Montgomery v. Handy

Mississippi Supreme Court
Montgomery v. Handy, 63 Miss. 43 (Miss. 1885)
Arnold

Montgomery v. Handy

Opinion of the Court

Arnold, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

The second instruction given for the appellee was erroneous and should not have been given. Section 984 of the code provides, among other things, a remedy for stock running at large in a common inclosure. As far as it relates to this subject, this section was intended to prevent depredations of stock from within the common inclosure. The common inclosure is not required to be a lawful fence. No matter how defective or ineffectual it may be as against stock from without, stock are prohibited from running at large in a common inclosure, within which more than one person is cultivating land, without the consent of all such persons.

The bill of exceptions offered in evidence by the appellant was properly excluded from the jury. It was not competent to show by it what any witness had testified on the former trial. Green v. Irving, 54 Miss. 450.

Under § 1507 of the code, the fact that the claim sued on had been assigned to others since the suit was brought thereon, was no obstacle to the suit being prosecuted in the name of the appellant. But it does not appear from the record that appellant ever had any interest in the claim or in the land upon which the depredations are alleged to have been committed. It might be inferred from the record that her husband may have had 'an interest in the subject-matter of the suit, but not that she ever had any. In this condition of the record appellant was not injured by the error committed in the instructions given for appellee, and the judgment is affirmed.

Affirmed.

Reference

Full Case Name
Susan Montgomery v. Horace Handy
Cited By
1 case
Status
Published
Syllabus
1. Common Incdostjbe. Damage done by stock therein. Character of fence under l 984, Code 1880. Section 984 of the Code of 1880, which provides that “ every owner of cattle, horses,” etc., “ shall be liable for all injuries and trespasses committed by such animals running at large in a common inelosure, within which more than one person is cultivating land, without the consent of all such persons,” does not require a lawful fence for the common inclosure, but gives the right of action in the state of case mentioned, without regard to the character of the common fence. 2. Evidence. Dill of exceptions incompetent. Deceased witness. A bill of exceptions taken on a former trial is incompetent in a new trial to establish the evidence of a witness who has died in the time intervening the two trials. Oreen v. Irving, 54 Miss. 450, cited. 3. Common Incdostjbe. Action for damages by stock. Assignment. Section 1507, Code 1880. If, after suit brought to recover damages for injuries committed by stock running at large in a common inclosure, the plaintiff assign his claim, the action maybe still continued in his name under § 1507 of the Code of 1880, which provides that, “ In case of the transfer of interest (in a chose in action) after suit brought, the action shall be continued in the name of the original party, or the court may allow the person to whom the transfer is made to be substituted in the action.”