Murray v. Schooner Charming Betsy

The Charming Betsy, sold to Jared Shattuck — born in the United States but a lifelong resident of the Danish territory of St. Thomas who had sworn allegiance to Denmark — was captured by a French national and then recaptured and sold by American captain Murray (defendant), who acted under a federal statute barring commerce between American residents (or those under U.S. protection) and the French, believing the French seizure was a cover for an illegal sale by Shattuck. Denmark's consul, representing a neutral country in the American-French conflict, claimed the ship on the ground that Shattuck was a Danish subject; the trial court found Murray's seizure illegal and ordered the ship returned with damages paid, and the court of appeals affirmed before Murray sought Supreme Court review.