United States v. Ashcraft-Wilkinson Co.

SIBLEY, District Judge.

This is a libel in personam, brought by the United States, as owner of the steamship Vittorio Emmanuele III, against Asheraft-Wilkinson Company, recipients of the cargo, to collect demur-rage for delay in discharging the ship. I find the material facts to be as follows:

In the fall of 1919, Asheraft-Wilkinson Company contracted to buy of a German syndicate a cargo of fertilizer salts, to be delivered in Savannah, Ga., free of freight, insurance, and other costs. To carry out the sale, J. H. Bachmann, of Bremen, chartered the steamer Vittorio Emmanuele III, under a…