Treakle v. Pocahontas Steamship Co.

The appellants, Treakle and others, a group of tugboat pilots employed by Coal Terminal Towing Corporation and its predecessors, filed a libel against Pocahontas Steamship Company, in per-sonam, and the steamship “CONSOLIDATION COAL” in rem. Subsequently appellants filed a similar libel against Marine Coal Transport Corporation, in personam, and the steamship “MARINE ELECTRIC” in rem. Exceptions and/or exceptive allegations were seasonably filed by the vessel owners and testimony was taken in support of the exceptions. The two cases were consolidated for trial and upon appeal.

The sole…