Spear v. Hubbard
Spear v. Hubbard
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court. This is trespass quare clausum, and by the evidence reported the case is well maintained for the plaintiff. The fraud of the defendant in relation to his attachment is palpable and gross and his counsel has wisely pressed but very feebly any genera defence.
But the point of damages is questionable. There is no evidence of any injury done to the soil or to the buildings, or to the trees, or any other product of the soil. The tres pass, for aught that appears, and probably in fact, was a simple
See Morgan v. Bliss, 2 Mass. R. 112. The principle, that fraud accompanied with damage is a good cause of action, has been repeatedly recognised, and is now well settled, both in the English and American jurisprudence. Baily v. Merrell, 3 Bulst. 95; S. C. Cro. Jac. 386; Com. Dig. Action upon the Case for a Deceipt, A 1; Pasley v. Freeman, 3 T. R. 56; Ward v. Center, 3 Johns. R. 271; Upton v. Vail, 6 Johns. R. 181; Young v. Covell, 8 Johns. R 23, Russell v. Clark, 7 Cranch, 92; Gallagher v. Brunel, 6 Cowen, 346; Moore v. Tracy, 7 Wendell, 229; Addington v. Allen, 11 Wendell, 374; S. C, 7 Wendell, 1; Adams v. Paige, 7 Pick. 542; Pierce v. Jackson, 6 Mass. R. 242; Whittier v. Smith, 11 Mass. R. 211.
And it is not necessary to prove any moral fraud on the part of the defendants. Adams v. Paige, 7 Pick. 542; Bird v. Randall, 3 Burr. 1353 ; 3 Bl. Com. 122; Foster v. Charles, 7 Bingh. 105; S. C. 6 Bingh. 369; Tapp v. Les, 3 Bos. & Pul. 371.
As to representations of credit by which a person suffers damage, see Revised Stat. c. 74, § 3; 2 Kent’s Com. (3d ed.) 488, 489, notes.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Luther Spear Junior versus John Hubbard
- Status
- Published