Wilkes v. . People's Fire Insurance Company

The allegation in the answer in this case is, that before the time of issuing the policy, the steamer had been registered as a vessel of the United States, pursuant to the provisions of the act of Congress of December 31, 1792, and that she was, subsequent to such registry and insuring, sold by her then owner to Fortier, who was an alien; and that the title was fraudulently taken in the name of plaintiff, who had at the time no insurable interest.

The evidence entirely fails to prove a registry, but, on the contrary, shows that the steamer was an enrolled vessel. The enrollment did not…