United States v. Eight Cases of Paper
United States v. Eight Cases of Paper
Opinion of the Court
The above goods, imported by the steamer St. Louis, were seized for undervaluation under the customs laws while in. the custody of the collector. After publication of process, the claimant of the goods appeared, paid the duties, and gave a bond pursuant to section 938 of the Revised Statutes in order to obtain possession, and now moves for a delivery order. For the government it is objected that the cost of publication, amounting to about $41, should be paid by the claimant to the marshal before delivery of the goods.
The claimant is entitled to a delivery of the property to him upon compliance with the conditions of section 938, without any additional charge for costs or expenses in the suit. It is admitted that the claimant has complied with all the express conditions of section 938; and the section thereupon declares that:
“The .court shall by rule order such vessel, goods,” etc., “to be delivered to such claimant; * * * and if judgment passes in favor of the claimant, the court shall cause the said bond to be canceled; but if judgment passes against the claimant, and the claimant does not within 20 days thereafter pay into the court * * * the appraised value with the costs, judgment shall be granted upon the bond on motion in open court without further delay.”
The practice is the same upon ordinary arrests of property in suits in rem in admiralty, when a bond for the release of vessel or goods arrested is given to the marshal under section 941, Rev. St. It has been the long and constant practice of the court in such cases, to require the delivery of the property without any payment to the marshal of his fees or costs, since the statute does not attach, any such requirement to the obligation to discharge the vessel or property from arrest. Dist. Ct. Rule 20; The Georgeanna (D. C.) 31 Fed. 405, 408.
The motion is granted.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- UNITED STATES v. EIGHT CASES OF PAPER
- Status
- Published