Case ID: mass_59/html/0219-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Wilde, J.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

George F. Pool vs. The City of Boston.
    A watchman of the city of Boston, who, while in the discharge of his duty as such, discovers a person setting fire to a building, and prosecutes him to conviction, is not entitled to claim a reward offered by the city government for the detection and conviction of an incendiary.
    This was an action of assumpsit brought in this court to recover the sum of §2000, as a reward to which the plaintiff alleged he was entitled, and was submitted to the court upon an agreed statement of facts, from which it appeared as follows: —
    The city government of Boston having authorized the mayor to offer a reward “ for the detection and conviction of any incendiary or incendiaries,” who had set fire to any building in the city, or might do so, within a given period, the mayor accordingly .offered the reward above mentioned “ for the detection and conviction of said incendiary or incendiaries,” within the time specified.
    The plaintiff was a watchman of the city, duly appointed, and while in the performance of his duty as such watchman, discovered one Edmund Hollihan settiñg fire to a certain outhouse of one Chase, in the night of the 20th of September, 1845. The plaintiff thereupon made a complaint in the police court against Hollihan, for burning a dwelling-house in the night time, upon which complaint he was committed for trial. He was afterwards indicted at the December term of the municipal court, 1845, for setting fire to the outhouse oi Chase, in the night time following the 20th of September, 1845, and at the February term, 1846, was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment in the house of correction.
    The plaintiff, thereupon, claimed the above reward of $2000 and brought this action to recover the same.
    
      M. S. Clarke, for the plaintiff.
    P. W. Chandler, city solicitor, for the defendants.
   Wilde, J.

The defence to this action is, that the plaintiff has done no more than it was his duty as a watchman to do, and that a promise of a reward to a man for doing his duty is illegal, or void for want of consideration. The leading case in support of the defence is that of Stotesbury v. Smith, 2 Bur. 924, in which it was held, that it was illegal for the officer, in that case, to take money for doing his duty. He was a bailiff, and the defendant promised to pay him a sum of money, in case he would accept the defendant and another to be bail for a third person. It was decided, that no action could be maintained on such a promise. See also England v. Davidson, 3 P. & D. 594.

The same principle has been applied to promises made to persons not being public officers ; such as promises to seamen, to pay them extra wages for the performance of their duty.

“ Every seaman,” says chancellor Kent, in his Commentaries, (3 Kent, 185,) is bound, from the nature and terms of his contract, to do his duty in the service, to the utmost of his ability, and, therefore, a promise made by the master when the ship is in distress, to pay extra wages, as an inducement to extraordinary exertion, is illegal and void.” So it was held by lord Kenyon, in the case of Harris v. Watson, Peake, 72. But it was held by lord Ellenborough, that such a promise was not void on the ground of illegality, but on the ground of. a want of consideration, which, as it seems to us, is better founded on general principles. Stilk v. Myrick, 2 Camp. 317; Bridge v. Cage, Cro.Jac.103. But however this may be, it is vvell settled that such a promise is void.

So it has been decided, that a promise of extra compensation to a witness, in case he would attend court, and give testimony, at considerable expense and inconvenience to himself, was void, and that he could only recover his fees allowed by law, he- having done no more than he was in duty bound to do.

These decisions, and the principles on which they are founded, are decisive against the plaintiff’s claim in the present case; it was his duty, when on the watch he discovered Hollihan setting fire to the outhouse, to make complaint, and cause him to be arrested,..or to give notice to the mayor, or some other city officer, that they might prosecute him. He preferred himself to prosecute rather than to give notice to the city authorities; doubtless with the hope of entitling himself thereby to the large reward offered. But this will not help him. The principal object of the reward offered was to obtain the detection of the offender; the conviction was required to ascertain who was the offender. But to entitle the plaintiff to the reward, he must show that he is so entitled, as well for the detection as for the conviction of the offender. The reward cannot be apportioned. But the plaintiff is not entitled thereto for either service. He discovered the offender while he was on duty as a watchman, and was bound to give notice, or to cause him to be arrested; and he preferred the latter course , but he could not thereby subject the defendants to a liability, to which they would not be subject, if he had given notice to some one of the city officers.

For these reasons, briefly stated, and on principles well settled by the authorities, we are of opinion, that this action cannot be maintained; and the plaintiff must become nonsuit.