David Josiah Brewer

“ Doubtless, the defect in a complaint may be so great as to suggest a lack of good faith on the part of the commissioner; but it would be placing an undue burden on such officers to hold that their right to compensation rested on the fact that the offense was stated with such precision as to be beyond the reach of challenge. It is sufficient if the complaint is full enough to clearly inform the defendant of the offense with which he is charged. ”

“ If he has proceeded in good faith to render services to the government, acting upon a complaint manifestly intended to charge an offense, and, the defendant having been arrested upon such complaint, holding an examination, and rendering a judicial decision thereupon,-in the language of the statute, 'hearing and deciding on criminal charges,'-he is entitled to compensation. We conclude, therefore, that this affidavit is not so defective as to deprive the commissioner of a right to compensation for services rendered in good faith in the proceedings founded thereon. ”

“ That the refusal of the court to approve the account is no bar to the action is settled by U.S. v. Knox, 128 U.S. 230, 9 Sup. Ct. 63, although such refusal may be a matter for consideration in respect, at least, to the good faith of the transaction. U.S. v. ”