This page has been validated.
On masters of vessels or others who shall take a false oath. a ship or vessel, or from an owner or consignee of goods, wares and merchandise, if the person so swearing or affirming, shall swear or affirm falsely, such person shall, on indictment and conviction thereof, be punished by fine or imprisonment, or both, in the discretion of the court before whom the conviction shall be had, so as the fine shall not exceed one thousand dollars, and the term of imprisonment shall not exceed twelve months.
Mode of prosecuting and recovering penalties and forfeitures.
Sec. 36. And be it further enacted, That all penalties accruing by any breach of this act, shall be sued for and recovered with costs of suit, in the name of the United States, in any court proper to try the same, by the collector of the district where the same accrued, and not otherwise, unless in cases of penalty relating to an officer of the customs; and such collector shall be, and hereby is authorized and directed to sue for and prosecute the same to effect, and to distribute and pay the sum recovered, after first deducting all necessary costs and charges, according to law. And all ships or vessels, goods, wares and merchandise, which shall become forfeit by virtue of this act, shall be seized, libelled and prosecuted as aforesaid, in the proper court having cognizance thereof; and the court shall cause fourteen days, notice to be given of such seizure and libel, by causing the substance of such libel, with the order of the court thereon, setting forth the time and place appointed for trial, to be inserted in some public newspaper, nearest the place of seizure, and also by posting up the same in the most public manner for the space of fourteen days, at or near the place of trial; and proclamation shall be made in such manner as the court shall direct; and if no person shall appear to claim such ship or vessel, goods, wares or merchandise, the same shall be adjudged to be forfeited; but if any person shall appear before such judgment of forfeiture, and claim any such ship or vessel, goods, wares or merchandise, and shall give bond to defend the prosecution thereof, and to respond the cost in case he shall not support his claim, the court shall proceed to hear and determine the cause according to law; and upon the prayer of any claimant to the court, that any ship or vessel, goods, wares or merchandises so seized and prosecuted, or any part thereof should be delivered to such claimant, it shall be lawful for the court to appoint three proper persons to appraise such ship or vessel, goods, wares or merchandise, who shall be sworn in open court for the faithful discharge of their duty; and such appraisement shall be made at the expense of the party on whose prayer it is granted; and on the return of such appraisement, if the claimant shall, with one or more sureties, to be approved of by the court, execute a bond in the usual form, to the United States, for the payment of a sum equal to the sum at which the ship or vessel, goods, wares or merchandise so prayed to be delivered, be appraised, the court shall by rule order such ship or vessel, goods, wares or merchandise, to be delivered to the said claimant, and the said bond shall be lodged with the proper officer of the court; and if judgment shall pass in favour of the claimant, the court shall cause the said bond to be cancelled; but if judgment shall pass against the claimant, as to the whole or any part of such ship or vessel, goods, wares or merchandise, and the claimant shall not within twenty days thereafter pay into the court the amount of the appraised value of such ship or vessel, goods, wares or merchandise so condemned, with the costs, the bond shall be put in suit. And when any prosecution shall be commenced on account of the seizure of any ship or vessel, goods, wares or merchandise, and judgment shall be given for the claimant or claimants; if it shall appear to the court before whom such prosecution shall be tried, that there was a reasonable cause of seizure, the same court shall cause a proper certificate or entry to be made thereof, and in such case the claimant shall not be entitled to costs, nor shall the person who made the seizure, or the prosecutor be
