Olson v. United States

68 F.2d 8, 1933 U.S. App. LEXIS 4869, 1934 A.M.C. 430
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit
DecidedDecember 18, 1933
DocketNo. 232
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 68 F.2d 8 (Olson v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Olson v. United States, 68 F.2d 8, 1933 U.S. App. LEXIS 4869, 1934 A.M.C. 430 (2d Cir. 1933).

Opinion

MANTON, Circuit Judge.

Tlio petition filed herein set forth that the appellee’s vessel, Atlantic, with a cargo of sacks of assorted intoxicating liquors, was proceeding in Jamaica Bay, September 20, 1933, when it was hailed by the United States Coast Guard, stopped, and searched, and then seized in violation of law. The seizing officer stated in Ms affidavit that he left Rockaway in a boat of the Coast Guard, at 8 p. m. September 20, 1933, and patrolled Jamaica Bay and Rockaway Inlet. At 8:30 p. m. he observed the Atlantic heading in his direction. He threw a searchlight upon her and noticed that her water line did not show; that she was heavy in the water. He sounded a horn for her to stop, and she did not stop. He came alongside and hoarded her while both boats wore under way. He detected a strong odor of alcohol, and stated Ms familiarity with such smell. The appellee was on board. He entered the pilot house and demanded the ship’s papers, and noticed in the engine room, from wMeh he had detected the smell of alcohol coming, wha,t appeared to be a number of eases. He also discovered some 450 sacks filled with contraband liquors. The vessel was taken into custody, and the chemical examination of the cargo revealed contraband liquor. The crew were arraigned on the criminal charge of conspiracy to violate section 593 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 USCA § 1593) by smuggling contraband intoxicating liquors.

The appeal presents the question whether this was a lawful search and seizure or did it violate the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution.

Section 581 of the Tariff Aet of 1930' (19 U. S. C. § 1581 [19 USCA § 1581]) provides for boarding' vessels. By its terms, officers of the Customs or the Coast Guard “may at any time go on board of any vessel or vehicle a.t any place in the United States or within four leagues of the coast of the United States, without as well as witMn their respective districts, to examine the maiiifest and to inspect, search, and examine the vessel or vehicle, and every part thereof, and any person, trunk, or package on board, and to this end to hail and stop such vessel or veliicle, if under way, and use all necessary force to compel compliance, and if it shall appear that any breach or violation of the laws of the United States has been committed, whereby or in consequence of which such vessel or vehicle, or the merchandise, or any part thereof, on board of or imported by such vessel or vehicle is liable to forfeiture, it shall be the duty of such officer to make seizure of the same, and to arrest * * * any person engaged in such breach or violation.”

By section 3061 of the Revised Statutes (19 U. S. C. § 482 [19 USCA § 482]) officers authorized to search vessels may stop, search, and examine an automobile or other vehicle within the limits of the United States when they have reasonable cause to suspect there is merchandise concealed in the vehicle which was imported contrary to law, hut, in so far as officers are concerned, section 581 of the Tariff Aet 1930 is primarily for hoarding and searching of the vessel, and consequently, if the search reveals a violation of the law, the searching officer may seize the merchandise and vessel. Maul v. United States, 274 U. S. 501, 47 S. Ct. 735, 71 L. Ed. 1171; Wood v. United States, 16 Pet. (41 U. S.) 342, 10 L. Ed. 987; Awalt v. United States, 47 F.(2d) 477 (C. C. A. 3); Alksne v. United States, 39 F.(2d) 62 (C. C. A. 1). The authorization of section 581 is to ascertain whether there are any dutiable articles concealed in the vessel; it is not to discover acts of criminality. If by chance contraband merchandise or dutiable articles are discovered, then the Coast Guard officer must arrest any person connected with the smuggling of such merchandise. Section 2765 of the Revised Statutes (14 U. S. C. § 68 [14 USCA § 68]) authorizes officers of the Coast Guard to fire at or into any vessel which is liable to examination and does not stop. Section 2761 of the Revised Statutes (14 U. S. C. § 70 [34 USCA § 70]) directs the commanding officer of any Coast Guard cutter to make a return specifying the vessels boarded, whether laden or in ballast, and whether such vessels have the necessary manifests for cargo on board. Nor is tMs right of stoppage and search confined to commercial vessels. It also applies to vessels that might be classified as “private” or “pleasure.” Section 103 of title 46> United States Code (46 USCA § 103), which provides for the licensing of pleasure yachts, provides that such vessel shall not be allowed to transport merchandise or carry passengers for hire. Section 106 of title 46, United States Code (46 USCA § 106), provides that every yacht except those of 15 gross tons or under shall on [10]*10her return to the United States from a foreign country make due entry at the custom house of the port in which she arrives, and the master in charge of the yacht must report any dutiable articles brought in on his vessel and must deliver a manifest for these articles. Section 107 of title 46, United States Code (46 USCA § 107), provides that no licensed yacht shall engage in any trade or in any way violate the revenue laws of the United States. Thus it is clearly intended that pleasure yachts, although considered in a class by themselves, were subject to examination in the same manner as any other vessel under section 581 of the Tariff Act 1980. The manner in which the coastwise vessels licensed for any purpose must carry manifests are set forth in sections 296-301 of title 46, U. S. Code (46 USCA §§ 296-301). It is the duty of officers of the Coast Guard to observe all restraints established by the health laws of the United States respecting vessels arriving at port, and they are obliged to aid in the execution of the health law. 42 U. S. C, § 97 (42 USCA § 97).

Thus, in order to effectuate the provisions of the navigation and tariff laws and to protect the revenue of the United States, Congress, by section 581 of the Tariff Act 1980, enables officers of the Coast Guard to board and' search any vessel within the territorial waters of the United States in order to examine the vessels for identification and discover whether they have arrived from a foreign port and to see that they observe the quarantine and health laws and, comprehensively, all the •laws of the United States. The authority to prohibit foreign vessels from entering the ports of this nation was upheld in Cunard S. S. Co. v. Mellon, 262 U. S. 100, 43 S. Ct. 504, 67 L. Ed. 894, 27 A. L. R. 1306, where the Supreme Court said that Congress could regulate the navigation of domestic vessels upon the high seas, from which it would follow that the government can regulate domestic vessels within the territorial waters of the nation.

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68 F.2d 8, 1933 U.S. App. LEXIS 4869, 1934 A.M.C. 430, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/olson-v-united-states-ca2-1933.