destroy

Defined in 5 dictionaries — Case Law, Bouvier (1914), Black's (1910), Kinney (1893), Anderson (1889)

Definitions from Case Law

From 4 U.S. 412 - The United States v. Richard Johns · 1806Most cited · 34 citing opinions

To destroy a vessel, is to unfit her for service, beyond the hopes of recovery, by ordinary means. This, in extent of injury, is synonymous with cast away. It is the generical term: casting away is a species of destroying, as burning is. Both mean such an act, as causes a vessel to perish, or be lost, so as to be irrecoverable by ordinary means.

Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia

John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914

In the act of congress punishing with death any one destroying vessels, it means to unfit the vessel for service, beyond the hopes of recovery, by ordinary means. U. S. v. Johns, 1 Wash. C. C. 363, Fed. Cas. No. 15,481; • TJ. S. v. Johns, 4 Dall. (TJ. S.) 412, 1 L. Ed. 888. A will burned, cancelled, or torn, animo revocandi is destroyed; Johnson v. Brailsford, 2 Nott & McC. (S. C.) 272. 10 Am. Dec. 601. The scratching out of the signature in the sense of the statute; 56 L. J. R. Pr. & D. 96.

Black's Law Dictionary

Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910

As used In policies of Insurance, leases, and in maritime law, this term is often applied to an act which renders the subject useless for its intended purpose, though it does not literally demolish or annihilate it. In re McCabe, 11 Pa. Super. Ct. 564; Solomon v. Kingston, 24 Hun (N. Y.) 564; Insurance Co. v. Feibelman, 118 Ala. 308, 23 South. 759; Spalding v. Munford, 37 Mo. App. 281. To "destroy" a vessel means to unfit It for further service, beyond the hope of recovery by ordinary means. U. S. v. Johns, 26 Fed. Cas. 618. In relation to wills, contracts, and other documents, the term "destroy" does not import the annihilation of the instrument or its resolution into other forms of matter, but a destruction of its legal efficacy, which may be by cancellation, obliterating, tearing into fragments, etc. Appeal of Evans, 58 Pa. 244; Allen v. State Bank, 21 N. C. 12; In re Gangwere's Estate, 14 Pa. 417, 53 Am. Dec. 554; Johnson v. Brailsford, 2 Nott & McC. (S. C.) 272, 10 Am. Dec. 601.

A Law Dictionary and Glossary

George C. Kinney · 1893

As applied to a vessel, to unfit her for service beyond hope of recovery by ordinary means.

A Dictionary of Law

William C. Anderson · 1889

To " destroy a vessel " is to unfit her for service beyond the hope of re-. CO very by ordinary means. 3 Destroyed Instrument. See Evidence, Secondary; Lost, 3. Destroyed property. See Mischief, Malicious; Perishable; Res, Perit, etc.