Case ID: lock-rev-cas_1/html/0243-02.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Ph. Urbin Duguet v. Rhinelander and others, 1 C. C. E. xxv.
    2 J. C.476.
    
      Neutrality of Belligerent, Naturalized in Neutral Country.
    
    The Supreme Court held in this case, where the plaintiff, a subject of a belligerent power had emigrated to the United States, flagrante bello, and had become a naturalized citizen of this country, that a warranty of neutral ownership of the property, was not sustained by such letters of naturalization; at all events it was the duty of the assured under such circumstances to disclose to the underwriter the period of his emigration ; his being, at that time, a subject of a belligerent power, it was held incapacitated him from acquiring the character and privileges of a neutral during the existence of hostilities, so as to bring the property captured within the protection of neutrality, On writ of error, .
   The Court of Errors reversed this decision, and held that the emigration of a belligerent. flagrante hello, to a neutral country, did not render him incapable of being naturalized, so as to become a citizen of a neutral power; and that his nat* uralizniion vested him wiih the character of a neutral, to all intents, and that therefore the warrant of neutral property was fully supported by such a citizenship.

It was also held that the insured was not bound to disclose the period of his emigration to the underwriter.