Martin v. Kelly
Martin v. Kelly
Opinion of the Court
This is an action brought by the plaintiff, in his capacity of administrator, to compel payment by the defendants of two promissory notes, each for the sum of $566 66, with interest, executed by them for the payment of the price of a negro woman, a slave belonging at the time of sale, in 1859, to the succession of A. Martin, deceased. The defence is, that at the time of the sale, and for more than one year previous, the woman was afflicted with an incurable disease of which she died not long after-the sale. - That the purchaser, Kelly, was ignorant of the existence of the malady at the time he purchased; that he incurred expense in procuring medical attention for the woman, from which she derived no benefit. The defendants prayed judgment releasing them from their obligation,- and for judgment over against the administrator for the expense incurred, etc. There were three trials of the case in the Court below, and each trial before a jury. On one of these trials, the jury disagreed; in the other two, verdicts were rendered for the defendants who, obtaining judgment of release, the plaintiff appealed. The evidence shows that for, several years previous to the sale, the slave was unhealthy. Ofie witness testified that she was afflicted two or throe years before the sale. That she was unable to labor regularly, and was frequently laid up on account of sickness. That she boro no children, and that he inferred from that fact that her unhealthinoss arose. He stated that the woman had been in the possession of the plaintiff during the year previous to the sale. Several witnesses, and among them a physician, testified that the woman was greatly afflicted by; and suffered much from, derangement of the menses. That these afflictions were at monthly intervals. It was shown that the plaintiff said, about two weeks before the sale, in answer to au inquiry on the subject, that the slave was unsound.
It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed that the judgment of the District Court, be affirmed with costs in both Courts.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.