cause whether such advice was sought in good faith.-Morton v. The Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 54.
5. In an action for malicious prosecution the Court charged the jury that if they should find that the prosecution of plain- tiff was authorized by the corporation and that it had failed, they should then consider the question of probable cause; that upon this branch of the case they were to determine whether the charge of embezzlement was true; if it was, then there was an end of the case and the ver- dict would be for defendant. If true in part only, then plaintiff was not necessa- rily to have a verdict; they were then to consider whether defendant had probable cause to believe the charge true, and if it had, then the verdict was to be for de- fendant. Held, No error.-Id.
6. A complaint for malicious prosecution need not allege that the accusation was false or falsely made.—Avery v. Blair, 178.
7. Evidence to show that defendant em- ployed counsel to try the indictment against plaintiff is proper.-Id.
8. Where the plaintiff simply shows that defendant was a witness against him be- fore the Grand Jury, evidence tending to show what he testified to before the Grand Jury is inadmissible.-Id.
9. Where the facts relied upon to make out a want of probable or reasonable cause are in dispute, it is the duty of the court to submit that question to the jury.—Id. See CORPORATIONS, 1, 2; PLEADING, 1.
1. A mandamus cannot be granted to com- pel the issuing of a permit to the trustees of the Brooklyn Bridge to enter upon certain streets to lay foundations for the approaches to the bridge where the effect thereof will be to allow the trustees to place pillars or columns in such streets. The People ex rel. Stranahan v. Thomp- son, 2.
2. Chap. 399, Laws of 1867, probibits the in- terposition of any obstacle to the free and uninterrupted use of the streets, and con- fers no authority which authorizes the exercise of any discretion in determining the character of the obstruction.-Id.
3. While the records in the office of a county clerk or register are public and every person has a right to examine and copy them at reasonable times, yet the clerk or register has the right to decide as to the manner in which such right shall be exercised and to say how many persons may be sent to work at the office
at one time by a title guaranty company, and a mandamus to compel the clerk or register to allow the employees of such company to make searches and copy rec- ords is not allowable or proper.-The People ex rel. The German Am. L. & T. Co. v. Richards, 366.
MARINE COLLISION.
1. Defendant was owner of a steam yacht licensed to proceed from port to port in the United States and by sea to any for- eign ports. The yacht was coming up the Hudson river at 9 P. M. under steam, with sails furled, showing, under rule 3 of S 4233, U. S. R. S. at the fore-mast head a bright white light, on the star- board side a green light, and on the port side a red light. She collided with a steamboat belonging to plaintiff's testator. In an action by the latter for damages, Held, That the lights shown were correct and that the yacht was not required also to show a central range of two white lights, specified in rule 7 of said section. -Chase et al. v. Belden, 99.
MARINE INSURANCE.
1. A clause in a policy of insurance on a canal boat, providing for a termination of the risk if the voyage cannot be fin- ished the same season in consequence of ice or the closing of navigation, does not become operative by reason of a tempo- rary stoppage of the boat by ice and clo- sing of navigation, which was afterwards reopened so that the voyage was resumed. -Delahunt et al. v. The Etna Ins. Co.,
2. The persons named in the policy as the assured, being in possession of the same, are the proper parties in interest and en- titled to maintain the action.-Id.
3. Where an open policy contained a clause of forfeiture upon assignment and loss before notice to the company, but the certificates issued thereunder were made payable to the assured or order, Held, That an assignment of the certificate, without notice, did not come within the provision.-Id.
1. A statute of the State of New Hampshire in force in 1862 declared absolutely void a marriage where either party has a for- mer wife or husband living, knowing such wife or husband to be alive. Held, That the word "former" as used in this connection means a continuing relation, and that the husband or wife must be such when the second marriage is solem-
nized, and accordingly where one divorced for adultery in Massachusetts went over into New Hampshire and married that this marriage not prohibited in New Hampshire was valid everywhere.-Rob- erts v. The O. & L. C. RR. Co., 63.
