Peabody v. Ohio ex rel. Hydorn
Peabody v. Ohio ex rel. Hydorn
Opinion of the Court
In this case, the judgment of the district court must be affirmed. We are by no means satisfied that the justice had so-dealt with, or treated the money in his hands, as to make it his own, or that he was guilty of any official misconduct that would have.
Such a conclusion is neither warranted by the terms of the bond nor the object for which it is taken, while it would destroy *all security for paying over a considerable portion of the money that must, necessarily, come to his hands. It would not stop with exonerating from liability the sureties of justices of the peace, but would extend equally to those of sheriffs, treasurers, constables, and a multitude of other public officers, who receive large-sums of money which must, necessarily, remain in their hands at the termination of their official terms. The money received in this instance by the justice was held in trust for the creditor, and the only way in which the former could discharge himself from the trust was by paying it over, upon demand, to the latter. To secure fidelity in the performance of this duty, the official bond was taken. The sureties undertook that he should “well and truly pay over, according to law, all moneys that might come into his hands by virtue of his commission.” Until demanded, he was required to keep it safely; and when demanded, whether he was then in or out of office, to pay it over to the person' entitled.. This his sureties bound themselves he should do, and a failure to do it is a breach of their bond. When they assumed the obligation, they must be presumed to have known that, in the regular exercise of the duties of his office, it would probably terminate with money in his hands, and to have contemplated the various contingencies by which it might be brought to a close before the regular period for which he was elected. One of these was death; and in such a case they knew very well that the obligations resting upon him in respect to such funds, were by law cast upon his personal representative. They came to the hands
The obligation to juay over the money rests upon the officer while he lives, and devolves upon his personal representative when he dies. It is the simple performance of a trust, and until discharged, the obligation continues; and the undertaking of the sureties for the faithful performance of the duty, is no less extensive than the obligation it was created to secure.
This fund, therefore, rightfully came into the hands of the executrix, the demand was rightfully made upon her, and her refusal to pay over was a violation of the engagements of the sureties, and a breach of the bond into which they entered.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Wm. H. Peabody and Emery D. Potter v. Ohio, for use of Hydorn
- Status
- Published