United States v. Shea

This was a petition by Daniel Shea to recover money claimed to be due for the hire of certain vessels, furnished by the petitioner for the use of the government under a contract. The court below rendered judgment for the petitioner, and the United States appeal.

Statement by Mr. Justice BREWER:

The facts of this case are stated in the findings of the court of claims. The first is that on May 28, 1886, the petitioner entered into a contract with the deputy quartermaster general of the army for and in behalf of the United States, the important articles of which are as follows:

'Article 1. That the said Daniel Shea shall provide and furnish to the party of the first part, whenever called upon during the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, such vessels of the descriptions hereinafter given as may be required to take the place of the vessels now performing service for the U.S. army between New York city and Governor's Island, New York, Governor's Island and Sandy Hook, and New York harbor generally, respectively,- the steamers Atlantic, Ordnance, and Chester A. Arthur; that the vessels furnished as aforesaid must each have an engineer and fireman, and conform to the following conditions, viz.: The steamer to take the place of the Chester A. Arthur must be of about the size and the character of the Chester A. Arthur, and the steamers to take the places of the Atlantic and Ordance, respectively, must have the capacity for freight and passengers, and be of the size and character, of the steamer James Bowen; and that all the vessels furnished must be staunch, in first-class order in every respect, well equipped, and conform fully to the requirements of the law.

'It is further agreed that the fuel required by said vessels so furnished while in service, under this agreement, shall be supplied by the government, and that this contract shall commence on the first day of July, eighteen hundred and eighty-six.

'And it is further agreed that the party of the second part shall furnish, when required, the remainder of the crew, consisting of a captain, a mate, two deck hands, and a fireman. * * *

'Art. 4. That for and in consideration of the faithful performance of the stipulations of this agreement the party of the second part shall be paid, at the office of the disbursing quartermaster, U.S. army, at New York city, as follows: The sum of sixty-seven (67) dollars per day for each vessel employed, including the engineer and the fireman, when employed by the day, and the sum of ten (10) dollars per hour for each vessel employed, including the engineer and the fireman, when employed by the hour; and for the said remainder of the crew, when required, the sum of thirteen dollars per day.

'Art. 5. That in case of failure of the said party of the second part to comply with the stipulations of this contract, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, then the party of the first part shall have the power to hire vessels elsewhere in open market at the sole expense and charge of the party of the second part.'

The second and third findings are as follows:

2. 'After the making of said contract, and before the expiration of the fiscal year, (June 30, 1887,) upon being called upon by the quartermaster's department therefor, the claimant provided and furnished a vessel called the James Bowen, then staunch, in first-class order in every respect, well equipped, and conforming fully to the requirements of the law, and with such part of the crew as the claimant was required by the contract to furnish, and the same was accepted and used by the defendants.'

3. 'On the 1st day of January, 1887, while in the service and under the exclusive management and control of the quartermaster's department, and having an unlicensed captain or pilot, said vessel was damaged in a collision with a ferryboat, in consequence of which she was necessarily laid up for repairs until March 2d of the same year, when, on the next day, she resumed work.

'The collision occurred during a fog, and the supervising inspectors, on an investigation, found that it was accidental, and was not due to inattention, unskillfulness, or lack of precaution on the part of the pilots. The cost of repairs was paid by the claimant.

'During the time said vessel was undergoing repairs, the claimant, being called upon therefor, furnished another vessel under said contract, for which he paid $55 a day. During said time the engineer and fireman of the claimant were on the vessel watching and superintending the work.'

There is no express finding that any sum was ever paid to the petitioner on account of this contract. It appears, however, from the fourth finding, that, on April 1, 1887, the deputy quartermaster general forwarded to the guartermaster general a voucher, of which the following is a copy:

The United States to Daniel Shea, Dr.

Place and date. Dols. Cts.

