Hawley v. Clerk
Hawley v. Clerk
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court;
The plaintiff declares in trespass vi et armis, for that the defendants, on the 13th of October, 1800, with force and arms broke and entered a certain
To this declaration the defendant demurs specially in substance, that it does not set forth any seisin or possession of the close in the plaintiff, and he contends, that the plaintiff hath not therefore shown any right of action.
It is very clear, that if this declaration is to be considered as in trespass quare clausum fregit, it is defective. But the plaintiff avoids this by insisting, that the allegation of breaking and entering the close is merely surplusage, and on this point the demurrer must be decided.
It appears to the Court, that there is sufficient in the declaration to sustain an action of trespass for an injury done to personal property. The claim of the plaintiff could not have been misapprehended by the defendants. He has not alleged the seisin or possession of the close to have been in him or any other person, but he has alleged the property of the chattels to be in himself. The declaration is sufficient for an injury done to personal property, or it is nought. The mistake seems to have been made in describing the locus in quo, where the trespass was committed. The Court are not inclined to quash declarations under which justice may be done. The declaration is untechnically drawn, and a motion for
Declaration sufficient.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Abner Hawley against Gardner Clerk and John Hazletine
- Status
- Published