Millhiser v. Holleyman
Millhiser v. Holleyman
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
. William Hyman Gurganus died intestate, and his mother, Lucy A. Holleyman, was appointed administratrix of his estate. Before his death, the intestate had made an assignment of his property to one John T. McNair avowedly for the benefit of his creditors. The plaintiffs, claiming to be creditors of the intestate, commenced this action to set aside the said assignment for undue preference, fraud, &c. The complaint, after stating in the title the names of all the parties plaintiff, as hereinabove stated, alleged as follows, viz. : “The plaintiffs, for themselves and such other creditors, &e., show that W. H. Gurganus, at the time of his death, was indebted to them, the said M. Millhiser & Co., in the sum of,” &c.
When the case was called for trial, a motion was made to dismiss the complaint, upon the alleged ground that it did not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action, in that there
The complaint, as thus amended, came up before his honor, Judge Aldrich, and a motion was again made to dismiss the complaint, and the judge ruled as follows: “It appearing that the plaintiffs have failed to comply with the order of Judge Witherspoon, and that said complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action, in that there is no allegation in the body of said complaint of the copartnership of the defendants [mistake for plaintiffs, surely], ordered, that the said complaint be dismissed with costs.” Plaintiffs’ counsel then asked to be allowed to comply with Judge Witherspoon’s order, “if the court holds that they have not complied therewith,” which was refused. The plaintiffs appeal to this court upon the grounds: (1) That his honor erred in holding that the plaintiffs had not complied with the order of Judge Witherspoon. (2) In holding that the copartnership of plaintiffs was not sufficiently stated in the body of the complaint. (3) In holding that the complaint “does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action, in that there is no allegation in the body of the complaint of the copartnership of the defendants (plaintiffs). (4) In dismissing the complaint as to the defendant, Lucy A. Holleyman, when there was no motion on her behalf to that effect. (5) In refusing the motion of plaintiffs to be allowed to comply with the order of Judge Wither-
The judgment of this court is, that the order dismissing the complaint be reversed, and the case remanded for such further proceedings as may be deemed necessary to carry out the conclusion herein announced.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MILLHISER v. HOLLEYMAN
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Appeal—Grounds by Respondent.—On plaintiffs’ appeal from an order sustaining defendant’s demurrer to the complaint, on the ground that it did not allege the partnership of plaintiffs, the defendant cannot ask that the order bo affirmed by this court upon other grounds of insufficiency in the complaint, not passed upon on Circuit. 2. Amendment—Allegation op Partnership.—Plaintiffs having been ordered to amend their complaint by alleging in its body the partnership of plaintiffs, they served an amended complaint which said : “The plaintiffs, A, B, C, and D, copartners in business under the name and style of A & Co., show,’’ &c. Held,, that the order of amendment was sufficiently complied with.