City Council of Charleston v. Duncan
City Council of Charleston v. Duncan
Opinion of the Court
The iury find, that James Duncan, . . esquire, being a city warden, was requested by the City Council, and did undertake to sell and dispose certain lottery tickets to them belonging, and that he did sell and dispose of fifty seven tickets 1 unto defendant, and did for the same take the within mentioned note of hand, which being unpaid, the sal(^ James Duncan died insolvent, and on his death
The fact being clearly established, that the note was taken by the deceased for lottery tickets, which, he, as agent to the City Council, had sold; the circumstance of his having taken it payable to himself will certainly not make it his property. I am therefore of opinion, that the plaintiff have judgment, and that the postea be delivered to them.
The verdict finds, that Mr. James Duncan, as city warden, took the promissory note for which this action was brought, for certain lottery tickets, which he was entrusted to sell on behalf of the corporation. And it may be fairly inferred that the note was taken as trustee, for the use and benefit of the corporation.
The action was trover for the wrongful conversion of the note. In this action, it was only necessary to prove property in the plaintiff, and a wrongful con-ersion by the defendant. If the note was taken in
The special verdict states that James Duncan, deceased, being a city warden, was requested by the City Council, and did undertake to ■sell and dispose of some lottery tickets, and' that he sold 57 tickets to the defendant, and took his note, for which this action was brought; which being unpaid, the said James Duncan died insolvent, and on his death, it fell into the hands of the defendant, as his administrator. If the court should think the note the property of the city, we find for them 570 dollars, or that the note should be given up. But if the court should think that the note cannot be followed up, and separated from the general mass (as the city’s property) of the estate, or assets of the said James Duncan, then, they find for the defendant. From the foregoing special verdict, it appears to me, that the above named James Duncan, upon the delivery of the above mentioned lottery tickets for sale, became the trustee or agent of the City Council; and that the note (although taken in his
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.