Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 70A.djvu/535

477 477 (3) report all information respecting the prize and her capture to the United States attorney; (4) deliver the persons sent as witnesses to the custody of the United States marshal; and (5) retain the prize in his custody until it is taken therefrom by process from the prize court. § 7659. Libel and proceedings by United States a t to r n e y (a) Upon receiving the report of the prize master directed by section 7658 of this title, the United States attorney for the district shall promptly— (1) file a libel against the prize property; (2) obtain a warrant from the court directing the marshal to take custody of the prize property; and (3) proceed to obtain a condemnation of the property. (b) I n connection with the condemnation proceedings the United States attorney shall insure that the prize commissioners— (1) take proper preparatory evidence; and (2) take depositions de bene esse of the prize crew and of other transient persons who know any facts bearing on condemnation. § 7660. Duties of prize commissioners One or more of the prize commissioners shall— (1) receive from the prize master the documents and papers of the captured vessel and the inventory thereof; (2) take the affidavit of the prize master required by section 7658 of this title; (3) take promptly, in the manner prescribed by section 7661 of this title, the testimony of the witnesses sent i n; (4) take, at the request of the United States attorney, on interrogatories prescribed by the court, the depositions de bene esse of the prize crew and others; (5) examine and inventory the prize property; (6) apply to the court for an order to the marshal to unload the cargo, if this is necessary to that examination and inventory; (7) report to the court, and notify the United States attorne^^, whether any of the prize property requires immediate sale m the interest of all parties; (8) report to the court, from time to time, any matter relating to the condition, custody, or disposal of the prize property requiring action by the court; (9) return to the court sealed and secured from inspection— (A) the documents and papers received, duly scheduled and numbered; (B) the preparatory evidence; (C) the evidence taken de bene esse; and (D) their inventory of the prize property; and (10) report to the Secretary of the Navy, if, in their judgment, any of the prize property is useful to the United States in the prosecution of war. § 7661. I n t e r r o g a t i o n of witnesses by prize commissioners Witnesses before the prize commissioners shall be questioned separately, on interrogatories prescribed by the court, in the manner

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