Hugo Black

“ We find it unnecessary to decide any of Western Union's contentions as to the adequacy of notice to and validity of service on the individual claimants by publication. For as we view these proceedings, there is a far more important question raised by this record-whether Pennsylvania had power at all to render a judgment of escheat which would bar New York or any other State from escheating this same property. ”

“ The claims of New York are particularly aggressive, not merely potential, but actual, active and persistent-best shown by the fact that New York has already escheated part of the very funds originally claimed by Pennsylvania. ”

“ While we have previously decided some escheat cases where it was apparent that rival state claims were in the offing, we have not in any of them closed the door to the exercise of our jurisdiction. In Connecticut Mutual Life Ins. Co. v. Moore, 333 U.S. 541, 68 S.Ct. 682, 92 L.Ed. 863, we sustained the power of New York to take custody as a conservator of unclaimed funds due persons insured by that company through policies issued for delivery in New York to persons then resident in New York. ”

“ The rapidly multiplying state escheat laws, originally applying only to land and other tangible things but recently moving into the elusive and wide-ranging field of intangible transactions have presented problems of great importance to the States and persons whose rights will be adversely affected by escheats. [5] This makes it imperative that controversies between different States over their right to escheat intangibles be settled in a forum where all the States that want to do so can present their claims for consideration and final authoritative determination. ”

“ State of New Jersey, 341 U.S. 428, 443, 71 S.Ct. 822, 831, that 'The debts or demands * * * having been taken from the appellant company by a valid judgment of New Jersey, the same debts or demands against appellant (Standard Oil) cannot be taken by another state. ”