N. Y. City. April

1, 1887. For hire of the steamer James

Bowen, from Jan'y 1st to

March 2d, 1887, inclusive, 61

days, at $55 per day%.......... $3,355 00

Engineer and fireman, 61 days,

at $7.00%......................... 427 00

---

$3,782 00 Which voucher was accompanied with a recommendation that authority be granted to pay the same, and with the following explanation:

'The facts are as stated herein: The James Bowen was under charter to the quartermaster's department, and, as the quartermaster general is aware, was, on the 1st of January, 1887, on one of her trips between the Battery and Governor's Island, run into by the Brooklyn ferryboat Atlantic.

'The James Bowen was at the time under the exclusive control and management of the government, being manned and navigated by employes of the quartermaster's department.

'In the collision the James Bowen was very badly damaged, and while undergoing repairs her owner was compelled to hire a vessel in her stead. The within claim is made for reimbursement of that expense. I regard it as perfectly proper, reasonable, and just, and therefore recommend its payment.

'Henry C. Hodges,

'Deputy Q. M. Gen. U.S. Army, Depot Quartermaster.'

That on April 6, 1887, the quartermaster general called upon the deputy quartermaster general for further particulars, and received in response a letter, copied at length, the latter part of which is as follows:

'The James Bowen was under charter to, and employed by, the quartermaster's department at the time of the collision under the contract of Daniel Shea, dated May 28th, 1886. Immediately after the collision the contractor was called upon to furnish another vessel under this contract. He furnished the steamer E. H. Webster, one of his own boats. That vessel, although a very staunch, good boat, was not entirely satisfactory for the service, and, upon search, the Joseph Stickney was found and put on the duty by the contractor. The E. H. Webster was on duty from January 1st to 4th, inclusive, and the Joseph Stickney from January 5th to March 2d, 1887. During this time the James Bowen was undergoing repair of the damage done in the collision. As the James Bowen was at the time wholly in charge and under the management and control of the quartermaster's department, I was under the opinion, and am still, that the department was bound to save the contractor from loss on account of the damage, and to pay for her time under the contract until restored to her owner upon completion of the repairs.

'With this in view she was reported, on my report of persons and articles for January, at the contract rate, viz. $67 per day, including an engineer and a fireman. Upon further reflection, however, I concluded to allow for the Bowen's time only at the rate which her owner was obliged to pay for the vessel put in her stead. One of these, the E. H. Webster, was his own, and was in service, as before stated, from January 1st to 4th, and the other, the Joseph Stickney, was hired by him at $55.00 per day, and was in service from January 5th to March 2d. So the matter stands thus:

'The E. H. Webster was in service from January 1st to 4th, and the Joseph Stickney from January 5th to March 2d, and has been paid for. The James Bowen was laid up from January 1st to March 2d, inclusive, and her time has not been paid for, but I recommend that her owner be paid at the rate of $55.00 per day for the vessel. I inclose herewith a voucher covering the time, as well as the item for an engineer and a fireman, empraced in Shea's claim in article 1 of this letter. If the quartermaster general desires, supplementary reports of persons and articles covering this service will be prepared and forwarded immediately.'

On May 17th the quartermaster general transmitted the claim and voucher to the third auditor of the treasury for adjudication and settlement.

The fifth finding is that on 'November 29, 1887, the auditor reported against paying the claim, on the alleged ground that the boat was wholly under the control of the owner and his agents and employes, and if the injury had been due to the negligence of anyone connected with the management of the James Bowen, and not due to the ferryboat, (with which the collision occurred,) the United States could not be charged with that negligence. The second comptroller, on the same day, concurred with the auditor in disallowing the claim, and it has not been paid.' On these facts thus found, the court of claims decided as a conclusion of law that the plaintiff was entitled to recover the sum of $4,087.

Asst. Atty. Gen. Dodge and Conway Robinson, for the United states.

[Argument of Counsel from pages 183-185 intentionally omitted]

Franklin H. Mackey and John W. Butterfield, for appellee.

Mr. Justice BREWER, after stating the facts in the foregoing language, delivered the opinion of the court.