Docket No. 2054.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
on behalf of
Edward Gibbons, individually and as Administrator of the Estate of Michael Gibbons, Deceased,
Claimants,
v.
GERMANY.
BY THE COMMISSION: –
Michael Gibbons, a naturalized American citizen, 34 years of age, was a passenger on and went down with the Lusitania. He had never married. His sole source of income was his wages of $16.00 per week. He left surviving him five brothers and two sisters, four of the brothers were at that time and have since remained American nationals, the other brother and the two sisters were British subjects. So far as disclosed by the record none of these was dependent upon or could reasonably have anticipated receiving contributions from him the future. The claimants have failed to discharge the burden resting upon them of proving that they or any of them have suffered damages from the brother’s death which can be measured by pecuniary standards.
The box containing the personal effects of the deceased was not placed aboard the Lusitania. No claim is made for the property lost.
Applying the rules heretofore announced in the Lusitania Opinion and in the other decisions of this Commission to the facts as disclosed by this record, the Commission decrees that under the Treaty of Berlin of August 25, 1921, and in accordance with its terms the Government of Germany is not obligated to pay to the Government of the United States any amount on behalf of the claimants herein.
Done at Washington January 7, 1925.
EDWIN B. PARKER,
Umpire.
CHANDLER P. ANDERSON,
American Commissioner.
W. KIESSELBACH,
German Commissioner.
As Woodrow Wilson said—The British are thieves but the Germans are murderers. Truer words were never spoken.