Vosburgh v. Moak
Vosburgh v. Moak
Opinion of the Court
The liability of Payar Hollenbeck, one of the defendants, does not seem to have been questioned in the prayer for instructions, but the court was asked to instruct the jury, as to the other defendants, that under a certain state of facts assumed by the defendant’s counsel, they ought not to be charged in this action. To decide upon this question, however, it becomes necessary to look at the facts as found or admitted in the case, as applicable to all the parties, and the nature of their associated action.
All the defendants were engaged in a game of wicket on a public highway of four rods in width, and three of which were the travelled path. The plaintiff was travelling on the highway in a wagon, with his wife. The plaintiff was in the lawful occupation of the road, and had a right to pass thereon, free from any obstruction, or any exposure to casualties from those occupying the highway for purposes other than passing thereon. The defendants were using the highway for a purpose foreign from the appropriate use of the same. Whether the occupation of a portion of the highway by persons engaged in a game of wicket would necessarily and under all circumstances be a nuisance and punishable as such, it is not necessary now to consider. It is enough that the act of the parties associated in such game upon a public highway becomes illegal, when it endangers the safety of persons actually travelling upon such road. The highway is established for the convenience of travellers, and the use of
The ruling of the court embraced the following requisites or facts necessary to be established before the jury should return a verdict against the defendants as joint trespassers: 1st. It must be shown that the parties were engaged in a common pursuit of a game at wicket on the public highway. 2d. That the game was of such a character, that from the width of the road and the number of persons usually passing thereon, it would endanger persons travelling on the publ.c highway. These instructions would require that the plaintiff
Exceptions overruled.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.