Smith v. Booth Bros. & Hurricane Island Granite Co.
Smith v. Booth Bros. & Hurricane Island Granite Co.
Opinion of the Court
This is an action brought to recover stumpage for granite alleged to have been taken by the defendant from the quarry, and pasture adjoining the quarry, of which the plaintiff claims an undivided two-fifths ownership. The case is before us on motion by the defendant to set aside the verdict obtained by the plaintiff and upon defendant’s bill of exceptions.
In order to sustain her title to the undivided two-fifths under which she now claims the plaintiff relies upon a deed of one-fifth from Alvin H. Fogg dated February 3, 1882, and upon a deed of the other fifth from Laurettas E. Fogg, dated February 4, 1882. The former deed was recorded February 7, 1882, and the latter February 9, 1882. These two deeds, as well as the deed from James M. Smith to the plaintiff which was never delivered to this plaintiff, were found by the defendant’s attorneys in the files of the Registry of Deeds about thirty-one years after the deeds appear to be executed. The defendant claims that these two last named deeds also were never delivered to this plaintiff, hence the defendant insists that this plaintiff has no ownership in the granite and cannot recover in this action. Much of the testimony which this plaintiff gave in the prior trial, relating to the delivery of deeds to herself, was incorporated into and became a part of the record in this case. In the prior trial she was asked whether she ever saw the deed to her from Laurettas E. Fogg before it was shown to her at that trial and she said she never did. Her testimony was the same as to the deed from Alvin H. Fogg. She was also asked in that trial if she ever received a deed from anybody of an undivided fifth of the granite quarry in controversy and her reply was “No, I never did.” On being asked in the other trial whether she ever received two deeds of two undivided fifths of the property her answer was “I never received any deeds.” She was also asked
Verdict set aside.
Motion for new trial granted.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Annie S. Smith v. Booth Brothers & Hurricane Island Granite Company
- Status
- Published