Akers v. George

Illinois Supreme Court
Akers v. George, 61 Ill. 376 (Ill. 1871)

Akers v. George

Opinion of the Court

Per Curiam :

There was error in sustaining the demurrer to the amended additional replication. It shows that plaintiff’s cattle were in Demerit’s field with the consent of the latter, and they passed thence upon the premises of the defendant through a breach in the partition fence, made by the cattle of the defendant himself. The breach thus made, it was his duty to repair. Under such circumstances the defendant had no more right to take up and hold plaintiff’s cattle under the act of 1867, entitled “Domestic Animals,” than he would have had if the breach in the fence had been made by the defendant himself, instead of by his cattle.

The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.

Judgment reversed.

Reference

Full Case Name
George W. Akers v. David George
Status
Published
Syllabus
Cattle sunning at large—under act of 1867. In an action of replevin for the alleged wrongful taking and detention by the defendant of ninety head of cattle belonging to the plaintiff, the defendant justified the taking and detention of the cattle under the act of March 7,1867, entitled “An act to prevent domestic animals from running at large in the counties of Monyoe, St. Clair and other counties.” It appeared the plaintiff’s cattle were in the field of one Dement, with the consent of the latter, and that they passed thence upon the premises of the defendant, through a breach in the partition fence made by the cattle of the defendant where they were taken up by him: Held, the breach thus made, it was the duty of the defendant to repair, and under such circumstances he had no more right to take up and hold the plaintiff’s cattle under the act mentioned, thus trespassing on his land, than he would have liad if the breach in the fence had been made by the defendant himself instead of by his cattle.