Case Name: THE LAURA M. LUNT
Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1909-03-09
Citations: 170 F. 204
Docket Number: No. 14,091
Parties: THE LAURA M. LUNT.
Judges: 
Reporter: Federal Reporter
Volume: 170
Pages: 204–205

Head Matter:
THE LAURA M. LUNT.
(District Court, E. D. Louisiana.
March 9, 1909.
On Rehearing, March 25, 1909.)
No. 14,091.
1. Seamen © 2 ) — Scope op Statutoby Provisions — '“American Seaman.”
Every sailor on an American vessel is an “American seaman,” within the meaning of Act Dec. 21, 1898, c. 28, § 1, 30 Stat. 755 (U. S. Comp. St. 1901, p. 3081), and entitled to the protection thereof, regardless of his nationality.
[Ed. Note. — Eor other cases, see Seamen, Dee. Dig. § 2. ]
Z. Seamen (§ 20 ) — Wages—Reduction bv Master.
The master of a vessel has no authority to arbitrarily reduce the wages of a seaman, signed as such, on the ground that he proved incompetent to fill the position of a mate, although there may have been a verbal agreement on the subject.
[Ed. Note. — Eor other cases, see Seamen, Cent. Dig. §§ 86-91; Dec. Dig. § 20. ]_
Iii Admiralty. Dibel for wages.
Geo. C. Bodine, for libelant.
Rouse, Grant & Rouse, for claimant.
Am. Digs. 1907 to date, & Rep’r Indexes

Opinion:
FOSTER, District Judge.
It seems to me that Act Dec. 21, 1898, c. 28, § 1, 30 Stat. 755 (U. S. Comp. St. 1901, p. 3081), is broad enough to apply to all sailors on an American vessel, and that they should be held to be American seamen, regardless of nationality.
It seems also clear that the captain arbitrarily reduced the wages of this seaman from $30 per month, as stipulated in the articles, to $.25 per month, alleging that he did so by reason of the seaman's incompetency to fill the position of second mate. It appears by the articles that he was shipped as a seaman, and not as second mate, and the captain cannot give effect to an alleged verbal agreement of that sort.
Therefore there will be judgment for the full amount of wages claimed, and a penalty of SI a day, from date the wages were due, for 100 days from the date of the libel.