Re: Case argued by Abraham Lincoln (fwd)

Bob.Smart@Smart.COM
Fri, 15 Apr 1994 12:32:19 ECT

>
> Maybe somebody here knows this off the top of their head.
>
> // \\
> // __ __ \\
> \\ / @\__ __/@ \ //
> \\________________________\_/___/ \___\_/________________________//
> | Jerry Carlson | | jerry@csn.org |
> | Poudre Valley Hospital | | 303/495-7323 |
> | /-----------------------\ | | /-----------------------\ |
> |__\|__\ |__\|__\ /__|/__| /__|/__|
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Tue, 12 Apr 1994 16:43:17 -0500
> From: "Mary B.Jones" <mbjones@omnifest.uwm.edu>
> To: kcarlson@csn.org
> Subject: Case argued by Abraham Lincoln
>
> Hi:
>
> We're looking for a case in which Abraham Lincoln was an attorney for a
> railroad owning a bridge over the Mississippi River. A lawsuit was filed
> as a result of a collision between a boat and the bridge. We have checked
> WESTLAW and LEXIS and have had no luck finding the case. If anyone is
> familiar with it and can tell us the case name and/or cite, or can suggest
> any other sources we might check, we would greatly appreciate it.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Mary Jones
> U.S. Courts Library
> Room 482 Federal Building
> 517 E. Wisconsin Ave.
> Milwaukee, WI 53202
> 414.297.1698
> 414.297.1695 - fax
>
> mbjones@omnifest.uwm.edu

This is from memory, but I don't see any other responses yet so maybe this will
help jog someone elses memory.

I know I've read about it but I am not sure the bridge was across the
Mississippi. (There were a fair number of these cases in the pre-war period as
steamboats & railroads fought for control of the transportation market)
I seem to recall that the railroad was the Illinois Central. The reason this
sticks in my memory is because wher I read it made the point about McClellan
being a senior member of the railroad management. I hope this helps (And I hope
I am fairly accurate. As I enter this I am having nagging doubts 'Was it
McClellan who ran the IC before the war or am I confusing him with someone
else?' Only on this, the Military History & the WW2 list do these doubts ever
come up. Normally I am sure I have the details right when I blurt them out :-))

Bob Smart (bsmart@smart.com)