Russel v. Union Ins. Co.

21 F. Cas. 29, 1 Wash. C. C. 440

Opinions

WASHINGTON, Circuit Justice.

I am sorTy that this motion is made; for, though every care should be taken to protect insurance companies against frauds, and to give them every legal advantage, where they are legally exonerated from the risk, yet they ought, I think, to refrain from objections which have an appearance of being captious. If, however, they choose to make such, they must, like all other suitors, be entitled to the benefit of them, where they are well supported. It was on this account, that I thought it highly proper, at the trial, that they should allow the record to be read through, without objection, as it was plain, that the defendants relied upon a legal question of great difficulty, connected with the merits; which was, whether the plaintiff had an insurable interest or not? I think the counsel are not obliged, in any case, to make objections, which go merely to form, and which are only calculated to produce delay, or to turn the other party around, to bring another action: and, one or the other of these, would have been the case, had the objection been made in time. The case might have been different, had there been any well grounded reason to question the authenticity of these papers. But, who could doubt, that the papers found on board this vessel, showing the interest of Cruset in the cargo, in consequence of the responsibility he had entered into for the owners, were true and genuine? How else could she have been released? Having a bill of lading for the whole cargo, why should he send with it papers, to prove that he had only a special interest, unless such was the fact? I do not admit, that all the papers and evidence, found in a record of a court of-admiralty, form a part of that record, or must necessarily be read, in an. action between insured and insurer, because the sentence is read. The sentence and proceedings are certainly proper, to show the condemnation, and the grounds upon which the court proceeded. But, it does not follow, that every paper stuffed into the record, unconnected with the condemnation, and affecting third persons only, must of course be read, if the sentence be.

If an objection was intended to be made to the evidence of the papers found on board, and set forth in the record; it ought to have been taken, when an attempt was made to read them; or at any rate, before the counsel for the plaintiff had finished his opening. Were a different rule to be pursued, great inconveniences and irregularities would follow. If it appeared, that injustice had been done, in consequence of the reading of these papers, it would be a sufficient reason for setting aside the verdict. But there is no ground laid for such a suggestion; and therefore, the verdict ought to stand.