Case Name: Ph. Urbin Duguet v. Rhinelander and others, 1 C. C. E. xxv
Court: New York Court for the Correction of Errors
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1799
Citations: 1 Lock. Rev. Cas. 243
Docket Number: 
Parties: Ph. Urbin Duguet v. Rhinelander and others, 1 C. C. E. xxv.
Judges: 
Reporter: Lockwood's Reversed Cases
Volume: 1
Pages: 243–244

Head Matter:
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 proper ty captured within the protection of neutrality, On writ of error, .

Opinion:
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.