The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-26
TIE ALABAMA CLAIMS In A NEW PHASE.
The Owners Of the American Ship Sonora
Attach Property Belonging 20 the Builder
OF the Rebel PrivRteer-History of the

The Owners Of the American Shin Sonora
Attach Property Belonging 10 the Builder
Of the Rebel Privateer-Hlssory of the
Affair.
Justice lie proverbIally slow, but then IL is sure,
and sooner later the wrongdoer is sure to be over
taken and brought to task for his misdeeds. While
the claims OF the American merchants and ship
owners whose vessels and property have been so
ruthlessly destroyed by the pirate Alabama nave
long been the occasion for the exchange of elaborate
official documents between Secretary Seward and
the English government and while the settlement OF
these demands seems far or ever, some OF the
sufferers have taken the matter into their own hands
and sought redress at the hands OF our own courts
Of law.
Messrs. John N. VIM. Cushing, OF Newburyport,
Mass. have initiated this method OF obtaining indem.
nifty for the loss they suffered at the hands Of the
Alabama by bringing suit against Mr. John Laird,
Jr, OF Birkenhead, England, the builder of that
vessel for the loss sustained by them In the burning
OF their ship Sonora, which was DESTROYED by the
Alabama on December g. 1863
The Sonora was at the time on a VOYAGE from
Hong Kong, in China to Akyab, in British India
der a charter party to deliver cargo at the latter
place and receive cargo for England; and was met
In the Straits Of Maacca in latitude degrees north
and longitude l0l east, and burned, together with
her cargo, by the rebel cruiser.
Messrs Cushing, the owners OF the Sonora have
now filed libel In the United States District Court
In Admiralty for the Southern district OF New York,
in which they get forth that the Alabama had been
wrongfully fitted out and equipped in direct viola
ton OF the laws OF Great Britain for the purpose OF
proving upon American commerce, and that she
radically destroyed the vessel and property Of the
lbellants, and they seek TO recover for what is
legally known as a .spoliationn and not for VIOLA
ton OF the neutrality laws. The bellans claim
$3.50 as the value OF the ship and $685. 244 the
lue OF the charter party amounting In all to $1lS74
On the libel being fled 1t being supposed certain
funll bplOnpiDQ Laird N hn I'M Mo nf hn
Assistant Treasurer OF the United States; they
attached. An attachment was also served on Messrs
suit lately before the Supreme Court OF the United
States. The following is the reason for surprising
that funds belonging TO Laird are deposited In the
United States SubTreasury IN this city:-
The steamship Wren, merchant vessel OF 267 tons
register left the Port OF Havana on June II, 1865,
for Liverpool via Halifax, with crew OF thirty five
men. on the morning OF June 49, the crew mu-
tinted confined their officers in their quarters and
carried the ship into Key West and delivered her as
that station. The seizure In accordance
with secret arrangements made with the
United States Consul at Havana before the vessel
left that port libel was filed against the vessel
by the United States District Attorney before the
Judge OF the Southern district OF Florida as prize
OF war; lt was proved thai she had been engaged
IN running the blockade between Havana aud the
port OF Galveston, Texas; and that snort time be-
fore she entered on the voyage when she was
seized, she had successfully entered Galveston har-
Dor, discharged her cargo there, taken of cot
ton. and returned In safety TO Havana
The master OF the Wren a man named Styles, put
In claim In behalf OF John Laird, British subject,
as the owner OF the vessel The Wren was, how
ever, condemned by the Southern District Court Of
Florida on the ground OF belonging to the enemies
OF the United States and was subsequently sold for
$4,000. Against this decision OF the court Laird ap-
pealed through his lawyers and the went 10 The
Supreme Court OF the United States In December
Justice Nelson, or the Supreme Court rendered de-
cision In the case, reversing the decree OF the Dis
tric6 Court and directing that the vessel should be
restored TO its owner. The ground taken by the
Judge for this decision was that the vessel not
engageu Wlen captured IN unlawful He
also held that the vessel did not belong 10 Frazer,
Trenholm Co., as sought TO be established.
nc hngsn law REQUIRES every vessel 70 have GER
hucate OF registry, With the owners aud place
OF residence, the name OF the ship and the place 10
which she belongs, her tonnage, tie name OF her
master together with description of the vessel
to be inserted therein. And the Wren had
compiled with this law, and MIR. Lard's name was
stated in the certificate as her owner. The Judge
concluded this was sufficient proof that Mr.. Laird
was her owner aud ne directed before stated that
she should be returned to him. But the vessel had
been sold and the proceeds OF the sale lodged In the
United States Treasury, and that Is the money which
the libeants have attached. Mr.. Van Dyck Assist
ant United States Treasurer however denies that he
has any money IN his custody to the credit OF Mr..
LAIRD, far he knows TO credit Of any one
else Tor Lard's benefit. lie states that what money
United States of,cers ana he liz not able TO tell
the sale Of the wren or of any any other
SHIP When those officers, TO whose credit the
money stands draw on him he will honor their
checks as he is bound. Messrs Foster and Thompson
who have also been served with an attachment 10y
the hbellants, wei the lawyers who conducted Mr..
Laird's appeal before the Supreme Court and IL was
supposed that they might have received the pro-
ceeds Of the sale of the Wren for Mr.. Laird. They
deny having any funds OF hts In their hands, These
two are the only attachments served by the United
states Marshall and the matter now rests until next
Tuesday, when the returns 10 them must be made.
Ihs suit will be watched with a great deal OF nte-
rest as II Is probable IL will test case RI
the ihelants are successful In their suit their
VIII doubtless De followed ny other Claimants.