Neiswanger v. City of Kansas
Neiswanger v. City of Kansas
Opinion of the Court
Neiswanger was city marshal of appellant from the third Monday of April, 1873, to the third Monday of April, 1874. He sued to recover of the city $1,577.22 for services alleged to have been rendered by him during his term of office. He made eleven different classes of claims, to-wit: First, Eor serving notices in condemnation eases, serving subpoenas and summoning jurors. Second, Eor making 259 arrests for violating city ordinances, where the parties were not convicted before the recorder, nor fined, but discharged for want of proof or other cause, and paid no costs, $259. Third, Eor making 504 arrests for violating city ordinances, where the parties were convicted and fined by the .city recorder, $504; and for committing such parties to the city work house, in default of payment of fines and costs, $378. Fourth, Eor making forty-eight arrests for violating city ordinances, where the parties were convicted and fined by the recorder, and appealed from his judgment, $48. Fifth, Eor serving 145 notices to parties to appear before the city board of equalization of taxes, $36.25. Sixth, for making two arrests, where the parties were taken from him under State warrants, $2. Seventh, Eor making forty-nine arrests for violating city ordinances, where the parties were convicted and fined by the city recorder, and by the latter permitted to leave the city without paying costs, called stays of execution to leave the city, $49. Eighth, Eor making three arrests where the parties were convicted and fined by the city recorder, and the common council remitted the fines, $3. Ninth,
At the trial before the court, without a jury, the city admitted that respondent was entitled to recover for all proved in the first class, and he did not claim anything under the eleventh class, nor the $378 in the third class for committing persons to the work house. The contest was and is over the other classes, as to which the finding and judgment were for respondent.
The court gave for respondent nine instructions, viz : 2. For the 259 cases charged for in the account, where parties were arrested and discharged for want of sufficient evidence to convict, the court instructs that plaintiff is entitled to recover $259, if it believes from the evidence that the arrests were made as charged for.
3. For the 504 cases charged for, where parties'had been arrested, tried and convicted, and had been sent to the work house, the court instructs that plaintiff is entitled to $504 for making the arrests in such cases, if the court believe from the evidence that such parties were arrested, tried, convicted and sent to said work house.
4. For .the forty-eight cases charged for in the account, where parties had been arrested, tried and convicted, and had appealed, the court instructs that plaintiff is entitled to recover $48, provided it believes from the evidence the parties were arrested, tried and convicted as charged for.
5. For the 145 notices to appear before the board of equalization, the court instructs that plaintiff is entitled to recover $36.25, if it believes that such notices were served as charged for.
6. For the two cases charged for, where parties had
7. Eor the forty-nine cases charged for in the account, where parties had been arrested, tried and convicted, and there had been a stay of execution by the recorder, the court instructs that plaintiff is entitled to recover $49, if it believes such arrests were made as charged for, and that said parties were tried and convicted.
8. Eor the three cases charged for, where parties had been arrested, tried and convicted, and the fines were remitted by the council, the court instruct that the plaintiff' is entitled to recover $8, therefor, provided it believes from the evidence that such parties were arrested, tried and convicted.
9. Eor the eight cases charged for, where parties had been arrested, tried and convicted, and the fines were then remitted by the mayor, the court instructs that plaintiff is entitled to recover $8, provided it believes from the evidence that such parties had been arrested, tried and convicted as charged for.
10. Eor the killing of 650 dogs, as chai-ged for in the account, the court instructs that plaintiff is entitled to recover $162.50, provided it believes from the evidence that the mayor instructed the said plaintiff to have the dogs killed, and that they were killed as charged for.
The city excepted to the giving of these instructions. It asked, and the court refused to give, instructions laying-down the law differently, as to the nine classes of claims contested. Exception was saved as to such refusal.
It is not material to quote any of the refused instructions, except those as to the claim for killing dogs, which are as follows, viz:
10. The court must find for defendant as to charge in first quarter: To serving-.650 dogs killed by order of mayor and city physician, $162.50. •
12. If from the evidence the court finds that some other persons than plaintiff killed dogs included in the number of 650 charged for by plaintiff, then it must find for defendant, as to all dogs killed by such person or persons.
13. If from the evidence the court finds that the dogs charged for were killed by poisonedmeat, and that the meat and poison were paid for by the city, and prepared for use to poison dogs by plaintiff alone, or plaintiff and some other officer, or officers, or employees of the city, and distributed where the dogs could and did get the same, by the policemen of the city, then no more should be allowed the plaintiff than a reasonable compensation for his services.
The case was submitted on petition, answer and proofs of respondent. The instructions asked by the city, except the 11th, 12th and 13th, are to be considered in substance, that, as to each class of contested claims, on the pleadings and proofs adduced for respondent, the court should find for the city. The court gave judgment for $1,302.41. A motion for a new’ trial was overruled, a bill of exceptions setting out all the proof allowed, and the case duly appealed.
The determination as to whether error was committed by the court in giving and refusing instructions, (and which is the only question presented by the record for our consideration,) is dependent upon a construction of certain provisions of defendant’s charter and ordinances, as follows : It is provided in article 4, section 18 of the charter “ The city marshal shall, within the city, in all matters arising under the laws of this State, possess the same powers, and perform the same duties, as the constable of Kaw town
City charter, article 3, section 1, clause 37, gives the common council of the city power by ordinance : “ To fix the compensation of the city officers, and regulate the fees of all jurors, witnesses and others, for services rendered under this act, or under any ordinance; Provided, that the compensation of no officer of the corporation shall be diminished during his term of office.” Mo. Laws 1870, p. 336, clause 37.
Pursuant to these statutory powers the common council, by ordinance of April 14th, 1873, before respondent’s term of office began, fixed the compensation of all city officers. That ordinance provides, among other things: “ Section 1. That from and after the third Monday of April, A. D. 1873, the officers of the city hereafter named shall receive as full compensation for performing the duties of the respective offices hereafter mentioned, per annum, to be paid in quarterly installments in warrants drawn on the city treasurer, and no more, as follows:” (After naming the mayor and thirteen other officers:) “ The city marshal, $100, and for making an arrest, $1; for serving a subpoena, twenty-five cents; for summoning a jury, $1; for serving an attachment, $1.50 ; and for serving a notice in condemnation cases, twenty-five cents.” “ Section 2. The officers entitled to fees by the preceding section will be entitled to receive the same when paid.” * * “All fees now taxed as costs against the defendant in the re
It will be observed that under the 1st section the compensation of the city marshal for performing the service mentioned therein, was only to be received by him in quarterly installments. One of the services required of the marshal was to make arrests, for which he was entitled as
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Neiswanger v. The City of Kansas
- Status
- Published