38 F. 258 | D.N.C. | 1889
This is a suit by the libelant for wages as cook on the schooner Frank S. Hall on a voyage from Philadelphia to Morehead City. Libelant, who lives in'Stonewall, N. C., had shipped as a cook from that place to'Philadelphia, and, desiring to return home, had applied to the master of the Frank S. Hall, which was understood to be bound' for Stonewall, for passage. The latter agreed to take him back. No precise contract appears to have been made, but it seems to have been understood that Johnson was to pay nothing and receive ño pay,but was to perform services generally as a return for his transportation and board. Afterwards, and while the schooner was at anchor at Newcastle, the cook was taken sick, and left the vessel.- Before he went he told libelant to take his place, and that he would be paid his wages, which were $25 a month. The master of the Vessel said nothing to libelant about wages, and the former cook had no authority to mak'eany promise tó him which would bind the vessel, but he went to work and served as cook during the voyage, which was a very tempestuous one, and lasted for 20 days, the schooner having been blown far out of her course by the great storm of November last. There being no contract as to services, the libelant would have been entitled to be paid on a quantum meruit for what he was actually worth, but for the fact that he, after he had commenced to work as cook, signed shipping articles,
The alleged special contract being out of the way, the remaining question is what libelant is entitled to. I do not think his services worth more than $15 per month. I fix them at that amount, as it is what he says he was paid for the voyage from Stonewall to Philadelphia. I should allow §25, which appears to be the regular rate on vessels of this class, but for the fact that libelant, though acting as a sailor, was a landsman, and liable to seasickness, which, on occasions (he says only two days; the master makes the time longer) disabled him from cooking., Judgment for libelant for $10 and costs.