Divers v. Fulton
Divers v. Fulton
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
In the course of the trial two opinions were delivered by the court below, to which the appellant excepted, and which the appeal in this case brings before this court for examination. They both relate to the admissibility of evidence, and
This, we think, was a sufficient notice to entitle the plaintiff to use the secondary evidence, upon the defendant’s failing to produce the primary proof called for. It is true before secondary evidence of the contents of a written instrument can be let in, the notice to produce the original must appear to the court to have been reasonable in point of time, so as to give the adverse party an opportunity to produce the paper called for; but wo think, that this rule has been complied with in the present case. In Roscoe on Ev. 6, we find that a notice to produce a letter, served on the attorney of the party on the evening next but one before the trial, was ruled to be sufficient, though the party was out of England; the presumption being, that on going abroad the party had left with his attorney the papers-necessary for the conduct of the trial. We think that the court below were also correct in the opinion expressed-in the second bill of exceptions, as the copy of the will offered in evidence was clearly admissible, as explanatory of the note written by the plaintiff to the defendant, in which he offers to sell his share of Phillis to the defendant, as she could' not serve three at the same time. By the will it appears, that the negro woman called Phillis, was given by their testatrix to her three daughters, of whom the wife of Divers the plaintiff was one. This bequest it was, to which he evidently alluded when he said she could not serve three at the same time. We therefore think, that taken in
JUDGMENT AFFIRMED.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ananias Divers v. James Fulton
- Status
- Published