Bowman v. Conant
Bowman v. Conant
Opinion of the Court
The county court have found that the car attached by the plaintiff on Tharp’s writ against the Rutland and Burlington Railroad Company, was car number three, and the defendant’s receipt to the plaintiff was for the car attached. The plaintiff’s return on the writ did not give the number of the ear, but described it merely as “ one passenger car.” It is not questioned by the defendant but that this description was sufficiently certain to make a valid attachment of the particular car, number three. The receipt signed by the defendant describes the car in the same manner as the officer’s return, and from the manner in which the
The county court have found that at the time the defendant turned out the car to Paul, the trustees, under the second mortgage of the railroad, were in the actual possession of the road, and of all the cars and other furniture, and had been for nearly two years claiming title thereto, under the mortgage and three deeds of surrender executed to them by the railroad company; and that after the levy, D. A. Smalley, on behalf of the trustees, gave notice to Paul that if he proceeded to sell said car on said execution he would be sued therefor by the trustees; that thereupon Paul called on the defendant to give him an indemnity against the sale, which the defendant refused to give, and that therefore Paul abandoned the levy.
The defendant’s counsel insist that some of the facts found and reported by the county court were not supported by any evidence, and therefore are not now to be treated as facts existing to support the judgment of the court below. They claim that there was no evidence that Mr. Smalley, in giving notice to Paul that the trustees claimed the car and would sue for it if sold, was acting or professing to act by any authority from the trustees, and also that there was no evidence that Paul asked the defendant for any indemnity, or that the defendant refused to give one. It is not stated in terms that there was proof that Mr, Smalley was authorized by the trustees to give such notice, or that he professed to give it on their behalf, but still we think this might be fairly and reasonably inferred from the proof as stated, and all the circumstances of the case. The very fact that he was acting for them, and apparently giving notice oh their behalf, is more consistent with his having authority to. do so, than that he was a mere stranger having no concern with, or interest in their affairs, and by the last deed of surrender it appears that Mr. Smalley was a director, and the solicitor of the railroad company,,
We can not, therefore, say that there was no evidence tending to establish both these findings of the county court.
The defendant’s counsel also claim that there was no evidence that the notes which said mortgage was given to secure, were ever issued and put into circulation, or that if they were, that there had ever been any breach of the condition by a failure to pay either the principal or interest due upon them, so as.to authorize the trustees to take the possession of the road, or justify the execution of the deeds of surrender. All these facts are recited in the deeds of surrender as existing, and the exceptions say that the county court found all the facts as stated in those records, but it does not appear they had any other evidence, except the recitals in the deeds, which we could not regard as sufficient evidence of those facts, and if Paul had sold the car, and the trustees had sued him for it, those facts must have been fully proved to establish their title against a creditor of the corporation.
But as before stated, we do not think the plaintiff was bound to show .that the trustees had such a title to the car as would have enabled them to recover for it if sold. The trustees were in possession of the property, and had been for nearly two years claiming title to it, they had conveyances of it to them from the railroad company spread upon the public records, which upon their face recited all the facts necessary to establish a legal title to the property, and they gave notice to the officer that they claimed the property, and would sue for it if he sold it. Under these circumstances we are all satisfied that the defendant could not rightfully claim that the plaintiff' or the creditor should incur the risk of a litigation with the trustees for this car, and that when he
The judgment of the county court is therefore affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Nathan P. Bowman v. John A. Conant
- Status
- Published