Case Name: JOHN N. DRESSEL, Respondent, v. THE CITY OF KINGSTON, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, General Term
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1884-05
Citations: 39 N.Y. Sup. Ct. 526
Docket Number: 
Parties: JOHN N. DRESSEL, Respondent, v. THE CITY OF KINGSTON, Appellant.
Judges: BoaedmaN, J., concurred.
Reporter: Supreme Court Reports (Hun)
Volume: 39
Pages: 526–530

Head Matter:
JOHN N. DRESSEL, Respondent, v. THE CITY OF KINGSTON, Appellant.
Costs — action against a municipal corporation — who is to he deemed its chief fiscal ofilcér— Code of Civil Procedure, sec. 8245.
'The plaintiff having recovered a judgment against the city of Kingston, the defendant, for the damages occasioned by his falling into a hole in the sidewalk, moved for and obtained an order directing the clerk to tax costs and ■ disbursements in his favor. Upon the motion for such order an affidavit was made by the treasurer of the city, in which he stated that at the time of the accident and of the commencement of the action he was “ the chief fiscal officer” of the city and that the claim had never been presented to him. It appeared that, prior to the commencement' of the action, the plaintiff had presented his claim to the mayor and common council of the defendant, by which body all claims against the city were to be audited, and that it had been rejected.
Meld, that the treasurer was to be deemed the chief fiscal officer of the city, within the meaning of those words as used in section 3245 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and that as the plaintiff’s claim had not been presented to him costs could not be awarded to the plaintiff. (Boches, J., dissenting.)
Appeal from an order of tbe Ulster County Court awarding to the plaintiff bis costs and disbursements herein, and directing the clerk to tax the same and insert them in the judgment.
The plaintiff began an action in .the Ulster County Court to recover damages for personal injuries claimed to have been sustained by bim in falling into' a hole by reason of the unsafe condition of the sidewalks of defendant. He had never, before the commencement .of the action, presented the claim upon which the action was founded to the treasurer of the city for payment, or tor any purpose, lout he had presented it to the mayor and common council and they had rejected it. The cause was tried and a verdict rendered in plaintiff’s favor for the sum of $300. The clerk having declined on objection to insert costs in the judgment a motion was made to compel him to do so. Upon the hearing an affidavit of the defendant’s treasurer 'was read, in which he said “ ¿hat during all the time between the occurrence of the accident, on account of which this action is brought and the commencement of this action, he was the treasurer of the said city of Kingston and the chief fiscal officer thereof.”
John J. Jinson, for the appellant.
E. S. Wood, for the respondent.

Opinion:
LbaeNed, P. J.:
The affidavit of Grove Webster, used on this motion, states positively that at the time of the occurrence and of the commencement of the action he was the chief fiscal officer of the city of Kingston. There is no affidavit denying this. He further states that he was the treasurer; which word would itself seem (unless some contrary proof were given) to indicate that he was the chief fiscal officer. At any rate, the fact is not disputed on the affidavit. And if we look at the charter, chapter 150, Laws of 1872, we find the authority for the appointment of a treasurer, and we find no other person who can be called the chief fiscal officer. I do not think that to make section 3245 of the Code of Civil Proceedure applicable it is necessary that the officer be denominated " chief fiscal officer." Those words are descriptive and in this case they describe the treasurer of Kingston. Hence under Baine v. City of Rochester (85 N. Y., 523), it is of no consequence that this officer was not authorized to adjust the claim That case decides this.
Order should be reversed, with ten dollars costs and printing disbursements and motion denied, with ten dollars costs.
BoaedmaN, J., concurred.