2. A husband cannot allege, as a ground for annulling his marriage, that his wife made false representations to him where- by he was induced to marry her when he otherwise would not have done so, when, during cohabitation, he discovered the falsity of such representation but yet con- tinued to cohabit with her for two years after such discovery.-Muller v. Muller, 287.
3. The provision of the statute of frauds re- quiring contracts which by their terms are not to be performed within one year from the making thereof to be in writing and signed by the parties has no applica- tion to mutual promises to marry.-Brick v. Garnar, 545.
See CONTRACT, 13; EVIDENCE, 5, 6.
MASTER AND SERVANT.
1. Intestate was in the employ of defendant engaged in repairing the track. The con- struction train on which he was riding ran off the track at a crossing where mud had been thrown on the track by passing wheels and had frozen, filling up the rails, and was killed One T., who was in charge of the train, was also general fore- man of repairs and charged with the duty of seeing that crossings were properly cleaned and in safe condition, and this he had attempted to do. Held, That intestate in performing these services must be as- sumed to have understood the condition of the road and subjected himself to greater risks than he would have incurred under ordinary circumstances, and that T., in the duties he was performing at the time, was only a fellow-servant for whose negligence defendant was not liable.- Brick v. The Roch., N. Y. & Pa. RR. Co, 14.
2. M. was foreman of a pit in defendant's mine, and as such had power to hire and discharge men in that pit. A hole in the pit had been charged with rendrock and powder and fired, and upon examination it was supposed that the charge had ex- ploded. M. ordered plaintiff to drill the hole deeper, in doing which the charge exploded and plaintiff was injured. M. was not shown incompetent, and plain- tiff was a skilled workman Held, That plaintiff could not recover; the business was a dangerous one, and plaintiff took
the risks of the employment; the negli- gence, if any, of M. was that of a co- servant.-Turner v. The Chateaugay Ore Co., 40.
3. As long as the master keeps the places where the servant is employed, or where he is likely to go in the course of that em- ployment, safe, he discharges his whole duty in that regard. Accordingly, where an employee, at the instance of another employee and not in the course of his em- ployment, went to a part of a vessel where he had no business or employment and was there injured by falling down an open hatchway, Held, that the master was not liable.-Belford v. The Camden Shipping Co., 131.
4. A master is not obliged to furnish his workmen with best known or best con- ceivable appliances, but those which are reasonably safe and suitable for the work; such as the master, as a prudent man, would furnish if his own life were ex- posed to the dangers of the work -Burke v. Witherbee et al., 423.
5. The risk of injury from a defect in dan- gerous machinery, which defect adds to the danger and is negligently permitted by the employer to exist, is not such a risk as the servant is presumed to have assumed when he took the employment. -Shaw v. Sheldon et al., 489.
6. In an action by the employee for wages, where the master pleads as a set-off that the employee misconducted himself in his employment by negligently and care- lessly doing a specified thing, thereby ex- posing the master to liability, such de- fense cannot be sustained where it ap- pears that an action is pending against the master for his employee's said act in which he has denied his liability there- for, and which action is not yet decided. -Merlett v. The North & East River SS. Co., 495.
7. The inspection of the roof of a chamber in an iron mine in which men are at work is the duty of the master, and he must employ persons for such inspection who are faithful and competent. And where a portion of the roof fell and killed an employee, although defendants regarded the inspection made sufficient, it is still a question for the jury whether it was so. -McCall v. Witherbee et al., 530. See NEGLIGENCE, 10, 21.
MECHANICS' LIENS.
1. A statement in a notice of lien that "60 days have not elapsed since the work was performed and materials furnished" is a sufficient compliance with the require- ment of the Onondaga act that it shall state the date from which the lien is
claimed to have commenced, and espe- cially so as against the owner, the con- tractor or his general assignee.-Ryan v. Klock et al., 406.
See COMMON CARRIERS, 5: MORTGAGE, 10.
1 One B., who was owing plaintiff and de- fendants, delivered to the former goods under an agreement that the avails should be applied to plaintiff's claim and after- wards to defendants', and plaintiff paid to defendants the balance due them under the agreement. Thereafter one C. claimed and took away a portion of the goods. Held. That plaintiff could not re- cover from defendants for the portion so taken away without showing that it belonged to C. and that the title acquired from B. had failed.-Snell v. Newell et al, 218.
