Case Name: The People, Resp'ts, v. Denton Fowler et al., App'lts
Court: New York Supreme Court, General Term
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1892-02-08
Citations: 43 N.Y. St. Rep. 415
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People, Resp’ts, v. Denton Fowler et al., App’lts.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York State Reporter
Volume: 43
Pages: 415–416

Head Matter:
The People, Resp’ts, v. Denton Fowler et al., App’lts.
(Supreme Court, General Term, Second Department,
Filed February 8, 1892.)
1. Nuisance—Highways—Encroachments.
Village trustees are commissioners of highways only, and as such cannot authorize the erection of a nuisance on the highway, or legalize its continuance.
2. Highways—User.
A highway established by proof of user for twenty years, must continue a highway as used until it is officially changed.
Appeal from judgment entered on conviction of defendants of he crime of public nuisance in erecting and maintaining a fence within the limits of a public highway in the village of Haverstraw.
Irving Brown, for app’lts; Wm McCauley, Jr., dist. att’y, for resp’ts.

Opinion:
Barnard, P. J.
The indictment charges that the defendants erected and maintained a common nuisance upon Broadway or West street, in the village of Haverstraw. Proof was given tending to show that the defendants about three years before the trial put up a fence, a part of which was eleven feet on the highway named. The defendants offered evidence tending to show that the village trustees had directed the erection of the fence in question. The offer was properly rejected. . The trustees are commissioners of highways only, and as such cannot authorize the erection of a nuisance on the highway, or legalize its continuance. Mo official act of the trustees was offered. The highway was established by proof of user for over twenty-years, and it must continue a highway as used until it is officially changed. An oral conversation with some of the trustees will be powerless even upon the question of intent. The wrongful intent is- proven by the wrongful act.
The remark of the judge that there was temptation in Haverstraw to encroach on the highways was probably in reference to the existence of clay and sand for brick making purposes in that village. When the attention of the judge'was called to the remark he at once explained that the offense charged would not be established by any temptation to encroach, but only by proof of the fact.
The conviction and judgment should be affirmed.
Dykman and Pratt, JJ., concur.