Case Name: TOWLE against COVERT
Court: New York Court of Common Pleas
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1874-01
Citations: 15 Abb. Pr. 193
Docket Number: 
Parties: TOWLE against COVERT.
Judges: 
Reporter: Abbott's Practice Reports
Volume: 15
Pages: 193–194

Head Matter:
TOWLE against COVERT.
New York Common Pleas;
General Term, January, 1874.
Jurisdiction.-—Attachment.
The New York common pleas cannot acquire jurisdiction of an action upon contract for the recovery of money only, against a nonresident defendant, by service by publication, and by the issue and levy of an attachment, as a provisional remedy, upon his property within the county.
But in such case .the warrant of attachment will not necessarily be set aside, because it may be issued before service of summons.
Appeal from an order.
This action was brought by Hamilton E. Towle against Hiram C. Covert.
J. Langdon Ward, for plaintiff and respondent.
Elliott E. Shepard, for defendant and appellant.

Opinion:
By the Court.
The action was upon contract for the recovery of money only. Prior to the act, chap. 239, Laws of 1873, this court would have jurisdiction of the action if the defendant resided in the city of New York, or was served with the summons therein (Code, §33). The action having been brought after the passage of the act aforesaid, the court, on proof'that the defendant was not a resident of this State, and could not be found therein, but had property therein liable to attachment, made an order for tho publication of the summons and service by mail thereof, and granted a warrant of attachment against de fendant's property. On failure of defendant to an swer, and on due proof of service by publication of summons, and of levy under the attachment issued, judgment was entered against the defendant.
The judgment was irregular, this court not having acquired jurisdiction (Landers v. Staten Island R. R. Co., 14 Abb. Pr. N. S., 346). The order of publication, the judgment and all proceedings thereunder, and the levy under the attachment must be set aside.
The warrant of attachment will not be set aside, because it may be issued before the summons is served (Woodward v. Stearns, 10 Abb. Pr. N. S., 395); but defendant may move to vacate it on further papers as he shall be advised.
Present, Daly, Ch. J., and Robinson and J. P. Daly, JJ.