Important Civil Rights Decision

Au important decisión affeoting rnilway conipanieshas just been rendered in the United States District Court at Baltimore by Judge Giles. Harriet Culloy and seventeen other negroes Biied the ; Baltimore and Ohio Company to recover $500 damages eaoh, for compelling them to ride in a smoking car while returning I on commutation tickets f rom a point 011 the Metropolitan branch. Tlie snit was bronght under the Snpplemental Civil Rights bill, passed by Congress Mnrch 1, 1875. Among many witnesses examined was President Garrett, who said that after the. Civil Rights bill was passed instructions were given to make no distinetion on account of color with passengere on the road or ita conuections. Wliile the defense in its testimony endeavored to show, but did not fully establish it, that no distinction had been made in the Cnlley case, yet counsel for defendant re! lied ou tli e unconstitutionality of the act ! of Congress. Judge Giles gave an elabórate opinión, reviewing all similar cases : knowu to the law, and instructcd the jury , to return a verdict for the defendant, ; under the following ruling : The act of ; Congress of March 1, 1875, under whicli thifl aotion is brought, ko far as it seeks 1 to inflict penalties tor the violation of ! any or all rights whioh beloug to citizens ! of a Stnte and not citizens of the United States, as such, was the exercise of s power not authorized by any provisión of the constitntion of the United States, as the privilege, to use for local travel any public oonveyanoe is nota rightnrisI ing under the constitution of the United States. Thero can be no recoverj' of the 'penalty sued for in tliis c:ho, and the jury will ronder their verdict for the defendant. A verdict in accordanee with these instructions was ronderod.