Dodge v. United States the Ray of Block Island, No. 341

CourtUnited States Supreme Court
Writing for the CourtHOLMES
Citation47 S.Ct. 191,71 L.Ed. 392,272 U.S. 530
Decision Date23 November 1926
Docket NumberNo. 341
PartiesDODGE et al. v. UNITED STATES. THE RAY OF BLOCK ISLAND

272 U.S. 530
47 S.Ct. 191
71 L.Ed. 392
DODGE et al.

v.

UNITED STATES. THE RAY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

No. 341.
Argued Oct. 27, 1926.
Decided Nov. 23, 1926.

Mr. Daniel T. Hagan, of Providence, R. I., for petitioners.

The Attorney General and Mrs. Mabel Walker Willebrandt, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the United States.

Mr. Justice HOLMES delivered the opinion of the Court.

This was a proceeding in the District Court of the United States for the condemnation of the motorboat Ray of Block Island. The owners appeared as claimants and moved that the libel be dismissed on the ground that the facts alleged did not warrant a condemnation. The district Court granted the motion. 7 F.(2d) 189.

Page 531

The Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the decree. 11 F. (2d) 522. As there was a conflict of decisions between different Circuit Courts of Appeals a writ of certiorari was granted by this Court. 271 U. S. 655, 46 S. Ct. 489, 70 L. Ed. 1134.

The libel was brought under the National Prohibition Act October 28, 1919, c. 85, title 2, § 26, 41 Stat. 305, 315 (Comp. St. § 10138 1/2 mm). It alleged that police officers of the city of Providence, Rhode Island, discovered a man named, seemingly one of the claimants, in the act of transporting contrary to said law intoxicating liquors in the Ray of Block Island, over navigable waters of the United States; that the officers seized the liquors and the boat and arrested the man; that he subsequently was arrested by officers of the United States, was convicted of transporting intoxicating liquors in violation of said law and was fined; that the motorboat was now in custody of a federal prohibition director for the District of Rhode Island; and that by reason of the premises the motorboat was subject to condemnation and sale. The ground on which the libel was dismissed by the District Court was that the language of section 26, making it the duty of 'the Commissioner, his assistants, inspectors, or any officer of the law' to seize the liquor and vehicle, did not extend to the police officers of the City, who had no authority from the State to take these steps. It is stated in argument and perhaps fairly might be assumed, if we thought it important, that when the vessel was handed over to the prohibition director the liquor was no longer aboard and that the man arrested was not present at the scene. See United States v. One Reo Motor Truck (D. C.) 6 F. (2d) 412. The Circuit Court of Appeals while agreeing with the above...

To continue reading

Request your trial
90 practice notes
  • Jeffers v. United States, No. 10499.
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (District of Columbia)
    • December 7, 1950
    ...property may be introduced in evidence in a criminal proceeding. The authorities are clearly to the contrary. Dodge v. United States, 272 U.S. 530, 47 S.Ct. 191, 71 L.Ed. 392 (1926); United States v. Maggio, D.C., 51 F.2d 397 (S.D.N.Y.1931); United States v. Eight Boxes, etc., 105 F.2d 896 ......
  • U.S. v. Toscanino, No. 746
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit
    • October 8, 1974
    ...resulting from a violation of its laws, the fact that the possession was acquired by a wrongful act is immaterial. Dodge v. United States, 272 U.S. 530, 532 (47 S.Ct. 191, 71 L.Ed. 392). Compare Ker v. Illinois, 119 U.S. 436, 444 (7 S.Ct. 225, 30 L.Ed. 421). The doctrine rests primarily upo......
  • Fell v. Armour, Civ. A. No. 6367.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Middle District of Tennessee
    • November 27, 1972
    ...the property has been used in violation of the Act is not an unreasonable seizure under the Fourth Amendment. Dodge v. United States, 272 U.S. 530, 47 S.Ct. 191, 71 L. Ed. 392 (1926); United States v. Troiano, 365 F.2d 416 (3rd Cir. 1966), cert. denied 385 U.S. 958, 87 S.Ct. 396, 17 L.Ed.2d......
  • United States v. Leon, No. 82-1771
    • United States
    • United States Supreme Court
    • July 5, 1984
    ...by the Constitution those rights would be infringed yet further if the evidence were allowed to be used." Dodge v. United States, 272 U.S. 530, 532, 47 S.Ct. 191, 192, 71 L.Ed. 392 (1926). As the Court further explained in Olmstead v. United States, 277 U.S. 438, 48 S.Ct. 564, 72 L.Ed.......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
90 cases
  • Jeffers v. United States, No. 10499.
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (District of Columbia)
    • December 7, 1950
    ...property may be introduced in evidence in a criminal proceeding. The authorities are clearly to the contrary. Dodge v. United States, 272 U.S. 530, 47 S.Ct. 191, 71 L.Ed. 392 (1926); United States v. Maggio, D.C., 51 F.2d 397 (S.D.N.Y.1931); United States v. Eight Boxes, etc., 105 F.2d 896 ......
  • U.S. v. Toscanino, No. 746
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit
    • October 8, 1974
    ...resulting from a violation of its laws, the fact that the possession was acquired by a wrongful act is immaterial. Dodge v. United States, 272 U.S. 530, 532 (47 S.Ct. 191, 71 L.Ed. 392). Compare Ker v. Illinois, 119 U.S. 436, 444 (7 S.Ct. 225, 30 L.Ed. 421). The doctrine rests primarily upo......
  • Fell v. Armour, Civ. A. No. 6367.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Middle District of Tennessee
    • November 27, 1972
    ...the property has been used in violation of the Act is not an unreasonable seizure under the Fourth Amendment. Dodge v. United States, 272 U.S. 530, 47 S.Ct. 191, 71 L. Ed. 392 (1926); United States v. Troiano, 365 F.2d 416 (3rd Cir. 1966), cert. denied 385 U.S. 958, 87 S.Ct. 396, 17 L.Ed.2d......
  • United States v. Leon, No. 82-1771
    • United States
    • United States Supreme Court
    • July 5, 1984
    ...by the Constitution those rights would be infringed yet further if the evidence were allowed to be used." Dodge v. United States, 272 U.S. 530, 532, 47 S.Ct. 191, 192, 71 L.Ed. 392 (1926). As the Court further explained in Olmstead v. United States, 277 U.S. 438, 48 S.Ct. 564, 72 L.Ed.......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT