Grove v. Harris
Grove v. Harris
Opinion of the Court
This was an action brought in the district court in 1857, against the appellant Grove, as sheriff of Galveston county, and the securities on his official bond. Hams, the appellee, had recovered a judgment against Lynch & Manly, merchants doing ing business in the city of Galveston. Execution was sued out and placed in the hands of Grove, as sheriff of the county, with strict instructions to levy on property and make the money. This he failed to do, and the only question for our consideration is, whether by Ms negligence he became liable to the judgment creditor, or whether there was anything in the circumstances of Lynch & Manly which will excuse Mm from such official negligence. The evidence shows, that at the time Grove held the execution, Lynch was half owner of sixty-four acres of land on Galveston Island, and that Ms interest in the land was unencumbered, and that the firm was in possession of a stock of goods which they were selling in the usual manner of business. But it appears that the goods had been deeded to E. B. Nichols, in trust to secure a debt of some $5000
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- D. H. Grove v. H. G. Harris
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Execution was placed in a sheriff’s hands, with instructions to levy on property of the defendants and make the money. Defendants were merchants, and had a stock of goods which they were openly engaged in selling. The sheriff failed to make a levy or collect the money, and the plaintiff in the execution sued him and his sureties for his failure to levy and return the execution. In defense to the action it was alleged and proved that there was an unrecorded and secret deed of trust upon the goods, to secure other creditors in a sum greater than their value, and that they were subsequently disposed of, and their proceeds applied to this debt. No notice of this unrecorded trust deed was fixed upon the plaintiff, nor does it appear that the sheriff was apprised of it until after the return day of the execution. Held, that these facts constituted no defense. 2. A levy made in gross upon a stock of goods is a good levy ; the officer can make the invoice subsequently.