Crouse v. Miller
Crouse v. Miller
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
The plaintiff brought an action of trespass against two defendants, charging a joint trespass in that they “ wrongfully and unlawfully broke and entered into the said messuages, tenements and tracts of land in the possession of the said plaintiff and her assigns as aforesaid and tore down, pulled up, demolished and destroyed the fence of the said plaintiff, consisting of post and wire fence erected upon the plaintiff’s premises and separating the premises of the plaintiff from the highway or public road known as the Reading & Lancaster Road, and threw the materials composing the same upon the land of the plaintiff, destroying the crops of the plaintiff growing thereon and otherwise exposing the said premises to the constant entry, trespass and depredation of people, horses, cattle,” etc. One of the said defendants was the supervisor of the township in which the premises were located, and it appears from the evidence that Bittner, the other defendant, notified him directly, or through the constable, that the plaintiff’s fence was upon the highway and should be removed, in consequence of which the supervisor removed the fence; and, when it was rebuilt, removed it the second time.
The portion of the charge relating to the liability of the other defendant is not so clear. It is said in the charge of the court: “I have spoken so far only of the supervisor. On the allegation that the actions of the supervisor in this case were dictated and instigated by Daniel Bittner, the plaintiff has made him also a party to this suit, and it will be for the jury to say whether he is in any way liable in the case. There is no evidence that he participated in the removal of the fence or in anything that was done on the ground, and he himself tells you that he had nothing whatever to do with the removal of the second fence; that he did notify the justice of the peace and did notify the supervisor, and, if I am not mistaken, the constable; he had them notified, when the first fence was erected, to see to the removal of it; that he admits but he says that he had nothing to do with any interference with the'second fence.” If the defendant Bittner participated in the removal of the fence, he would, under McMurtrie v. Stewart, 21 Pa. 322, and other cases, have been liable as a joint tort feasor with the supervisor, if the latter exceeded his authority; but, under the circumstances, — if the fence removed by the supervisor was in the highway and it was removed in a wanton and reckless manner, so as to do more damage to the plaintiff than was necessary, Bittner, not participating therein, should not be held . liable for such wantonness on the part of the supervisor. He
Judgment reversed and a new venire awarded.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.