Court Opinion

ID: 9442810
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 19:00:44.145726+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:29:14.809450
License: Public Domain

RUSSELL, Circuit Judge
(dissenting in part).
My view of the controlling effect of the facts in this case differs from that of the majority. There is ample support in the record for the finding of the commissioner, approved by the court, that the owner-claimant of the vessel by the acts of his attorney at law and of the agent having custody of the vessel permitted Captain Milton to board the vessel and become invested with apparent authority as its master. Even conceding the fact of the limitation upon his authority it was in no way announced or made known to persons dealing with him in good faith as master. If master, which position the owner had permitted him to assume, he presumptively had authority to bind the vessel for necessary supplies.1 A secret limitation upon apparent authority is of course an entirely different matter from a limitation contained in a charter and may properly direct a different result The facts here take this case.without the rule of United States v. Carver, 260 U.S. 482, 43 S.Ct. 181, 67 L.Ed. 361. Even if the owner-claimant be not barred by conduct in the circumstances here from challenging the actual authority of Captain Milton he is nevertheless, upon a principle which should be as sufficient in admiralty as in equity, not entitled to escape liability for supplies furnished, the necessity for which is not controverted. It seems clear that even in that view of the facts favorable to appellant both the owner and suppliers must be deemed to occupy the position of innocent parties, and as between them, the owner, having placed it in the power of the third person, Milton, to accomplish the act which must result in payment or loss, should not be permitted to shift the loss to the suppliers.
I think the judgment of this Court as to the crew is proper. No articles were signed. They have been paid for a period of time extending beyond that when notice of lack of authority was given and their services terminated.

. 46 U.S.C.A. § 972.