Smith v. Ross
Smith v. Ross
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court:
Appellant presents the following assignments of error:
“The court below erred as follows:
“1. In overruling defendant’s objection to swearing the jury, and in proceeding with the trial of the case.
“2. In refusing to grant defendant’s first prayer.
“3. In refusing to grant defendant’s second prayer.
“4. In refusing to grant defendant’s third prayer.
“5. In refusing to grant defendant’s fourth prayer.
“6. In refusing to grant defendant’s fifth prayer.
“7. In refusing to grant defendant’s sixth prayer.
“8. In refusing to grant defendant’s seventh prayer.
“9. In reading to the jury when they returned into court after retiring to consider their verdict, portions of the testimony of Kline and Smith and certain deeds, as set forth in the record at pages 22 to 26.
“10. In reading to the jury more than was requested.
“11. In refusing to instruct the jury as asked by defendant in respect of-the failure of plaintiff to call Simpson as a witness.
“12. In refusing to instruct the jury as to the effect of the verdict and judgment.”
The second, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth assignments of error relate to the refusal of the court to grant certain instructions requested by counsel for the appellant to the effect that the evidence was not sufficient to support a recovery against the appellant for the amounts claimed in appellee’s declaration, either in whole or in part. We are of the opinion that the evidence
The third assignment of error is based upon the refusal of the following instruction: “Unless the jury find from a preponderance of all the evidence that the defendants, Kimmel, Simpson, and Smith were jointly interested in all the houses for which they find from the evidence (if they do so find) material was furnished by the plaintiff, then their verdict should be in favor of the defendant Smith.” Appellee’s declaration set forth two causes of action, one for material furnished in the construction of the fourteen houses, and the other in the construction of the six houses. This instruction, if given, would have operated to take from the jury the right to find a partnership existing as to one set of houses, and not as to the other, or vice versa. The general charge of the court to the jury required the jury to determine from the evidence whether or not the appellant was jointly interested, as owner or proprietor, in the building of the houses. This, we think, was sufficient to properly present the evidence to the jury for its consideration. It was proper for the jury to determine from the evidence in this case, not only the liability of the appellant for material furnished for all the houses, but for the particular ones set forth in the separate counts of the declaration.
The fourth assignment of error complains of the refusal of the court to grant the following instruction: “If the jury find from all the evidence that any of the material furnished by plaintiff was so furnished prior to July 28, 1891, then they are instructed that, as to such material, the plaintiff’s cause of action is barred by the statute of limitations, even though they should find that payment generally on said account of such material was made by the other defendants after July 28, 1891, unless they shall further find that such payment was made with the knowledge and by the direction of the defendant Smith.” - It appears from the record that material amounting in value to $5,592.16 had been furnished by appellee, under the arrangement we are here considering, more than three years before
Assignments of error nine to twelve, inclusive, arise from the court having read to the jury certain portions of the evidence from the stenographer’s notes. It appears that, after the jury had been considering the case for a number of hours, they returned to the courtroom and propounded certain questions to the court, among others, requesting that certain evidence should be read to them. This request was granted. It is unnecessary for us to consider these assignments, as counsel for defendant was present and made no objection to the reading of the testimony, or any part of it. The only objection made by counsel was that the court had substituted his version or recollection of the testimony for the recollection of the jury. This objection cannot avail appellant for the reason that it clearly appears that there was no variance between the evidence of the witnesses which was read to the jury by the court and the evidence of the same witnesses as it appears in the record. Neither is there anything to show that the deeds read in evidence before the jury retired were not the identical deeds read to them at their request. So far as the objection that the court read to the jury more evidence than was requested, is concerned, it appears that the evidence so read consisted of but three questions and answers, which were in appellant’s favor, and he could not in any way have been prejudiced by the mistake of the court. Appellee was not required to call the alleged partner Simpson as a witness. There was. no
A careful review of the entire record in this case fails to disclose any reversible error. The judgment of the Supreme Court of the District is affirmed with costs, and it is so ordered.
Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.