Case Name: Edward Lockett v. The Firemen's Insurance Company of New Orleans
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1845-03
Citations: 10 Rob. 332
Docket Number: 
Parties: Edward Lockett v. The Firemen’s Insurance Company of New Orleans.
Judges: 
Reporter: Robinson
Volume: 10
Pages: 332–333

Head Matter:
Edward Lockett v. The Firemen’s Insurance Company of New Orleans.
Appeal from the Commercial Court of New Orleans, Watts, J.
This was an action to recover $20,000, the insurance on twenty-six slaves, at and from Richmond to New Orleans, on the brig Creole, shipped on the same voyage as those in the case of Me- Cargo v. The New Orleans Insurance Company. In addition to the printed stipulations in the policy, this written clause was inserted: “ The assurers are not liable for suicide, mutiny, natural death, or desertion; but to take the risk of interference by foreign governments, or their agents.” The facts proved, were substantially the same as in McCargo’s case, cited above. There was a verdict for the defendants, from which the plaintiff appealed.
Peyton, and I. W. Smith, for the appellant.
A question arises in this case whether the word “ mutiny” shall be taken in any other than its legal sense. The word is strictly confined, as applied to occurrences on ship-board, to the crew and subordinate officers — slaves are incapable of committing a mutiny. See Webster’s Dictionary, Mutiny. 12 Petersdorff’s Abridg. p. 733. Gordon’s Dig. p. 745, Nos. 2654-5.
Eustis, also appeared for'the appellant.
Lockett, Micou, and R. Hunt, for the defendants.

Opinion:
Bullard, J.
For the reasons stated in the case of McCargo v. The New Orleans Insurance Company, just decided, it is ordered and decreed that the judgment of the Commercial Court be affirmed, with costs.