State v. Cake
State v. Cake
Opinion of the Court
This certiorari is brought to set aside the return of surveyors of the highways, laying out a certain road in the county of Cumberland, and also the judgment, of the
Tbe first reason assigned for reversal is, that the surveyors had not been sworn according to law. To substantiate this, a paper purporting to be copies of the oaths of the surveyors is produced, with a certificate of the clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland annexed, that “ the said affidavits are true copies of the records filed in his office.” But we cannot look at this paper. The statute, (Rev. Stat. 1027, § 20), directs the township clerks to transmit the oaths of the surveyors to the clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, to be by him filed. It gives to the clerk of the court the custody of the original oath, and that is all. It is a well settled rule, that where an officer is merely entrusted with the custody of records or papers, and is not authorized by statute to make copies, he has no more authority for that purpose than any other person. 1 Phil. Ev. 388; N. J. Railroad Co. v. Suydam,, 2 Har. 60. The clerk might have been ruled to send up the original papers for our inspection, or, which is the better practice, sworn copies might have been produced. There is, therefore, no evidence before us to sustain this reason.
The second and third reasons assigned are, that neither the record, map or draught of the surveyors shows in what township or townships the said road is laid out, or in what township it begins or ends. The return of the surveyors, by way of recital, sets forth that “ application being made to the court by David Cake and others, ten freeholders and residents of the county of Cumberland, that they think a public road necessary in the townships of Deerfield and Hopewell, in said county, beginning at a stake in the middle of the commissioners road, from Shiloh to Friesburgh, and is a corner of lands of Reese Hurf and Thomas Bowen, running,” &c., “ to a stake set in the road from Deerfield to Neill’s mill, and west of Shull’s house, and there to endand so reciting the application and order made thereupon, it proceeds to state that “ the surveyors having met,” &c.,
The fourth reason is, that neither the return nor map shows where the road crosses the township line. But this was held to be unnecessary, in 1 South. 290.
There is nothing in the fifth or sixth reasons. The map sufficiently designates the places and improvements along the line; and the fact that no damages are awarded to Hurf, cannot be taken advantage of by the prosecutors, Hurf not being one of them. If he is aggrieved it is for him to complain.
The order of the Court of Common Pleas is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- THE STATE (James Golder prosecutors) v. DAVID CAKE
- Status
- Published