Dragon v. United States
Dragon v. United States
Opinion of the Court
Appellants are claimant and surety on a $1,000 stipulation for the release of the gas screw Lucky Lindy to her owner. The decree from which they appeal adjudged the Lindy forfeit to the United States for statutory violations, and that appellants pay the $1,000 they had stipulated for. Appellants do not'claim here that the Lindy was without guilt. They claim that because she was first seized by the Collector in Franicovich’s Canal,
“Previous seizure of property under an order of the executive” is not, as it was under the Confiscation Act (12 Stat. 589) cases appellants cite,
Appellants, to support their view that the Franicovich Canal is not a navigable water, to which the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction extends, rely on Gulf & I. R. Co. v. Davis (D. C.) 26 F.(2d) 930; Id. (C. C. A.) 31 F.(2d) 109; United States v. Doughton (C. C. A.) 62 F.(2d) 936; Leovy v. United States, 177 U. S. 621, 20 S. Ct. 797, 44 L. Ed. 914; United States v. President, etc., of Jamaica (C. C. A.) 204 F. 759. These cases are concerned not with admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, but with the power of Congress over public waters susceptible of being used as highways for interstate or foreign commerce. The argument that they measure the limits of admiralty jurisdiction “is a complete misconception of what the admiralty jurisdiction is under the Constitution of the United States. Its jurisdiction is not limited to transportation of goods and passengers from one state to another, or from the United States to a foreign country, but depends upon the jurisdiction conferred in article 3, § 2, extending the judicial power of the United States to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction.”
Mr. Justice Clifford, in The Belfast, 7 Wall. 624, 640, 19 L. Ed. 266, said: “Difficulties attend every attempt to define the exact limits of admiralty jurisdiction, but it cannot be made to depend upon the power of Congress to regulate commerce, as conferred in the Constitution. They are entirely distinct things, having no necessary connection with one another, and are conferred, in the Constitution, by separate and distinct grants.” Citing The Genesee Chief, 12 How. [443] 452 [13 L. Ed. 1058]. See, also, In re Garnett, 141 U. S. 1, 15 [11 S. Ct. 840, 35 L. Ed. 631]; Ex parte Boyer, 109 U. S. 629-632 [3 S. Ct. 434, 27 L. Ed. 1056]; The Propeller Commerce, 1 Black, 574, 578 [17 L. Ed. 107], London Co. v. Industrial Commission, 279 U. S. 109, 124, 49 S. Ct. 296, 73 L. Ed. 632. c/f United States v. Doughton, supra, at page 940 of 62 F.(2d).
The procedural points appellants make are without merit. To obtain the release of the vessel they voluntarily gave the stipulation. They effected their purpose by giving it. They may not complain because they are held to it. Indemnity Ins. Co. of North America v. United States (C. C. A.) 74 F.(2d) 22; Gulf States Steel Co. v. United States, 287 U. S. 32, 53 S. Ct.
The failure of the court to file findings of fact and conclusions of law did not prejudice appellants. The stipulation and the record show the facts and the law all one way. Findings were unnecessary.
The decree is affirmed.
It was stipulated of this canal: “The Franicovich Canal at Ostrica * * * is cut through private property, one Joseph, or Joe Franicovich being the owner thereof. It is assessed for taxes at $300.00. It is about 36 or 40 feet wide, and about one and one half mile in length; and has a high water draft of not more than 8 feet. This Canal is cut and extends from the levee of the Mississippi River to Bayou Tourtillon. It has no outlet of any kind into the Mississippi River. Bayou Tourtillon is navigable from Franicovich Canal to Quarantine Bay and thence to Breton Sound, which leads into the Gulf of Mexico. The character of water crafts using and paying tolls to its owner for the use thereof is principally motor, oyster and fishing luggers of ten tons and less. The Franicovich Canal is used by fishermen and hunters in transporting their wares from Bayou Tourtillon to the end of said Franicovich Canal at Ostrica, Louisiana. The wares of these fishermen are unloaded at the end of the Canal, carried across the levee and placed on boats or packets plying up and down the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Mississippi River lower coast points. Joe Franieovieh, owner of the Canal, also conducts a ferry from Ostrica to Buras, Louisiana, which ferry is used by the public, upon payment of the charges levied by him. This ferry is the only public ferry that crosses the Mississippi River in this vicinity, the nearest Terry thereto being thirty miles away, at Point-a-la-Hache. At the end of the Canal, adjoining the levee, there is a shipyard, owned and operated by Joe Franicovich. He exacts no toll for the use of the Canal from those who use his shipyard. He rents the use of his ways and shipyard to the public generally, and also furnishes mechanical services, in connection therewith, if desired. 'The public generally use the Canal, without payment of toll, the toll being limited to professional fishermen.”
U. S. v. Winchester, 99 U. S. 372, 25 L. Ed. 479.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- THE LUCKY LINDY. DRAGON v. UNITED STATES
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published