Magee v. Harrington
Magee v. Harrington
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
This was an action of detinue tried in the circuit court of
The judgment in Magee v. Gregg must determine our decision in the case under examination, unless, as it is insisted, the facts of these two cases are materially different.
It appears from the evidence, that Willis Magee, the father of plaintiff’s intestate, died in 1827. By his will, which was dated in 1825, and admitted to probate in 1827, he gave to his
If Charles was born after the death of the testator, he was the property of Asha Magee for her life; and at her death the title to him vested in Phillip’s personal representatives, as he died after the testator, and before the widow. Upon the hypothesis that Charles was born after the death of the testator, the ruling of the circuit court was evidently erroneous, and its judgment should be reversed. But if his birth occurred during the life of the testator, he did not pass by virtue of the bequest contained in his will, to the widow or to Phillip. He remained a portion of the undivided estate of the testator. Upon this latter supposition the question addressed to the witness, Stewart, by plaintiff's couusel, was irrelevant and improper, and should not have been answered. It was immaterial whether or not there was property, independent of the slave in controversy, of the estate of Magee, sufficient to pay the debts, if it were the fact that the plaintiff as legatee had no title to him. The same observation is applicable to the instruction given at the instance of defendant’s counsel. The denial or proof of any fact pointed at in the instruction could in nowise have affected the claim of the plaintiff, if it were proved on the trial that the slave in controversy was a part of the estate of Willis Magee, not disposed of by his will, but that he was subject to sale or distribution under the order of the probate court; and that the defendant held title to him by virtue of a regular sale made, by the administrator de bonis non. It is settled that the verdict of the jury will not be disturbed, because irrelevant testimony has been excluded, or irrelevant instructions have been given' or refused, if it is apparent that the jury have not been misled, and have not thereby been induced to return a verdict contrary to the law or the evidence. Etiing v. Bank U. S., 11 Wheat. 75; 4 How. 388.
What was the evidence in the cause? Elizabeth Magee stated in substance that she was acquainted with the children
Mrs. Parker deposed that Rose had seven children. Charley was her oldest child. Thinks that Rose had two or three children before the death of Willis Magee. On cross-examination states, that she is almost certain that Rose had two children before the death of Magee.
The inventory of the personal estate of Willis Magee, dated the 3d of September, 1827, was introduced as evidence, by the plaintiff. This shows that Rose and her child Charley were inventoried and appraised as the property of said Magee. There is no evidence in the record which contradicts the testimony of Mrs. Magee and Mrs. Parker, and their testimony is sustained and rendered certain by the evidence derived from the inventory. The distinct and uncontradicted evidence adduced on the tpial, shows that the slave Charles was not bequeathed to the plaintiff’s ' intestate, and that no title whatever vested in him as a legatee under the will. On the other hand, the title of the defendant is proved to be perfect, so far at least as it is involved in the present contest. The verdict of the jury was correct, according to the law and the facts, and if it were conceded that the court below erred in the instruction which it gave, we would not be authorized to disturb it,» as there is no probability that a different result would follow upon another trial. I S. & M. 29 ; Graham on New Trials, 246, 401.
Let the judgment be affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Thomas A. Magee, Administrator de bonis non of Phillip Magee v. James Harrington
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- The case of Magee v. Gregg, 11 S. & M. 70, cited and confirmed. The verdict of a jury will not be disturbed because irrelevant testimony has been excluded, or irrelevant instructions given or refused, if it is apparent that the jury have not been misled, and thereby been induced to return a verdict contrary to the law or the evidence. In an action of detinue for a slave, the plaintiff claimed as administrator of the legatee of the former owner; the defendant claimed as purchaser at a sale by the administrator of the former owner; the great preponderance of proof was, that the slave was not included in the legacy to the plaintiff’s intestate, and the jury found in accordance with the weight of proof for the defendant; it was held not sufficient to set aside the verdict, that the court below had erroneously refused to allow a witness to answer when asked by plaintiff, whether the estate of the former owner of the slave was not sufficient to pay his debts without an abatement of the legacy to the plaintiff’s intestate; and had also erroneously instructed the jury, that the estate of the former owner must have been settled up by the probate court, and a decree rendered by that court in favor of the intestate of the plaintiff for the slave, before he could recover in that suit.