Shaffer v. Wilcox

The act in question must have a reasonable construction. If a particular officer were to be examined, whose *503name was unknown, (the Attorney General of a particular state, for instance, whose testimony might be material,) the commission might be issued generally, to take the testimony of that officer, without inserting his name.

In this case,' the defendant wishes to examine the clerks of the plaintiffs’, at Trieste, whose names are unknown to him. He sets forth by affidavit the facts which he wishes to prove, and asks either for a general commission to take the testimony of those clerks, or…