William Howard Taft

“ Lillie S. Harner is the person whom the administrative officers of the government have held to be entitled to a patent for this land. Clearly the controversy between the plaintiff and those officers involving the granting of a patent to her cannot be settled without her presence in court. ”

“ This was a bill in equity in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, brought by Thomas N. Brady against the Secretary of the Interior and the Commissioner of the Land Office, seeking to enjoin them from issuing a patent to one Lillie S. Harner for a homestead.
The bill avers that William Rattkamner in 1913 made a homestead entry of certain public land in Arizona; that in October, 1915, Harry S. Harner filed a contest against the entry ”

“ Litchfield v.Register & Receiver, 9 Wall, 575, 578, 19 L. Ed. 681. She is entitled to be heard. Inability to secure service on her because she lives in Arizona cannot dispense with the necessity of making her a party. ”