Harrison Naval Stores Co. v. Johnson

Mississippi Supreme Court
Harrison Naval Stores Co. v. Johnson, 91 Miss. 747 (Miss. 1907)
45 So. 465
Calhoon

Harrison Naval Stores Co. v. Johnson

Opinion of the Court

Calhoon, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

This was an action by appellee, as plaintiff in the court below, against the appellant for the statutory penalty for boxing five hundred and eighty-two pine trees for turpentine, the declaration averring that the plaintiff was the owner and in possession of the trees at the time of the trespass, to which declaration there was a plea of not guilty, without more. The proof shows that the plaintiff was in actual possession of the land and owner of the trees, and that appellant did box the pine trees without consent, and so the action was properly brought under section *7494983 of the Code of 1906. We think the proof shows this to be the case, to say the least, of snch inexcusable negligence and carelessness as to be the equivalent of willfulness.

The instructions cover the whole case, and very liberally for the defendant below; and the judgment appealed from is affirmed.

Reference

Full Case Name
Harrison Naval Stores Company v. Jay H. Johnson
Status
Published
Syllabus
Trespasses. Code 1906, § 4983. Boxing pine trees. Owner. One having actual possession of the land and the right to extract turpentine from the pine trees thereon is an owner, within Code 1906, § 4983, authorizing the recovery of a penalty by the owner from any unauthorized person who boxes for turpentine the pine trees thereon.