United States v. Nine Trunks

27 F. Cas. 161, 22 Int. Rev. Rec. 317
CourtU.S. Circuit Court for the District of New Jersey
DecidedSeptember 15, 1877
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 27 F. Cas. 161 (United States v. Nine Trunks) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Circuit Court for the District of New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Nine Trunks, 27 F. Cas. 161, 22 Int. Rev. Rec. 317 (circtdnj 1877).

Opinion

STRONG, Circuit Justice.

After much reflection I have come to the conclusion that a new trial should be ordered in this case. The information claimed a forfeiture of the merchandise under the act of congress of July 18, 1806, and also under the fiftieth section of the act of March 2, 1799 [1 Stat. 605]. The first mentioned of these acts is entitled “An act further to prevent smuggling, and for other purposes,” and it is enacted by the fourth section, that “if any person shall fraudulently or knowingly import or bring into the United States, or assist in so doing, any goods, wares or merchandise contrary to law, * * * such goods, wares .and merchandise shall be forfeited.” The fiftieth section of the act of 1799, enacts that no goods, wares or merchandise brought in any ship or vessel from any foreign port, shall be unladen or delivered from such vessels within-the United States but in open ddy, nor at any time without a permit from the collector and naval officer, if any, for such unlading and delivery.

It was claimed at the trial that the property seized was subject to forfeiture under the act of 1866, because it had been imported “contrary to law.” The undisputed evidence was that the claimant was a manufacturer of female clothing in New York, that in March, 1874, he went to Uondon for the sole purpose of buying silks and other goods for his trade. He reached London on the 23d of March, and remained until April 4th. While there he ordered the goods subsequently seized from Marshall & Snellgrove, amounting in value to if10,000 or upwards, and directed them to be sent to his lodgings, where they were sent in parcels wrapped in paper. He asked and received only a single invoice or bill. Having received the goods he went to several stores and purchased eight second hand trunks, which had been much used, and some of -which had upon them the initials of former owners. These trunks he directed to be sent to his lodgings. There he [162]*162packed in them the goods which he had purchased from Marshall & Snellgrove, putting some in another trunk which contained some of his personal apparel. There was also included a new silk dress, which had been ordered by another party. He placed upon the trunks no other marks than those which were upon them when he bought them. Haying thus packed the goods he took them in a cab to the railway station, went with them to Liverpool, and left the trunks at the station until the next day. He then sent the hotel porter with his bag, and had it with the trunks put on board the steamer as his personal luggage. He made no inquiry for a consul, and procured no triplicate invoice as required by the act of congress of March 3, 1863 [12 Stat. 742], He communicated to no one on the steamer that the trunks were filled with merchandise. He put down the number as nine in the list of the passengers with their luggage, and they were entered, as, of course, upon the ship’s manifest as passengers’ baggage. When the ship arrived at quarantine, New York, and the revenue officer was engaged in the cabin in taking baggage declarations of the passengers, the claimant told the officer he had some trunks containing merchandise, and the officer being busy told him to wait. He did not however, wait, but went upon the deck, and neither then, nor at any time, made or offered to make any baggage declaration. When the ship came to the dock the trunks were unladen and placed on the wharf, -under a permit to land passengers' baggage. There was no permit to land them as merchandise. While they were being landed the officer accosted the claimant, and was told that he had some trunks containing merchandise. He was then asked for the invoice, and he gave to the officer Marshall & Snellgrove’s bill, with the heading torn off. The officer then told him he was liable to arrest for importing goods in that way, whereupon he immediately left the ship and the dock, returning no more to the dock, nor going to the custom house, though he heard of the seizure of the property on that day, or the next.

In view of this state of facts, exhibited by the evidence, the first question considered by the district court, and upon which instructions where given to the jury, was whether the property was imported by the claimant “contrary to law,” within the meaning of the act of X8CG, and whether it was, therefore, subject to forfeiture. The learned district judge was of opinion, and so in effect charged, that the provisions of the act of 1806 had no applicability to the case. That importing goods, subject to duties, without procuring triplicate invoices, and a consular certificate and without their entry upon the ship’s manifest as merchandise, is not such an importation as the law permits so far as relates to its mode, and that it is contrary to law does not seem to have been doubted. The act of 1803 applies to all invoices of goods, wares and merchandise. But the district judge held that the fourth section of the act of July 18, 1860, which enacted that any goods, wares and merchandise imported contrary to law be forfeited, and that the importer should be fined or imprisoned, applied only “to the importation either of special articles where the importation is wholly prohibited, or of merchandise admitted under some conditions or circumstances, and subject to duty, or forbidden under others,” and that “it did not include the importation of dutiable goods without the payment of duties.” With this construction of the act of 1800, I find myself unable to concur. I agree that the act is to be construed in view of other acts relating to the same subject matter; and, so far as possible, in harmony with them. But if a new provision is introduced into a statute, effect must be given to it, though it changes the prior existing law. It is true the act of 1863, which required triplicate invoices, with a consular certificate, did not prescribe a forfeiture for neglecting to obtain them. It only declared that without them the goods should not be admitted to entry. Forfeiture, was prescribed for making entries by means of false invoices or certificates. But all this is not- inconsistent with the power of congress to provide other penalties for importing goods without pursuing the prescribed forms of law. The manifest purpose of the act of 1863 was to protect the' revenues against smuggling and other frauds. Hence the requisition of triplicate invoices and of the consular certificate, which could not be given without a minute and' particular declaration, specifying facts very material to be known by the revenue officers. The act of 1866 professes by its title to be an act further to prevent smuggling. It is practically a remedial act, therefore, in a very just sense, though some of its provisions are penal. It is to be construed with reference to the mischiefs it was intended to remedy. Now, it is plain, the mischiefs in view were not only the introduction into the country of goods, the importation of which was prohibited, but illegal importation of dutiable articles. That dutiable floods were in contemplation of congress is made manifest by the provisions of the third section, which authorizes a search for goods “subject to duty,” or “which have been introduced into the United States in any manner contrary to law,” and in case they are found, authorizes a seizure of them and a forfeiture. Then follows the fourth section, containing a more general provision, which prescribes forfeiture of any goods imported contrary to law, and imposes a penalty upon the importer. Goods imported in the manner in which the goods now in controversy were imported are, in my judgment, imported contrary to law, as much as if they had been goods which could not legally be imported at all.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
27 F. Cas. 161, 22 Int. Rev. Rec. 317, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-nine-trunks-circtdnj-1877.