Summary

Portrait of Noah Haynes Swayne Noah Haynes Swayne United States v. State Bank — Opinion of the Court

But surely it ought to require neither argument nor authority to support the proposition, that, where the money or property of an innocent person has gone into the coffers of the nation by means of a fraud to which its agent was a party, such money or property cannot be held by the United States against the claim of the wronged and injured party.
Source: Wikisource

Portrait of Noah Haynes Swayne Noah Haynes Swayne United States v. State Bank — Opinion of the Court

A party who, without right and with guilty knowledge, obtains money of the United States from a disbursing officer, becomes indebted to the United States, and they may recover the amount. An action will lie whenever the defendant has received money which is the property of the plaintiff, and which the defendant is obliged by natural justice and equity to refund.
Source: Wikisource

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