Westfeldt Bros. v. United States

25 Cust. Ct. 373, 1950 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 633
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedAugust 7, 1950
DocketNo. 7857; Entry No. 1957
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 25 Cust. Ct. 373 (Westfeldt Bros. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Westfeldt Bros. v. United States, 25 Cust. Ct. 373, 1950 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 633 (cusc 1950).

Opinion

Cline, Judge:

This is an appeal for reappraisement of merchandise, •described in the invoices as El Pais cooking chocolate and Ambrosia [374]*374cooking chocolate, exported from Cuba on or about May 24, 1943'. Tbe El Pais is packed in cartons consisting of 25 units of 2 bars, eacb bar weighing 6% ounces. Tbe Ambrosia is packed in cartons consisting of 25 units of 2 bars, eacb bar weighing 7 ounces. Tbe merchandise was manufactured by La Ambrosia Industrial, S. A., and was imported for the account of Cuban American Products Co.

Tbe El Pais was invoiced and entered at $4.37% per carton and was. appraised at $8 per carton, less 2 per centum, packed. Tbe Ambrosia, was invoiced and entered at $6.50 per carton and was appraised at. $10.50 per carton, less 2 per centum, packed. Both types were-appraised on tbe basis of tbe export value.

At tbe trial counsel for tbe plaintiff conceded that tbe entered values were not correct, but claimed that tbe appraised values were incorrect also.

Tbe evidence in this case is entirely documentary. Plaintiff’s exhibits 1, 2, and 3 are affidavits of Hipólito Peguero Carus, manager of La Ambrosia Industrial, S. A., together with copies of invoices. In plaintiff’s exhibits 1 and 2 tbe affiant states that tbe El Pais was sold for home consumption in April 1943 at $4 per carton and in May,. June, July, and August at $5.50 per carton; that this brand was sold for export to Tampa during April at $5.75 and $6.50 per carton and to New York at $4.25 and $4.37% per carton; that is was not sold for export to Tampa during May, June, and July, but was sold to New York during those months at $4.37% per carton. Tbe affiant states further that tbe Ambrosia was sold for home consumption in April 1943 at $6.50 per carton and in May, June, July, and August at $7 per carton; that it was sold for export to Tampa and New York during April at $6.50 per carton; that it was not sold for export to Tampa during July but was sold to New York in July at $6.50 per carton. Nothing is stated in these exhibits as to sales of Ambrosia for export during May and June.

In plaintiff’s exhibit 3 the affiant states that during March 1943 tbe El Pais was sold for home consumption at 17 cents per pound or $4.25 per case; that in May it was sold at 25 cents per pound or $6.25 per case; that in August it was sold at 22 cents per pound or $5.50 per case; that in September it was sold at 25 cents per pound or $6.25 per case; that tbe Ambrosia was sold for home consumption during March at $7.50 per case and during May, August, and September at $8 pel-ease; that there were no contracts or orders for sale to the United States from May to October 1943 except to C. C. Richardson Co., Cuban American Products Co., and Villar & Osorio Co., Inc.; that tbe last-mentioned company received a shipment on August 17, 1943, of 40> cases of El Pais at 17 cents per pound or $4.25 per case.

It is apparent that the term “case” used in plaintiff’s exhibit 3 is not tbe same as tbe term “carton” used in tbe invoices herein and in. [375]*375plaintiff’s exhibits 1 and 2. According to the invoices the carton of El Pais consists of 25 units of 2 bars, each bar weighing 6$ ounces. The carton would therefore weigh 19.53 pounds. 19.53 pounds multiplied by 25 cents (the price per pound in May, according to plaintiff’s exhibit 3) would not equal $6.25, but would equal $4.8825. The cases must have contained 25 pounds each. The cases exported to Villar & Osorio Co., Inc., at 17 cents per pound or $4.25 per case must also have contained 25 pounds. Note, however, the following statements contained in the invoices to Villar & Osorio Co., Inc., attached to plaintiff’s exhibits 2 and 3:

40 Cartons each 50 packages 6% oz
Cooking Chocolate EL PAIS— $0. 17 170. 00
40 Cartons each 50/6% oz. El Pais
Cooking Chocolate_ 0. 17 170. 00

These statements do not appear to be correct.

Plaintiff’s exhibit 4 is an affidavit of L. Figueredo, managing partner of Gil & Figueredo, stating that it made shipments of chocolate bars, weighing 7 ounces per carton in cartons of 50, at 30% cents per' pound during July, August, September, and October 1943. The record does not show whether this chocolate was the same as or similar to the chocolate here involved.

. Plaintiff’s exhibit 5 is another affidavit of Hipólito Reguero Carus, stating that during May 1943 the El Pais was quoted at $32 per 100 pounds, net weight of chocolate, and the Ambrosia at $42 per 100 pounds, net weight of chocolate; that the chocolate offered to C. C.Richardson & Co. (hereinafter called Richardson) was similar to that sold under the same brand names to Cuban American Products Co., Inc. (hereinafter called Cuban American); that the chocolate offered to Richardson was packed differently than the chocolate sold to Cuban American; that the cost of wrapping Richardson’s merchandise was $1.03 more per case than the merchandise sold and shipped to Cuban American.

Defendant introduced into evidence a report of Valentine C. Schug, examiner of merchandise, to which is attached a copy of a letter dated May 4, 1943, from La Ambrosia Industrial, S. A., to Richardson (defendant’s collective exhibit 6). The letter contains the following:

We will forward you new samples and wish to say that the new price'for the chocolates will be El Pais at $32.00 and AMBROSIA at $42.00.
Awaiting your further advices on the above, we are,
Very truly yours,
Signed LA AMBROSIA INDUSTRIAL S. A.
CARTONS EACH EL PAIS $8.00
CARTONS EACH AMBROSIA $10.50

Attached to defendant’s collective exhibit 6 is a copy of a letter from Joseph II. Dillon, Treasury representative in charge, to the [376]*376-director of the Customs Information Exchange, referring to a letter ■from the Customs Information Exchange requesting an investigation to ascertain whether or not the manufacturer’s copy of the letter to Richardson, mentioned above, was available, since the attorney for Richardson had submitted a copy identical with that attached to the ■examiner’s report “with the exception that the phrase ‘ Cartons Each El Pais $8.00’ and ‘Cartons Each Ambeosia $10.50’ does not appear.” Mr. Dillon stated that he was unable to obtain the letter from the offices of La Ambrosia Industrial, S. A., since many records had been destroyed by a fire. In a subsequent letter, Mr. Dillon stated that he had been informed by a clerk in the office of La Ambrosia Industrial, S. A., that—

* * * the cartons of “El Pais” chocolate, which were offered for sale at $8.00 per carton in May 1943, contained fifty (50) bars, each weighing 6Yi ounces, and the cartons of “Ambrosia” chocolate, which were offered for sale at $10.50 per carton in May 1943, contained fifty (50) bars, each weighing 7 ounces.

Plaintiff’s exhibit 5-A consists of an affidavit of C. C. Richardson, •stating that to the best of his recollection, La Ambrosia, S. A., made an offer in May 1943 of the El Pais at $32 per 100 pounds, net weight, .and of the Ambrosia at $42 per 100 pounds, net weight.

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Related

Westfeldt Bros. v. United States
29 Cust. Ct. 561 (U.S. Customs Court, 1952)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
25 Cust. Ct. 373, 1950 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 633, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/westfeldt-bros-v-united-states-cusc-1950.