Gove v. United States

49 Ct. Cl. 251, 1914 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 300, 1914 WL 1390
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedJanuary 9, 1914
DocketNo. 30583
StatusPublished

This text of 49 Ct. Cl. 251 (Gove v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gove v. United States, 49 Ct. Cl. 251, 1914 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 300, 1914 WL 1390 (cc 1914).

Opinion

AtkiNSON, Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

The plaintiff herein was a civilian captain of a Navy collier, serving under an express contract with the United States, who instituted this suit to recover the sum of $4,319.33, based upon the following items:

1. The difference between the amount paid for subsistence of certain Asiatic cooks and stewards at 25 cents per day and the amount stipulated by the contract, 50 cents per day each, stated at $988.

[257]*2572. Traveling expenses from Manila, P. I., to Brooklyn, N. Y., after being relieved of the command of his vessel, $223.

3. Salary from the date when he was relieved of the command of his vessel, January 9,1907, to the date when he was dismissed from the service of the United States for irregularities in his accounts, January 22, 1908, $3,108.33.

Plaintiff, as above stated, entered into a contract with the Government on June 14, 1902, to serve as captain of a Navy collier under the conditions set forth in section 1 of the contract, which reads as follows:

“ 1. The party of the first part will assume and exercise command, as master, of a United States naval collier, and the responsibility for a careful navigation to and between such ports., and for such and all purposes as may be specified in orders issued to him from time to time by the Secretary of the Navy, or other naval authority designated by him; and the party of the first part further agrees that his command as such master shall cease and determine at the will and pleasure of the party of the second part.”

The contract further provided that plaintiff was to employ the crew of the vessel in accordance with the rules and customs of the merchant marine, and was authorized to pay them their wages and to furnish subsistence for them while under his command. He was to be allowed 50 cents per day for the subsistence of each member of the crew, except Asiatics, for whom he was to be allowed 25 cents per day. On July 9, 1904, the contract was modified in regard to subsistence, allowing 25 cents per day for each Asiatic, except cooks and stewards of the complement prescribed by the Bureau of Navigation. This modification leaves, as we understand it, the subsistence of Asiatic cooks and stewards at the same rate as that of all the crew before the supplemental contract was made, and provided 50 cents per day for the white members thereafter. The accounting officers, in the settlement of plaintiff’s accounts, only allowed the sum of 25 cents per day, which seems to have been an oversight or clerical mistake, because counsel for the United States says in his brief, “ It would therefore appear that he is entitled to credit for this item, if the same has been correctly computed [258]*258from the triplicate pay rolls filed as exhibits to the deposition of the claimant.”

We accordingly render a judgment on said item for the sum of $988.

The second item in the petition is for traveling expenses of plaintiff from Manila, P. I., where he was relieved from duty as master of the Government collier Alexander, to his home at Brooklyn, N.' Y.

It appears that plaintiff was charged with irregularities in his accounts, and he was summoned by Admiral Brownson before a board of investigation at Manila, on January 9, 1907. He thereupon reliiiquished his command of said collier, and on that date he was placed on furlough by the Navy Department (finding IY), it is presumed, although it is not shown, for the purpose of allowing him to attend said board of investigation. On or about January .18, 1907, the investigation of his accounts was completed and a report thereon was made to the Navy Department by said board. On said last-mentioned date plaintiff applied to the proper officer at Manila for transportation to his home at Brooklyn, N. Y., which request was refused. Whereupon he, without receiving orders or permission so to do, left Manila and arrived at his home in the United States on or about March 1, 1907.

On December 26, 1907, the supervisor of naval auxiliaries informed the Secretary of the Navy that the board of investigation had reported that the irregularities for which the claimant was furloughed had been substantiated and he recommended the revocation of his contract and his dismissal from the service at as early a date as practicable. On January 22, 1908, in accordance with a recommendation of the Bureau of Navigation, his contract was terminated by the Secretary of the Navy and he was requested to make prompt settlement of his accounts with the Auditor for the Navy Department.

Thereafter, on May 9, 1908, the Auditor for the Navy Department found plaintiff to be indebted to the Government, on various items, in the sum of $8,408.73. Appeal thereon was taken from the auditor to the Comptroller of [259]*259the Treasury, who affirmed the decision of the auditor, and suit was entered against plaintiff and the sureties on his bond in the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York to recover said amount.

Plaintiff had been in the service of the Government for about six years in Asiatic waters when he was relieved from duty by the furlough previously referred to; but it appears from the findings that immediately after the board of investigation into the state of his accounts was made known to him, without permission or orders from the commander of the Asiatic Fleet, he, of his own volition, departed for his home in the United States. We find no act of Congress and no regulation of either the Army or the Navy that authorizes the payment of traveling expenses of an officer, enlisted man, or other employee of the Government, or expenses while so traveling for the interests of the service, unless the traveling is done by order of an officer having the authority to make such order. It has been determined by a number of decisions of this court that traveling in the maimer above stated by an officer, soldier, or other representative of the Government from or to the continental limits of t]ie United States is entitled to both salary and expenses while so engaged, if such travel is under proper orders and for the good of the service. The court has gone even further by holding that one who enters the public service of the United States and is taken to foreign countries in such service and is there discharged, the Government, under all the rules of fairness, is bound to furnish him with transportation and other necessary expenses in his return to the place whence he started, provided such travel is done under proper orders. Sherburne v. United States, 16 Cl Cls., 491, 497; Beaman v. United States, 19 Ibid., 511; and Davis v. United States, 47 Ibid., 195.

But the above cases are not this case. Plaintiff was not discharged at a foreign port. He was only furloughed until his accounts with the Government could be investigated by a military board appointed for that purpose. He was not on active duty during the pendency of the investigation of his accoimts at Manila, but it appears from the findings of [260]*260fact that immediately after the result of the investigation was made known he, of his own accord, saw fit to remove himself from the station of his vessel, and without authority boarded a ship for his domicile in the United States. Had it been determined by the naval officials in command at Manila to reinstate him as master of the collier Alexander

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49 Ct. Cl. 251, 1914 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 300, 1914 WL 1390, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gove-v-united-states-cc-1914.