1. A party claiming the benefit of the po- sition of a purchaser in good faith and for a valuable consideration is bound to allege and prove that fact -Seymour v. McKin- stry et al., 77.
2. Plaintiff sold certain premises to one S. under agreement by which he was to be paid the proceeds of a $5,000 mortgage to be given on the premises, and a second mortgage of $3,000 should be given to his wife. McK, with knowledge of this ar- rangement, took a $5,000) mortgage, as- signed it and paid part of the proceeds to S retaining the balance to apply to claims against S Plaintiff refused to re- ceive the check for the part offered, de- manded the whole $5,000 of McK., which was refused, and afterward plaintiff drew the money on the check. In an action to declare the balance a prior lien on the premises, Held, That plaintiff was not estopped; that neither the receipt of the check by plaintiff, under the circum- stances, nor the receipt of the second mortgage by his wife was a ratification of the transaction -Id.
3. When a mortgage describes the property mortgaged as being situated easterly of a certain point when in fact it is situated westerly of said point, but also contains a further description of said property by a certain lot number on a map filed in the Register's office by which said property is accurately located, a purchaser at the sale on the foreclosure of the said mortgage acquires title to the property.-Wagner v. Hodge et al., 125.
4. When a mortgagor has, subsequent to the execution of the mortgage, made an
assignment for the benefit of his credit- ors, and his assignee, who has no other interest in the property than that derived under the assignment, is made a party to an action to foreclose the mortgage, in- dividually and not as assignee, the judg- ment in such action will have the effect of cutting off his interest as assignee.- -Id.
5. An assignee in bankruptcy of a mortga- gor appointed under the late bankrupt laws subsequent to the commencement of an action for the foreclosure of the mortgage and the filing of a notice of the pendency of such action is a subsequent purchaser or incumbrancer and is not a necessary party to the action — Id.
6. The complaint alleged that plaintiff al- lowed defendant P. to take notes belong- to her, to be secured by a mortgage given to him by the other defendants; that P. delivered them to the other defendants, who destroyed them, and asked to be ad- judged owner of the mortgage to the extent of the notes. The referee al- lowed the complaint to be amended by striking out the allegation as to the de- struction of the notes, they being pro- duced. Held, No error; that the amend- ment did not affect the issue or bring in a new cause of action.-Price v. Price et al., 194.
7. One of these notes was payable to plain- tiff, and admissions of P. were shown to the effect that he received it from plaint- iff to give to the other defendants. Held, That the legal and equitable title was shown to be in plaintiff, and that the mortgage was impressed with a trust in favor of plaintiff for the amount due her. -Id.
8. An objection that the property sold on foreclosure was not sufficiently described in the mortgage is not tenable when it appears that the premises could be defi- nitely located by any competent person going upon the ground with the descrip- tion.-Abbott v Curran et al., 231.
9. The summons was addressed to the heirs at law, etc., and their wives or husbands, it any. Held, That the words "if any" as used would not invalidate a summons otherwise perfect.—Id.
10. The mortgagor conveyed the premises to the mortgagee, the deed expressly de- claring that it should not operate to merge the mortgage, but only to grant the equity of redemption. Held, That the intention that the deed should not operate as a merger should have effect.-Id.
11. A referee to sell was appointed by con- sent of all the parties who had appeared, who were all the parties but one, who was an absentee. Held, That if this was an
error under Chap. 439, Laws of 1876, it did not render the appointment illegal or the sale void. Id.
12. Letters of administration are conclusive evidence of the administrator's authority until revoked —Id.
13. A recital in a deed that it was made "for commercial purposes only" imposes no restriction on the absolute title.-Id. 14. A mortgage conditioned for the pay- ment of an annuity to the mortgagee during his lifetime, and also for the pay- ment to him or the general guardian of the children of the mortgagor, for their benefit, a specified sum annually during their minority, creates a trust in favor of the children and constitutes the mort- gagee a trustee of the mortgagor's chil- dren to the extent of their beneficial inter- est-McPherson v. Rollins et al., 254.
