Davidson v. Smith
Davidson v. Smith
Opinion of the Court
The evidence, which is not conflicting, is, in substance, that the. decedent had been twice married; that her first husband having died, she intermarried with Thomas Cartwright. She then resided in Connecticut. . About the 18th of January, ■ 1863, the decedent and her husband removed to Davenport, Iowa. .At that time, the wife (decedent) .had a separate estate to a small amount; and the husband had two thousand dollars, besides a sufficiency to defray the expenses of travel, &c. This two thousand dollars was sewed up in a belt, and carried around the person of Thomas Cartwright. About the time of their arrival at Davenport, he was taken sick, and continuing quite sick for some days, the belt of money became troublesome to him, and the decedent, who was his wife, took the belt and money from around
The defendant does not seriously controvert the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain the judgment, but resists the same mainly on the ground that no action could have been maintained by the husband against the wife thereon in her lifetime, and that none can now be maintained by him or his assignee against her estate.
There can be no reasonable doubt of the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain the finding and judgment, provided the action can be maintained.
And even if it should be admitted that the husband could not have his action against the wife in her lifetime, or against her estate after her death, upon a contract between them during the marriage (a matter which we do not admit or decide), it would by no means follow that this action could not be maintained. The judgment in this case may well be affirmed on two grounds: First. That the possession of the money by the wife was the possession of the husband during her life; and if, after her death, her executor takes possession of it, as part of her estate, the husband, by himself or assignee, may assert his right to its possession, which is then, for the first time in
A proceeding to secure the money to the husband in the lifetime of the wife, would necessarily be an equitable one.
This proceeding originating in the County Court, may be regarded either as equitable or ordinary, according to the nature of the remedy the facts may justify and require.
On the trial of the case in the District Court, the plaintiff offered Thomas Cartwright as a witness in his behalf.
It is provided by section 3107 of the Revision, that “ if the exception is to the admission or exclusion of evidence, oral or written, the ground of the objection must be also stated, and no other shall be regarded.
In this case, the bill of exceptions does not show that any ground was stated, and we cannot therefore regard any.
Affirmed.
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