Thomas Sutler Williams

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Thomas Sutler Williams (February 14, 1872 - April 5, 1940) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.

Born in Louisville, Illinois, Williams attended Willis district school, Louisville High School, and Austin College, Effingham, Illinois. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1897 and commenced practice in Louisville. Williams was elected Louisville city attorney from 1897-1899, then served as member of the State house of representatives from 1899 to 1901. He served as mayor of Louisville 1907-1909. He served as prosecuting attorney of Clay County 1908-1915. He became the owner and publisher of the Clay County Republican at Louisville in 1920. He moved to Harrisburg, Illinois, in 1926.

Williams was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-fourth and to the seven succeeding Congresses. He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Commerce (Sixty-sixth Congress). Williams served from March 4, 1915, until his resignation November 11, 1929, having been appointed by President Herbert Hoover a judge for the Court of Claims of the United States.

While a judge, Williams' salary was reduced by the the Legislative Appropriation Act of June 30, 1932, which was part of Congress's efforts to economize the costs of government during the Great Depression . Williams sued the federal government, claiming that his salary could not be reduced because Section 1 of Article III of the United States Constitution forbids it. The Supreme Court ruled on Williams v. United States in 1933, deciding that the Court of Claims was an Article I, or legislative, court and that therefore Congress had the authority to reduce the salaries of the judges of the Court of Claims (289 U.S. 553).

Sutler served until his death in Washington, D.C., April 5, 1940. He was interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery.