Harris v. Aiken
Harris v. Aiken
Opinion of the Court
in giving the opinion of the Court, said in substance, that there was nothing in the answers to charge the respondents as trustees. The question raised was, whether the work was in advance of the payments, so as to make them chargeable It does not appear that it was. They an
Trustees discharged.
See Cleveland v. Clap, 5 Mass. R. 204, 205. Though the answer of a trustee, where the language is doubtful, is to be construed most strongly against himself, yet it is not to receive a construction against the fair and natural im port of the language taken all together. Kelly v. Bowman, 12 Pick. 383. In Gordon v. Coolidge, 1 Sumner, 537, it is held not to be generally true, that persons sued as trustees under the foreign attachment laws in Maine, are to be charged as such, unless they clearly discharge themselves upon their ex amination. On the contrary, the court can adjudge them trustees, only when upon the examination there is clear and determinate evidence, free from rea sonable doubt, that they have property !n their hands, of which they ought ta be adjudged the trustees of the debtor
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Joseph Harris Junior versus John Aiken, Principals, and Ward Jackson, Trustees
- Status
- Published