Merryman v. The William Crane

Morris, District Judge.

This is a libel to recover for damage by seawater to 80 bales of cotton shipped on the steamer William Crane, to be carried from Savannah to Baltimore. The decision of this case depends upon whether the cotton was stowed in a place on the steamer where, under the bill of lading, it might rightly be placed. The William Crane is a large iron steam propeller, intended for the coastwise trade, and above her main deck has an upper deck, on the top of which are structures containing pilot house, officers’ quarters, and staterooms for passengers. Along the sides of the ship…