Case Name: Andrew W. Billings v. Smith O'Brien
Court: New York Court of Common Pleas
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1873-05
Citations: 4 Daly (N.Y.) 556
Docket Number: 
Parties: Andrew W. Billings v. Smith O’Brien.
Judges: 
Reporter: Daly's Common Pleas Reports
Volume: 4
Pages: 556–556

Head Matter:
Andrew W. Billings v. Smith O’Brien.
(Decided in May, 1873.)
Defendant, a public officer, verbally assigned a share of his pay to accrue for a certain month (more than fifty dollars) to plaintiff, but subsequently collected the whole, and only paid over to plaintiff a part of the share he had assigned.
In an action by plaintiff against defendant for the conversion of money received in a fiduciary capacity, Held,
1. That the sale was void under the statute of frauds.
2. That were it otherwise, as the assignment was only of a share, it would convey to plaintiff only a joint interest, which would give him a right to share pro rata in the moneys received by defendant, but would not entitle him to maintain an action for conversion.
The sale by a public officer of his salary, as such, before it is earned, is void as against public policy.
Reported in full in 14 Abb. Pr. U. S. 238; s. c. 45 How. Pr. 392.
Appeal by defendant from a judgment of the Third District Court.
George F. and J. C. Julius Langbein, for appellant.
Samuel Jones and Howard Ellis, for respondent.

Opinion:
Opinion of the court by Eobinson, J.
Judgment reversed.
Present Daly, Oh. J., Robinson and Larrehobe, JJ.