US SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

The libellant in a suit in rem, in admiralty, against a vessel, for damages growing out of a collision, claimed in his libel, to recover $27,000 damages. chanrobles.com-redchanrobles.com-red

Page 108 U. S. 306

After the attachment of the vessel in the district court, a stipulation in the sum of $2,100, as her appraised value, was given. The libel having been dismissed by the circuit court, on appeal, the libellant appealed to this Court. Held that the matter in dispute did not exceed the sum or value of $5,000, exclusive of costs, as required by § 3 of the Act of February 16, 1875, 18 Stat. 316, and that this Court had no jurisdiction of the appeal.

A decree against the vessel for $27,000 would not establish the liability of the claimant to respond for that amount in personam, unless he was the owner of the vessel at the time of the collision, and that fact must appear by the record, in order to be so far a foundation for such liability as to authorize this Court to consider the $27,000 as the value of the matter in dispute on said appeal.

Libel in admiralty for a collision, alleging a damage to barge and cargo of upwards of $27,000. The offending vessel was appraised at $2,100, and a statutory stipulation for that amount was taken. Judgment was rendered below against the libellant, who appealed. The appellees moved to dismiss the appeal for want of jurisdiction. chanrobles.com-redchanrobles.com-red

Page 108 U. S. 308