The Guy, 76 U.S. 758 (1869)
U.S. Supreme Court
The Guy, 76 U.S. 9 Wall. 758 758 (1869)The Guy
76 U.S. (9 Wall.) 758
Syllabus
1. The principles laid down in The Grapeshot (supra, <|76 U.S. 129|>129), so far as relates to liens upon foreign vessels for repairs, affirmed.
2. The fact that the person calling himself owner and agent of the vessel gave acceptances for the amount charged for the repairs held not to affect the case, the acceptor having been insolvent and unworthy of credit, and the credit having in fact been given to the boat.
Tall filed a libel in the District Court at New York against the steamer Guy, claiming a lien on the boat for repairs made upon her in Baltimore, Maryland, and alleged by the libel to have been necessary to fit her for the prosecution of her then employment, which was, in connection with several other boats, the transportation of the government mails and of passengers and freight, between Norfolk, Virginia, and Newbern, North Carolina. It was admitted that Baltimore was not the home port of the Guy, and indeed that she did not belong to Maryland at all. The repairs were ordered by one Olney, who called himself proprietor and agent of the line and seemed to have been the owner of the Guy, and they were reasonably fit and necessary. There was proof that the libellant received from Olney acceptances for the amount of the repairs, but none that they were taken in absolute payment. On the contrary, it appeared that the acceptor was insolvent and unworthy of credit, and that in fact the credit was given to the boat.
The boat, having subsequently arrived in New York, was arrested on this libel. One Healy now appeared as claimant, setting up a transfer to him subsequent to the date of the repairs made, and resisted a condemnation.
The district court decreed in favor of the libellant, and the circuit court having affirmed the decree, the case was brought here.
