United States v. Bedouin S. S. Co.

167 F. 863, 1908 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 49
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedNovember 9, 1908
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 167 F. 863 (United States v. Bedouin S. S. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Bedouin S. S. Co., 167 F. 863, 1908 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 49 (S.D.N.Y. 1908).

Opinion

ADAMS, District Judge.

This is a motion to vacate and set aside the service of a citation alleged to have been served upon the respondent. It appears that an action was commenced by the United States against the Bedouin Steamship Company to recover damages arising through the breach of a contract entered into between the parties August 20, 1900, for the chartering and use of the steamship Arab, the property of the respondent, which was warranted by the respondent to be, and to be kept, tight, staunch and strong and well and sufficiently manned and equipped for merchant or transport service. It is alleged by the libellant that by reason of the steamer’s unfitness for service, disbursements amounting to $7,444.27 were necessarily made and that it is also entitled to recover back charter money paid to the extent of $4,852.08. Upon this complaint process was duly issued and served by the marshal upon Paul Gottheil, one of the members of the firm of Punch, Edye & Co., “as agents for the Bedouin Steamship Co., Ltd.”

The motion in question was then made, based upon an affidavit, dated October 5, 1908, of the said Gottheil, which stated as follows:

“Deponent further says that the business of the said firm with reference to the steamer Arab was confined to negotiating and, as broker or agent, effecting a charter party between the United Slates of America as charterer, and tlie Bedouin Steamship Navigation Company, Limited, as owner of the steamer Arab. The connection of deponent’s said firm terminated upon the execution of the charter party aforesaid, except that deponent’s firm from time to time, as an act of courtesy, remitted to tlie Bedouin Steamship Navigation Company, Limited, certain installments of charter hire which were remitted to deponent’s said firm by William Lamb, by whom, as deponent; is informed and believes, said installments of charter hire had been collected from the United States Government.
Deponent further says that his said firm has had no other relations with the Bedouin Steamship Navigation Company, Limited, except with reference to the chartering of the Arab and certain other vessels of said company, and has had no relations of any kind for about three years last past. Deponent’s firm is not now and, except, as aforesaid, never has been an agent or authorized-to act in any capacity for or on behalf of the Bedouin Steam Naviga» tion Company, Limited.
Deponent further says that the process herein was served upon him per» sonally as a member of his said firm on the 291 h day of September 3908, aiu( that neither deponent nor his said firm then had or ever has had at any time authority to accept service of process in any action against the Bedouin Steamship Navigation Company, Limited.”

[864]*864An opposing affidavit, made by the assistant district attorney, and dated October 12, 1908, was filed on behalf of the libelant as follows:

“On information and belief, that upon the due filing of the Libel in this case a citation issued out of this Court and was served upon Funch, Edye & Co. as alleged agents of the Bedouin Steamship Company, Ltd., of Liverpool, England, the Respondent in this case.
Deponent further says, on Information and belief that the claim of the libellant in this case is based upon transactions and disagreements arising out of a charter party entered into in 1900, and renewed in 1901, between the said Libellant and the said Respondent, in the execution of which charter party, Funch, Edye & Co. acted as agents for the said Respondent.
That on October 13, 1902, Funch, Edye & Co., by Paul Gottheil, duly executed and delivered to Hopkins & Hopkins of Washington, D. C., a power of attorney (a copy of which marked ‘A’ is hereto annexed and to which, for greater certainty, deponent begs leave to refer, in which the said Funch, Edye & Co. declare themselves to be the agents of the aforesaid Respondent, and constitute the said Hopkins & Hopkins their attorneys for the prosecution of a claim of the said Respondent against the said libellant, arising out of the aforesaid charter party, under which power of attorney the said Hopkins & Hopkins have prosecuted the said claim in the present time.
That April 4, 1903, the Auditor for the War Department received an itemized statement of the said claim, signed and certified, ‘Funch, Edye & Co., Agents for the Bedouin Steam Navigation Company.’
That in June and July, 1903, the aforesaid Libellant by its proper agents presented a cross claim against the aforesaid Respondent, said claim arising out of the aforesaid charter party.
That July 3, 1003, the said claim of Funch, Edye & Co. was disallowed by the Auditor for the War Department, and the said cross claim of the said Libellant confirmed.
That April 18, 1904, Funch, Edye & Co., by Hopkins & Hopkins, their attorneys, took an appeal to the Comptroller of the Treasury.
That June 18, 1904, this appeal was in substance denied, and the aforesaid cross claim of the United States in substance affirmed.
That November 23, 1907, the Treasury Department of the United States made demand of Hopkins & Hopkins, as attorneys of record, for settlement of the aforesaid cross claim of the United States.
That January 7, 1908, Hopkins & Hopkins, replied that ‘relative to a balance alleged to be due the Government from the Bedouin Steam Navigation Co., owners of the S. S. “Arab,” Funch, Edye & Co., agents, we beg to state that the Company does not regard the statement of account rendered by the accounting officers of the Treasury as proper, and, believing on the other hand that the government is, in reality, indebted to it, it declines a settlement upon the basis demanded.’
That for this cross claim, still unpaid, the present Libel has been filed.
Deponent further says, that the ground of his belief and the sources of his information are duly certified copies of papers on file in the Departments of the Government. That the reason this affidavit is made by deponent and not by the Libellant is that the Libellant is a corporation sovereign.”

The power of attorney mentioned above is as follows:

“From the office of
Hopkins & Hopkinis Counsellors at Law,
Washington, D. C.
Be it known that we, Funch, Edye & Company, of New York, Agents for the S. S. ‘Arab’, and the Owners thereof, have made, constituted and appointed and by this instrument do ,hereby make, constitute and appoint Hopkins & Hopkins, of Washington, D. O., our true and lawful attorneys and agents for the prosecution of the claim of the owners of said Steamship against the United States, arising out of the charter of said steamship by the Quartermaster’s Department, War Department, during the year 1900-1991, [865]*865giving and granting to our said Attorneys full power and authority to do and perform all matters and things pertaining to said claim as fully and completely as we might or could do if personally present at the doing thereof.

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Bluebook (online)
167 F. 863, 1908 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 49, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-bedouin-s-s-co-nysd-1908.