Hoyt v. United States

6 Cust. Ct. 460, 1941 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 104
United States Customs Court·Decided June 12, 1941·No. C. D. 516·Published

Opinion

Dallinger, Judge:

This is a suit against the United States, arising at the port of San Francisco, brought to recover certain customs duties alleged to have been improperly exacted on two types of merchandise, one a machine, and the other, two metal cylinders. The machine was invoiced as “one complete heavy four-pillar gold-blocking and embossing press, model Krause.” Duty was levied thereon at the rate of 27)( per centum ad valorem under paragraph 372 of the Tariff Act of 1930 as a machine not specially provided for. It is claimed that said machine is properly dutiable at but 25 per centum ad valorem under said paragraph as printing or paper-box machinery.

The two cylinders were invoiced as “2 Printing Cylinders (without design).” Duty was levied thereon at the rate of 30 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 395 of said act which, so far as pertinent, reads as follows:

Embossing rollers of steel or other metal, 30 per centum ad valorem; * * * Provided, That the foregoing rates shall apply whether or not the articles are imported separately, or as parts of machines.

[461]*461At the hearing, held at San Francisco on March 8, 1940, the plaintiffs offered in evidence the testimony of John T. Raisin, president of the plaintiff-corporation, who testified that he was familiar with the machine in question and with its operation. He then proceeded to testify in part as follows:

Q. "Will you describe the machine and its method of operation? — A. It has two plattens. They are brought together and they exert up to 200 pounds pressure, and it is used for cutting and creasing of cardboard blanks.
Q. Could you describe it a little more fully? — A. There are two flat plates, 24 by 18 inches each, which go together, under tremendous pressure.
Q. They are pressed together? — A. They are pressed together, and in order to cut a crease you insert a cutting die, and the pressure punches the die against the cardboard and cuts it.
Q. How large is the machine itself? — A. The machine itself is — it is called an upright machine, with four large pillars holding the head. It looks more like a stamping press.
Q. It is invoiced as gold blocking and embossing press. Will it gold block?— A. It won’t.
Q. Will you state why it will not gold block? — A. In order to gold block there is an extra attachment that comes with a machine to feed the gold leaf in rolls to make the gold stamping; but we did not buy that part of the machine.
Q. I ask if you are familiar with attachments which would be necessary to make this machine into one which would gold block? — A. I am.
Q. Have you any idea what the value of such attachment would be?
A. About one thousand dollars.
Q. What type of blanks do you make out of that machine? — A. Cardboard blanks that form a paper box.
Q. Have you seen them (identical machines) elsewhere? — A. In other paper box factories on the coast.
Q. How were such machines used when you saw them?

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Hoyt v. United States, 6 Cust. Ct. 460, 1941 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 104 (cusc 1941).

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