15. And when no power of revocation is re- served to the creator of the trust or con- ferred upon any other person, the mort- gagee cannot, even with the consent of the mortgagor, give a valid discharge or certificate of satisfaction of the mort- gage; and especially so in the absence of a consideration.-Id.
16. The record of such a mortgage is con- structive notice of its provisions sufficient to put a purchaser upon inquiry, and of the want of power of such mortgagee to discharge the mortgage.—Id.
17. When an injunction pending foreclosure of a mortgage forbidding the mortgagor to collect the rents but allowing his agents to do so and retain them subject to the order of the court is vacated, the parties stand in the same position as though no injunction had been granted and the rents collected by the agents be- long to the mortgagor.-Wyckoff v. Sco- field et al., 262.
18. The court has no power to order rents already collected and in possession of the mortgagor to be paid over and applied on the mortgage debt.-Id.
19. In an action of interpleader it appeared that plaintiff executed a mortgage to L. C., who was executrix of Z. C. L. C. having died, B. and S. were appointed administrators in her place and have pos- session of the mortgage, and claim that the consideration was derived from assets of the estate of Z. C. The mortgage was to L. C. individually. Held, That only the representative of L. C. could enforce the mortgage, and that the question whether she was guilty of a devastavit could not be determined in this action. The admission or denial of parts of the complaint "at" or between" certain folios does not conform to the spirit of
22 of the Code.-Calkins v. Bolton et al., 333.
20. Under the facts appearing in the opin- ion, Held, That defendant is mortgagee in possession, and his rights are unaf- fected by foreclosure of subsequent mort- gage.-Wing v. Field, 351.
21. A. gave a bond to his father, conditioned to pay him interest on a certain sum for his life, and then to his widow for her life, and at her death to pay the principal to the father's executor. The father hav- ing died, the obligor gave a mortgage to secure performance of the bond, and the obligee's wife died when a part of the in- terest due her was unpaid. Held, That the widow's administrator had a right to look to the mortgage for the unpaid in- terest, and the obligee's executor having declined to enforce the security, the ad- ministrator had a right to bring suit on the mortgage and join the executor as de- fendant. So far as the executor had paid the liens upon the mortgaged premises which it was the mortgagor's duty to pay, he was entitled to repayment out of the proceeds of the mortgage sale; but he was not entitled to such reimbursement for taxes paid on the whole premises, whereas the mortgage covered only an undivided half thereof.-Weed v. Hornby et al., 355.
22. A mortgage for $2,500 being in process of foreclosure, defendant applied to plain- tiff's testator for a loan to pay it off. Tes- tator paid the amount of the mortgage and costs and a sum to defendant, mak- ing $3,000 in all, and took a mortgage for that amount and also an assignment of the prior mortgage. On foreclosure of the $3,000 mortgage it was declared void for usury. On foreclosure of the prior mortgage, Held, That the court was justi- fied in holding that the assignment was valid; that no payment of said mortgage is shown and that no usury having been pleaded it was not available as a defense. -Allison et al. v. Schmitz, 365.
23. A mortgage upon a leasehold estate which, by its terms, covers "the edifices, buildings. rights, members, privileges, and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining; and also all the estate, right, title, interest, term of years yet to come and unexpired, prop- erty, possession, claim and demand what- soever, as well in law as in equity of the mortgagor, of, in, and to the demised premises and every part and parcel there- of with the appurtenances; and also the indenture of lease and every clause, arti- cle and condition therein expressed and contained," is a lien upon a right reserved in the lease to a renewal of the term for a further period of time, or, in default thereof, to payment from the owners of
the property of the value of the buildings standing upon the property at the time of the expiration of the lease; and a suit to foreclose it can, therefore, be maintained after the expiration of the lease; and such effect is not defeated by a subsequent clause declaring that the mortgagee should have and hold the indenture of lease and the other premises granted, for and during all the rest, residue, and re mainder of the term of years then to come and unexpired.-Moller et al. v. Duryee et al., 458.
