Smith v. Castles
Smith v. Castles
Opinion of the Court
The objections taken to the deposition of Mark H. Bryan furnish no sufficient ground for setting aside the verdict. The variance in the description of the place of residence of the deponent, as stated in the interrogatories on which the commission issued, and in the caption of the deposition, is susceptible of explanation upon the ground of a change of residence of the party after the filing of the interrogatories; and as to that and the alleged variance of the occupation of the deponent, they are immaterial, if it appears, as we think it does, that there is no question as to the identity of the person, and that the same individual was described in the interrogatories and the deposition.
2. The attaching of the original notes to the deposition of this deponent, and his testimony as to such notes, although not called for by the interrogatories, were not, under the circumstances of the present case, a ground for setting aside the verdict, inasmuch as there was no question between the parties as to, the genuineness of the notes, or their actual signature by the persons whose names were borne on them; the only question being as to the time when the signatures of the various parties were placed there.
3. The objections to certain interrogatories, contained in the deposition of John C. Farrell, are of a more serious character. Great latitude is allowed in the cross examination of a witness, and many inquiries, as to matters collateral merely, may be put to the witness, to exhibit him more fully to the jury, that they may be the better able properly to estimate the weight of his
After the delivery of the foregoing opinion, Willey suggested to the court that the case had already been tried twice, at considerable length, in the court of common pleas, and that both parties were desirous that the new trial should be had in this court; and that, if the case should be remanded to the court of common pleas, as the ad damnum, in the writ was over $600, the parties might, by consent, at any time before the commencement of the trial, bring the case to this court, under St. 1844, c. 162.
He also moved for an indorser, on the ground that the surviving plaintiff had gone to California, which had first come to the knowledge of the defendant at this term. Browne resisted this motion, because it was not made at the first term after the occurrence of the fact relied on as the ground of the motion.
This case, having been already tried in the court of common pleas, is not within the provision of St. 1844, c. 162, that any action, entered in the court of common pleas, where the ad damnum in the writ exceeds a certain sum, “ after
As both of the plaintiffs were inhabitants of this state when this action was brought, no indorser is required by the statute. Rev. Sts. c. 90, § 10. The policy of the law is obvious — that an inhabitant of the state shall not, as a condition precedent to his right to maintain an action, be obliged to give security for costs; for he and his property will be liable to be taken on execution on any judgment recovered against him. But the legislature, foreseeing that it would be impossible to provide for all cases, vested a discretionary power in the court, to require an indorser, “ in all cases, when it shall appear to them reasonable.” When the plaintiff, while the action is pending, removes out of the reach of the process of the court, it is clearly within the policy of the law that an indorser should be required.
Indorser to be furnished.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.