Court Opinion

ID: 6642694
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-07-20 20:47:00.113713+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:59:18.300359
License: Public Domain

BLATCHFORD, District Judge.
A careful consideration of the evidence in this case fails to satisfy me of the truth of the allegation of the libel, that the steamboat Carrie struck the libellants’ schooner and carried away her bowsprit, and that afterwards a barge in tow of the two steamers struck the port bow of the schooner, and that the two collisions did so much injury and damage to the schooner that she sank. That the schooner was at anchor, and was struck and sunk, is undisputed. It is also not denied that the Carrie came in contact with the jib-boom of the schooner. But, the collision described by the master of the schooner as-the first one of the two collisions, is described by him as a blow by the guard of a boat on the round of the port bow of the schooner, in a direction which took the schooner’s bowsprit square off to the bow. The evidence satisfactorily shows that no such blow was given by the Carrie. Then, again, it is very apparent that the two blows which did the damage were given by a vessel and her tow, which, to the eyes of the men on the schooner and on the sloop to the westward of her, was the first tug and tow in order which came up from below. That there was such a tug and tow just ahead of' the Anna and the Carrie and their tow cannot be doubted. It was this first tug and tow that hit the schooner and did the damage. This first tug, or a barge alongside of her, first hit the schooner, and then a boat in the hawser tier behind, in tow of such tug, hit the schooner. These blows, so disastrous, naturally caused excitement, and the passage of the Anna and Carrie close behind was not noticed by those on board of the schooner and the sloop. The witnesses all, on both sides, say that it was the first tug and tow that hit the schooner, and did the damage. That was not the Anna and the Carrie. The contact with the Carrie did no damage. On this view the testimony can all be reconciled. On any other view, wilful false swearing must be imputed to the claimants’ witnesses. The libel must be dismissed, with costs.