Plunder

The capture of personal property on land by a public enemy, with a view of making it his own. The property so captured is called "plunder." The taking by open force, as by pirates. It has been used in the sense of aggravated and open larceny. 8 Fed. 232.

The capture of personal property on land by a public enemy, with a view of making it his own. The property so captured is called plunder. See, for a full discussion of the subject, U. S. v. Stone, 8 Fed. 24G; Carter v. Andrews, 1G Pick. (Mass.) 9; Capture; Booty; Prize.

v. . The most common meaning of the term "to plunder" is to take property from persons or places by open force, and this may be in course of a lawful war or by uniawful hostility, as in the case of pirates or banditti. But in another and very common meaning, though in some degree figurative, it is used to express the idea of taking property from a person or place, without just right, but not expressing the nature or quuiity of the wrong done. Carter v. Andrews, 16 Pick. (Mass.) 9; U. S. v. Stone (C. C.) 8 Fed. 246; U. S. v. Pitman. 27 Fed. Cas. 540.

To take from person or place by open force; to take without right

* The most common meaning is, to take property from persons or places by open force, as in the case of pirates or banditti. In another common meaning (in some degree figurative), expresses the idea of taking property from a person or place without just right, but not stating the nature or quality of the wrong done.' Embraces robbery and fraudulent taking, or embezzlement. Thus, a vessel may be said to be plundered, not only if openly attacked and robbed, but if property be taken from her furtively, in the night time, or after she has been abandoned by the crew."

To plunder is often used to express the idea of taking prop^ ei-ty without right to do so; but not as expressing the nature of the wrong involved, or necessarily imputing a felonious taking. Hence words charging plaintiff with having plundered a library are not actionable, without an averment of extrinsic circumstances showing they were used and understood as imputing larceny. Carter v. Andrews, 16 Pick. 1. See United States v. Pitman, 1 Sprague^ 196.