Hannah Schaefer v. Julius Werling

• Decision Date: 23 February 1903
• Docket Number: No. 151,151
• Citation: 188 U.S. 516,47 L.Ed. 570,23 S.Ct. 449
• Parties: HANNAH SCHAEFER, Plff. in Err. , v. JULIUS WERLING, Henry Draper, and Martin B. Schaefer
• Court: U.S. Supreme Court

188 U.S. 516

23 S.Ct. 449

47 L.Ed. 570

HANNAH SCHAEFER, Plff. in Err.,

v JULIUS WERLING, Henry Draper, and Martin B. Schaefer.

No. 151.

Argued January 27, 28, 1903.

Decided February 23, 1903.

Messrs. S. M. Sayler, W. W. Dudley, and L. T. Michener for plaintiff in error.

Messrs. John C. Chaney, Alphonso Hart, William H. Hart, John G. Cline, and Clifford F. Jackman, for defendants in error.

Mr. Justice Brewer delivered the opinion of the court:

In September, 1892, the plaintiff in error, the owner of five lots on Williams street, in Schaefer's addition to the city of Huntington, Indiana, with other lot owners, petitioned the city council to have the street graded and graveled. On July 10, 1893, the petition was granted and the street ordered to be so improved. After this improvement had been ordered some of the lot owners petitioned the city council to order the street paved with brick. This petition was presented on August 14, 1893. A remonstrance was at the same time presented, the plaintiff in error being one of the parties thereto. Notwithstanding the remonstrance the city council ordered that the street be paved with brick, and let a contract therefor to the defendants in error. They completed the work according to the contract, and the lots abutting on Williams street were assessed for the cost thereof,—the assessment being made by the front foot,—and a precept to collect the amount due on the lots of the plaintiff in error issued to the city treasurer. Further proceedings were had on appeal, in accordance with the provisions of the statute, which ended in a decision of the supreme court affirming the validity of the assessment, on the authority of Adams v. Shelbyville, 154 Ind. 467, 49 L. R. A. 797, 57 N. E. 114, and thereupon the case was brought here on writ of error.

The case involves the validity of a statute of Indiana known as the 'Barrett law,' enacted in 1899. Burns's Rev. Stat. 1894, §§ 4288-4298. We deem it sufficient to refer to the opinion in Adams v. Shelbyville, 154 Ind. 467, 49 L. R. A. 797, 57 N. E. 114, in which the supreme court of Indiana closed an elaborate discussion of the various provisions of the law in these words:

'We therefore conclude that § 3, Acts 1889 (Burns's Rev. Stat. 1894, § 4290,) must be construed as providing a rule of prima facie assessments in street and alley improvements, which allotments by the city or town engineer, under § 6 of said act of 1889 (Burns's Rev. Stat. 1894, § 4293), are subject to review and alteration by the common council and board of trustees, under § 7 of said act of 1889, as amended (Acts 1891, p. 324; Acts 1899, p. 64; Burns's Rev. Stat. 1894, § 4294), upon the basis of actual special benefits received by the improvement; and that under said § 7, the common council of a city or board of trustees of an incorporated town have not only the power, but it is their imperative duty, to adjust the assessments for street and alley improvements, under said act, to conform to the actual special benefits accruing to each of the abutting property owners.'

Of course, the construction placed by the supreme court of a state upon its statutes is, in a case of this kind, conclusive upon this court. Forsyth v. Hammond, 166 U. S. 506, 518, 41 L. ed. 1095, 1100, 17 Sup. Ct. Rep. 665, and cases cited. And with that construction the following recently decided cases, in which the matter of street assessment was fully considered, sustain the decision of the state court upholding the validity of the law: French v. Barber Assphalt Paving Co. 181 U. S. 324, 45 L. ed. 879, 21 Sup. Ct. Rep. 625; Wight v. Davidson, 181 U. S. 371, 45 L. ed. 900, 21 Sup. Ct. Rep. 616; Tonawanda v. Lyon, 181 U. S. 389, 45 L. ed. 908, 21 Sup. Ct. Rep. 609; Webster v. Fargo, 181 U. S. 394, 45 L. ed. 912, 21 Sup. Ct. Rep. 623; Cass Farm Co. v. Detroit, 181 U. S. 396, 45 L. ed. 914, 21 Sup. Ct. Rep. 644; Detroit v. Parker, 181 U. S. 399, 45 L. ed. 917, 21 Sup. Ct. Rep. 624; Wormley v. District of Columbia, 181 U. S. 402, 45 L. ed. 921, 21 Sup. Ct. Rep. 609; Shumate v. Heman, 181 U. S. 402, 45 L. ed. 922, 21 Sup. Ct. Rep. 645; Farrell v. West Chicago Park, 181 U. S. 404, 45 L. ed. 924, 21 Sup. Ct. Rep. 609; King v. Portland, 184 U. S. 61, 46 L. ed. 431, 22...