The Experiment

17 U.S. 84, 4 L. Ed. 520, 4 Wheat. 84, 1819 U.S. LEXIS 303

• Court: Supreme Court of the United States
• Decided: February 1, 1819
• Status: Published

Opinion

Mr. Chief Justice Marshall.

Original evidence and depositions taken on the standing interrogatories, may be invoked from one prize cause into another. But depositions taken as farther proof in one cause, cannot be used in another.

Motion refused. a

a But in other respects, cases of collusive and joint captures form an exception to the general rules of evidence in prize causes. In cases of this nature, the usual simplicity of the prize proceedings is departed from, because the standing interrogatories are more peculiarly directed to the question of prize or no prize, as between the captor and captured, and are not adapted to the determination of questions of joint or collusive capture. It is, therefore, almost a matter of course to permit the introduction of farther proof in these cases. The George, ante, vol. l.p 408. But this farther proof must be of such a nature as is admissible by the general rules of prize evidence. Under what circumstances these rules permit the invocation of papers and depositions, may be seen, ante, rol. II. Jlppendix, note I. p. 23.