Norma C. Guillot, Bobbie Lynn Guillot and Norman Andras v. Cenac Towing Company, Inc., as Owner of the Barge Murray Mac

JOHN R. BROWN, Circuit Judge:

To the 4-1-4 riddle of Jane Smith 1 this case adds a new wrinkle. Mike Hooks, Inc. v. Pena, 5 Cir., 1963, 313 F.2d 696, 1963 AMC 355. The problem is the imminent collision course between the Louisiana Direct Action Statute, L. R.S. 22:655 and the Federal Limitation of Shipowner’s Liability Act, 46 U.S.C.A. § 183 et seq. There the Court, unable to muster a majority for an authoritative ruling on the point at issue, avoided risk of collision by a sort of general prudential 2 acceptance of the swing vote approach of Mr. Justice Clark that the issue be deferred until…