Edward Terry Sanford

“ The Government further contends that as to the claims for transportation furnished by the Western Pacific Railway and its receivers, which were acquired by the claimant under the special master's deed, a recovery is precluded by section 3477 of the Revised Statutes (Comp. St. § 6383) . This section provides, inter alia, that all transfers and assignments of any claim against the United States, shall be 'absolutely null and void,' unless made after the allowance of such claims and the ascertainment of the amount due. ”

“ United States, 112 U.S. 733, 736, 5 S.C.t. 366, 28 L. Ed. 861, in which there was a general statement-not necessarily involved in the decision of the case-that a voluntary transfer of a claim against the United States, by way of mortgage, finally completed and made absolute by a judicial sale, falls within the prohibition of section 3477. ”

“ Bills for the transportation of such persons were presented by the Railway, the receivers, and the claimant, respectively on land-grant vouchers, claiming land-grant rates, as in the Southern Pacific Case, supra. ”