Case ID: nc_27/html/0411-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Nash, J.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

THE STATE, ON THE RELATION OF JOHN DICKSON vs. JOHN G. ESKRIDGE.
    Where the words of the record of a County Court were: “The Court appointed, J. G. E. constable, he having been elected in Capt. J’s. company.’*
    
      Held, that this was evidence of ah election by the people, ahd hot of an ap-) pointment by the court.
    When in 1835, notes, the makers of which were proved to be solvent, were put in a constable’s hands for dollection, arid on the trial of an action for the breach of his bond, which action was brought in 1840, he failed to account for or produce the notes: Meld that the court did right in instructing the jury that they might give in damages the whole amount of the notes.
    The cases of the State v. Washfawn, 4 Ired. 19. State v. FuMemoidcrj 4 Ired. 364. State v. Wiggins, 4 Ired. 273. Governor v, Matlock, 1 Hawks^S, and State v. Skinner, 3 Ired. 465, cited and approved.
    Appeal from the Superior Court of Law of Cleaveland county, at the Spring Term, 1845, his Honor Judge Manly presiding.
    This was an action upon a constable’s bond for the year 1835, whereon it was insisted that a recovery could not be had, because there was not sufficient evidence of the appointment of the defendant Eskridge to the office of constable, and, if there were, yet no more than nominal damages could be recovered. The following is a copy of the record of Rutherford County Court at April Term, 1835. “Present,” (here the names of seven justices are mentioned.) “The Court appointed John G. Eskridge, constable, till next January Court, upon its appearing that he had been elected in Capt. Abraham C. Irwin’s company. He gave bond to the State, &c.” On the trial it was in evidence that promissory notes on three several persons were placed in the constable’s hands for collection — that the makers of the notes were solvent and continued to be so up to the time of the trial, (in 1845,) and that the moneys might have been made out of them during the official year, to which the bond belonged. There was -no evidence on either side of what had become of the notes, nor were they produced on the trial,
    Upon this state of facts the Court was of opinion that the plaintiff was entitled to recover, and that the jury might give the full amount of the notes as damages, and so instructed the jury. A verdict, in pursuance of these instructions, was found for the plaintiff for the whole amount of his demand, and judgment being rendered accordingly the defendant appealed.
    No counsel appeared on either side in this Court.
   Nash, J.

This is an action of debt brought against the defendants upon a constable’s bond. Upon the records of Rutherford county, is the following entry : “ The court appointed John G. Eskridge constable, until next January court, upon its appearing that he had been elected in captain C. Irwin’s company.” He gave bond to the State of North Carolina.

From the same record it appears there were seven magistrates on the bench when the bond was taken. We see no objection to the bond or the appointment, as it is called. John G. Esk-ridge made it appear to the satisfaction of the court, that he had been elected a constable in or for captain Irwin’s district or company, and we are to understand by the voters of that district, and the court has done, and done properly, what devolved on them by law, namely, taken the bond of the constable, the requisits number of magistrates being on the bench. The word appoint, used as it is in the record, is sufficiently explained by what follows, to show, that, in fact, the court did not appoint the constable, but that he had been duly elected by the people of the district, and they did no more than take the bond. The bond is good in law. The whole doctrine on this subject is embodied in the following cases. State v. Washburn, 4 Ired. 19. State v. Fullenwider, 4 Ired. 364. State v. Wiggins, 4 Ired. 273. On the trial in the Superior Court, it was further urged by the defendants’ counsel, that if the plaintiff was entitled to a verdict at all, it would be for nominal damages only. The writ issued on the 5th of July 1840, and, according to the case, the papers were put into the hands of the constable Eskridge for collection, in the year 1835. The debtors were all solvent and able to pay, and were so at the time of the trial. The notes were not produced on the trial, nor was there any evidence to show what had become of them. The court instructed the jury, that, under such circumstances, they were at liberty to give in damages the full amount of the moneys due on the notes, which they, accordingly did. It was not questioned, but that the defendant Eskridge had broken his covenant; it was not pretended that he had made any effort to collect the money due. He had had the notes for five years before the bringing of the action, and ten before the trial, and, when called on for the money, neither paid it or gave any account of the notes whatever. The fair presumption is, that he had collected the money, and appropriated it to his own use. I say, this is a fair presumption, because, by the law, as established by this court, if he had tendered the papers to the relator, or had brought them into court and then surrendered them to his use, the damages to which he would have been subjected would have been but nominal, if the debtors were still solvent and still able to pay. Governor v. Matlock, 1 Hawks, 425. State v. Skinner, 3 Ired. 465. These cases have extended the immunity of collecting officers, as far as it ought to go. To protect the officer from paying substantial damages for the failure to perform his duty, he must place the plaintiff in the' same situation, in every respect,- that he was, when the agency' was assumed. We do not see how the judge could have in-' structed the jury differently from what he did.

Per Curiam, Judgment affirmed; •