To Charles Hoyt1Jump to section
My dear Sir: July 10- 1855
The U.S. Court is in session here now; and we have succeeded, by agreement with Edwards,2Jump to section in getting your case, and the three Rock-Island cases,3Jump to section dismissed, with leave to the plaintiff to reinstate them by the next term, if he desires. Edwards says he has heared nothing from Parker, or Cushman, or any of their men, since their case was disposed of in the Supreme court, now more than a year ago. Judge McLean says Parker is broken up, and seems to be doing nothing further about his cases. From all this, I suppose the cases are not very likely to be reinstated. Your friend, as ever A. LINCOLN---
P.S. It would perhaps be best to make no movement about costs till after next term, lest this should stir them up to re-instate the cases. A. L.
Annotation
[1] ALS, Aurora Historical Society, Aurora, Illinois. See Lincoln's letter of November 10, 1854, and note, supra.
[2] Benjamin S. Edwards.
[3] The Rock Island cases, concerned with patent infringement, were related to the case of Z. Parker v. Charles Hoyt, alleged infringement of patent on a water wheel, in which Lincoln had represented Hoyt before the U.S. District Court, July 9-24, 1850. Cushman and the several other persons involved in the suits have not been identified.