Legal Opinion

Williams' Case

U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Connecticut

Decided September 15, 1799Published

The indictment charged, that Isaac Williams, of Norwich, in the county of New London, in said district of Connecticut, a citizen of this United States, did, without the jurisdiction of any particular state, viz: at Guadaloupe, in the.

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The indictment charged, that Isaac Williams, of Norwich, in the county of New London, in said district of Connecticut, a citizen of this United States, did, without the jurisdiction of any particular state, viz: at Guadaloupe, in the. West Indies, on or about the twentieth day of February, A. D. 1797, he. the said Isaac Williams, then being a citizen of the United States, accept from the republic of France, a foreign state, and_ then enemy to the king of Great Britain, and at open war with said king — said king then was, and ever since hath been, in amity with said United States — a…

1Opinion of the Court

Judge LAW (District Judge)

expressed doubts as to the legal operation of the evidence: and gave it ns his opinion, that the evidence, and the operation of law thereon, be left to the consideration of the jury.

Judge ELLSWORTH,

the Chief Justice of *1331the United States, stated his views nearly in the following language:

NOTE. Cobbett, on July 19, 1799. thus noticed the proceedings which led to this trial: “Williams, the American Traitor. — St. Johns, Antigua, May 1. The ship William, Captain Atkinson, from Lancaster and Cork, bound to this island, has been taken and carried into Point a Petre. She…

2Cases cited2 opinions

  1. Alsberry v. HawkinsCourt of Appeals of Kentucky · 1839
  2. Fish v. StoughtonNew York Supreme Court · 1801

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