24. Payments upon the mortgage debt made by the executor of the deceased mort- gagor after the assignment of the mort- gaged lease will keep the debt alive and authorize a foreclosure of the mortgage as against such assignee after the time when the debt would have been barred by the statute of limitations if it had not been for such payments.-Id.
25. A purchaser of a leasehold interest in real property at a foreclosure sale thereof is entitled to have allowed him as cash upon such purchase the amount due for taxes, etc., upon such property when, by the terms of the lease purchased, such taxes were to be paid by the tenant.- Moller et al v. Duryee et al., 459.
26. The probability that an obligation upon the tenant to pay the taxes, etc., upon the property leased would accompany a lease for twenty-eight years is so strong as to require only formal evidence to sustain it as a fact in support of a motion based upon it.-Id.
27. Although the lease itself was not pro- duced in the court below upon the argu- ment of a motion based upon it, but its terms were proved by affidavit merely, still the court at General Term may re- ceive and act upon the lease.—Id.
28. It is not waste for a tenant of nursery grounds, entering subsequent to a mort- gage, to remove and sell in good faith and in the usual course of business grow- ing nursery stock, if done before fore- closure is begun and not in apprehension of foreclosure and for the purpose of in- juring the freehold and security.-Ham- ilton v. Austin et al., 500.
29. Neither the receiver appointed in fore- foreclosure, nor the mortgagee in a sub- sequent action at law, can recover such stock or its value.-Id.
30. A mortgage not accompanied by a bond, and which contains no covenant of pay- ment is not usurious, even if it appear that it was drawn for a greater sum than the mortgagee intended to advance under it. Under such a mortgage the recovery will be limited to the advances proven.- The First Nat'l B'k of Whitehall v. Gris- wold et al., 516.
31. Nor does it establish or affect the ques- tion of usury that the complaint claims for the whole sum secured by the mort- gage.-Id.
32. Where, upon partition. the widow, whose dower had not been admeasured. released her dower and received therefor a bond and mortgage on a portion of the lands in suit in ignorance of a prior judg- ment against one of the mortgagors, Held, That her equities were the same as if she had conveyed lands and taken back a pur- chase-money mortgage, and that the mortgage was prior in lien to that of the judgment.-Pope v. Mead, 540.
33. Plaintiff's assignor held a mortgage on village lots 13, 14, 15 and 16. Defendant
D. held three prior mortgages, the first two on lots 13, 14 and 15 and the third on lots 13, 14, 15 and 16. D. agreed with A. S., the owner of the equity of redemp. tion, that she would foreclose the second of her mortgages and bid on the sale the amount due on all her mortgages, and A S. agreed that she would pay the costs of foreclosure and redeem lots 13, 14 and 15 within a certain time. D. carried out her agreement and A. S. paid the costs, but failed to redeem. Plaintiff's assignor was a party to the foreclosure. Held, That by this arrangement the mortgage of plain- tiff's assignor became a first lien on lot 16. -Griswold v. Davey et al., 556.
34. By the payment of the costs by A. S. there was a small surplus on the sale re- sulting from D.'s bid. Held, That plain- tiff was entitled to the benefit of this sur- plus.-Id.
See AGENCY, 4; BANKS, 13; COUNTY TREAS- URER; DEEDS, 11, 12; DURESS, 1, 4; FRAUD, 3, 4; PLEADING, 16; RECEIVERS. 3, 5, 6.
MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS.
1. A power to regulate the ringing of bells and the crying of goods or other com- modities for sale at auction, or other- wise, relates solely to the manner of ad- vertising a sale by public outcry, and au- thorizes the Common Council to regulate that custom or manner of advertising, but confers no authority to regulate or prohibit a sale of goods at auction within the store or building of the seller. There- fore, an ordinance prohibiting the sale of jewelers' goods at auction after sunset, under a penalty, is unauthorized and . void. The City of Rochester v. Close, 109.
2. While negligence cannot be assigned against a municipal corporation for the design or plan of an improvement, yet where it has constructed a street upon a high embankment without guards to pro- tect its sides it is liable for injuries occa- sioned by the want of such protection
« 이전계속 » |