Meese v. State
Meese v. State
Opinion of the Court
In October, 1882, the district attorney filed a complaint in the district court of Saunders county, charging that Da
On the trial of the cause the jury returned a verdict finding the defendants guilty as charged in the complaint. A motion for a new trial having been overruled, the court imposed a fine of fifteen dollars each on .David and Philip Meese, and a fine of five dollars each on Bowers and Owen, together with the costs of the action. A large number of errors were assigned in the motion for a new trial, and are now assigned in the petition in error, but do not seem to be relied upon, as the principal objection urged in the brief is that the testimony does not sustain the verdict.
It appears from the testimony that Annetta Meese, at the timethe offense is alleged to have been committed, was lawfully occupying a dwelling house upon lands claimed by one of the defendants below. There is some contention as to the ownership of the land, it ■ being at the time a homestead under the United States statutes, and in dispute. But we attach no importance to the question of title, as whatever the ultimate rights of the parties may be, all the testimony shows that for the time being at least she was lawfully in possession and had been for a number of years. At the time the offense is alleged to have been committed,
The law does not permit even the owner of property by force and violence to disturb any one lawfully in possession of the same. And if he with other persons constituting in all three or more, assemble together for the purpose of committing an unlawful act against such person by force and violence, as by forcibly entering the dwelling and removing the furniture and disturbing the possession, they are clearly guilty of a violation of the statute above quoted. The law has provided an adequate remedy for the recovery of the possession of land and does not permit force and violence to take the place of right and justice. The testimony shows beyond question that these parties are guilty; and there is no material error in the proceedings. The judgment must therefore be affirmed.
Judgment apeiemed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Philip A. Meese, in error v. The State of Nebraska, in error
- Status
- Published