Baker v. Voorhies
Baker v. Voorhies
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court. The petition states that the plaintiff sold to Woods, a slave, by a private writing, on he acknowledged the receipt of the price, although it was not paid; that the vendor
The defendant pleaded the general issue; that the injunction was asked, merely to create delay.
The injunction was dissolved, the defendant had judgment, and the plaintiff appealed.
The defendant’s counsel relies on a bill of exceptions taken to the opinion of the court of probates, who refused leave to read the deposition of his witnesses, taken by commission and on interrogatories, on the objection of the defendant and appellee, that his interrogatories, added to those of the plaintiff, were not answered.
It is urged, if a defendant withhold the answers to his interrogatories, or otherwise prevent their appearance, or if the magistrate is in fault, the plaintiff ought not to suffer. It is true, that if it be through the act of the defendant, that the answers to his interrogatories do not come up, the plaintiff ought not to suffer; but fee nlaintiff should shew the interference of the defendant, if he wishes to avail himself of it.
On the merits, the plaintiff has admitted, in the bill of sale he received the price. The bill is posterior in date, to the promulgation of the new civil code, which provides that “the acknowledgment of payment made in an authentic act, cannot be contested under the pretence of the exception de non numerata'pecunia, which is hereby abolished,” 2234,
It is contended that the first branch of the article relating to authentic acts only, the latter must be confined to cases in which there is such an act; otherwise the adjective authentic has no meaning; to this it may be answered, that if the exception be abolished, in cases of authentic acts, the whole of the last branch of
Farther, the hill of sale being acknowledged, has, between the parties, the same credit as an authentic act. Ib. 2239. To this act acknowledging the receipt of the price, and being entitled to the same credit as an authentic one, the acknowledgment in it cannot be contested.
Put the injunction was claimed by the plain? tiif, not only as creditor of the price, but as a creditor of other sums due by the estate; of this there was not a tittle of evidence produced.
It is, therefore, ordered, adjudged, and decreed, that the judgment of the court of probates be affirmed, with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BAKER v. VOORHIES
- Status
- Published