Art. 29 OG; amount in dispute for federal appellate jurisdiction; the decisive amount is that in controversy before the last cantonal instance rendered judgment. If the claimant reduces the claim at the second cantonal hearing below the statutory threshold, federal jurisdiction fails even if the original claim exceeded that amount. The subjective motive for the reduction is irrelevant; the law permits parties to shape or limit their prayer for relief in light of the competence rules. Where the Federal Court lacks jurisdiction, it must refuse entry and the cantonal judgment remains effective in full (consid. 2).
B. Gegen dieses Urtheil ergriffen die Beklagten die Weiterzie hung an das Bundesgericht. Das Bundesgericht zieht in Erwägung: