In re Ross
Encyclopedia
In re Ross or Ross v. McIntyre, , was a United States Supreme Court
case decided on May 21, 1891. It dealt with the application of US law to foreign sailors on US flagged ships while in another country.
John M. Ross, a sailor on the American ship Bullion, was convicted of murder on the ship while it was in Yokohama
before the US consul general at Kanagawa. He was sentenced to death, but President Rutherford B. Hayes
commuted the sentence to a life sentence of hard labor at Albany penitentiary. Although Ross accepted the commutation, he later sought a writ of habeas corpus
for his release on the grounds that having been born on Prince Edward Island
he was a British subject
and so not subject to the consular tribunal.
The court upheld the jurisdiction of the tribunal.
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
case decided on May 21, 1891. It dealt with the application of US law to foreign sailors on US flagged ships while in another country.
John M. Ross, a sailor on the American ship Bullion, was convicted of murder on the ship while it was in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
before the US consul general at Kanagawa. He was sentenced to death, but President Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
commuted the sentence to a life sentence of hard labor at Albany penitentiary. Although Ross accepted the commutation, he later sought a writ of habeas corpus
Habeas corpus
is a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to his aid. Habeas corpus originated in the English legal system, but it is now available in many nations...
for his release on the grounds that having been born on Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
he was a British subject
British subject
In British nationality law, the term British subject has at different times had different meanings. The current definition of the term British subject is contained in the British Nationality Act 1981.- Prior to 1949 :...
and so not subject to the consular tribunal.
The court upheld the jurisdiction of the tribunal.