town of Brooklyn v. Aetna Life Insurance CompanyHarlannonenoneC.C.N.D. Ill.affirmed
United States v. WinchesterFieldnonenoneCt. Cl.affirmed
Van Norden v. MortonMillernonenoneC.C.D. La.reversed
Ryan v. Central Pacific Railroad CompanySwayneHarlannoneC.C.D. Cal.affirmed
Hale v. FrostWaitenonenoneC.C.D. Iowareversed
Hartman v. BeanCliffordnonenoneC.C.E.D. Wis.affirmed
Smith v. Fort Scott and Allen County Railroad CompanySwaynenonenoneC.C.D. Kan.affirmed
Union Pacific Railroad Company v. United StatesBradleynoneStrongCt. Cl.reversed
Parsons v. JacksonBradleynonenoneC.C.D. La.affirmed
Keely v. SandersStrongnonenoneTenn.reversed
United States v. Central Pacific Railroad CompanyBradleynonenoneC.C.D. Cal.reversed
United States v. Kansas Pacific Railway CompanyBradleynonenoneC.C.D. Kan.reversed
United States v. Denver Pacific Railway and Telegraph CompanyBradleynonenoneCt. Cl.affirmed
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Company v. AllingHarlannoneWaiteC.C.D. Colo.reversed
Montgomery v. SamoryCliffordnonenoneC.C.D. La.affirmed
United States v. Sioux City and Pacific Railroad CompanyBradleynonenoneC.C.D. Iowaaffirmed
Clark v. United StatesSwaynenonenoneCt. Cl.affirmed
Sherry v. McKinleyStrongnonenoneTenn.reversed
Wilson v. SalamancaWaitenonenoneC.C.D. Kan.reversed
Grigsby v. PurcellWaitenonenoneC.C.D. Ky.affirmed
United States v. GermaineMillernonenoneC.C.D. Me.certification
Jackson v. Vicksburg, Shreveport and Pacific Railway CompanyBradleynoneFieldC.C.D. La.reversed
Yulee v. VoseWaitenonenoneN.Y.reversed
Hartell v. TilghmanMillernoneBradleyC.C.E.D. Pa.reversed
Colby v. ReedCliffordnonenoneC.C.E.D. Wis.affirmed
McBurney v. CarsonSwaynenonenoneC.C.D.S.C.affirmed
Elliott v. East Pacific Railroad CompanyWaitenonenoneC.C.E.D. Pa.affirmed
Pence v. LangdonSwaynenonenoneC.C.D. Minn.affirmed
United States v. Macon CountyWaitenonenoneC.C.W.D. Mo.affirmed
Terhune v. PhillipsSwaynenonenoneC.C.N.D. Ill.affirmed
Alvord v. United StatesWaitenonenoneSup. Ct. Terr. Idahoreinstatement denied
Whiskey CasesCliffordnonenoneC.C.N.D. Ill.reversed
Whitney v. CookWaitenonenoneC.C.S.D. Miss.affirmance denied
National Bank v. Bank of CommerceWaitenonenoneC.C.E.D. Mo.amendment granted
Stringfellow v. CainWaitenonenoneSup. Ct. Terr. Utahreversed
Cannon v. PrattWaitenonenoneSup. Ct. Terr. Utahaffirmed
Leavenworth County v. SellewWaitenonenoneC.C.D. Kan.affirmed
Crescent City National Bank of New Orleans v. CaseStrongnonenoneC.C.D. La.affirmed
Northern Transportation Company of Ohio v. City of ChicagoStrongnonenoneC.C.N.D. Ill.affirmed
Congress and Empire Spring Company v. EdgarCliffordnonenoneC.C.N.D.N.Y.affirmed
City of Evanston v. GunnStrongnonenoneC.C.N.D. Ill.affirmed
Lyon v. PollockFieldnonenoneC.C.W.D. Tex.affirmed
Perris v. HexamerWaitenonenoneC.C.E.D. Pa.affirmed
Town of Orleans v. PlattSwaynenonenoneC.C.N.D.N.Y.affirmed
Lyons v. MunsonSwaynenonenoneC.C.N.D.N.Y.affirmed
Block v. Bourbon CountyStrongnonenoneC.C.D. Kan.affirmed
Sinking-Fund CasesWaitenoneStrong; Bradley; FieldCt. Cl.affirmed