Close & Stewart v. United States

6 Cust. Ct. 275, 1941 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 69
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedApril 30, 1941
DocketC. D. 481
StatusPublished

This text of 6 Cust. Ct. 275 (Close & Stewart v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Close & Stewart v. United States, 6 Cust. Ct. 275, 1941 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 69 (cusc 1941).

Opinion

Dallinger, Judge:

These are suits against the United States, arising at the port of Seattle, brought to recover certain customs duties alleged to have been improperly exacted on particular importations of bicycle tires and horns. Duty was levied on the tires at the rate of 30 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 371 of the Tariff Act of 1930 as parts of bicycles, and on the horns at the rate of 45 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 397 of said act as manufactures of metal not specially provided for. It is claimed that the tires are properly dutiable at but Í0 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 1537 (b) of said act as bicycle tires composed wholly or in chief value of rubber. The horns are claimed to be properly dutiable at the rate [276]*276of 30 per centum ad valorem under said paragraph 371 as parts of bicycles.

At tbe first hearing, held at Seattle on November 13, 1939, on protest 922874-G, the plaintiffs offered in evidence the testimony of Harold Bower, receiving clerk of the Spokane Cycle & Toy Co., the ultimate consignee and actual importer of the merchandise at bar, who testified that he was familiar with said merchandise. A copy of the consular invoice having been marked exhibit 1 for identification, the witness testified in part as follows:

By Mr. Cahpeneti.
Q. I show you the consular invoice again, and ask you whether or not it covers complete bicycles?
A. No, it doesn’t * * *.
Q. Now would you tell us what parts were missing from the bicycles? — A. Well, let’s see, the handle bars, for one, and the front hubs were less, and the rear hubs were less; that is, on certain models, you see.
Q. Now I call your attention to the recitation on case number 52, does that contain some of the hubs and spokes that were listed as missing from it?— A. Yes. * * *
Q. But the handle bars and brakes were missing?- — A. They were missing.
Q. Now, are there any other types of bicycles on this particular importation?— A. The American model, number 1, they have; that is the 20 x 18-inch cycle.
Q. Were there any parts missing from that particular type bicycle? — A. Yes, that was less handle bars, brakes, free wheel, and then they have also the rear hub less. * * *
Q. Now, did the Spokane Cycle & Toy Co. add handle bars and brakes and hubs prior to the sale of these bicycles?- — A. Yes.
Q. And what kind of handle bars were added? — A. Do you mean in our American make?
Q. In these, to these bicycles. — A. Well, there were none added to this at all. We used our own merchandise that was made in the United States on that.
Q. Yes. Well, I mean what type of merchandise did you use? Could you describe it to the court? — A. Well, it is a 24 x 6 handle bar. They call it California bar. Other cycles, they use the 30 x 12.
Q. Does that differ from the handle bars that are made in England? — A. Yes.
Q. The bicycles as imported were not complete, is that true? — A. Yes.
Q. And they could not be operated as bicycles in the condition in which imported? — A. No.

On cross-examination tbe witness testified in part as follows:

By Mr. Weeks.

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Related

Close v. United States
2 Cust. Ct. 318 (U.S. Customs Court, 1939)
United States v. Bosch Magneto Co.
13 Ct. Cust. 569 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1926)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
6 Cust. Ct. 275, 1941 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 69, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/close-stewart-v-united-states-cusc-1941.