Case Name: Wilson v. Bradley, Governor
Court: Kentucky Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Kentucky
Decision Date: 1898-12-09
Citations: 105 Ky. 52
Docket Number: 
Parties: Wilson v. Bradley, Governor.
Judges: 
Reporter: Kentucky Reports
Volume: 105
Pages: 52–63

Head Matter:
Case 7 — MANDAMUS
December 9.
Wilson v. Bradley, Governor.
APPEAL PROM FRANKLIN CIRCUIT COURT.
1. Fugitive from Justice — Expenses and Mileage Incurred in Unsuccessful Effort to Reclaim. — Under Sec. 1934 of the Kentucky Statutes providing for mileage and expenses to be paid to tbe agent of this Commonwealth in traveling to and from another State for the purpose of reclaiming a fugitive from justice, the agent is not entitled to his mileage and necessary expenses unless he actually reclaims and brings back to this State such fugitive from justice.
2. Affidavit to Claim — Requisites of as to Route Traveled.— An accou-nt for expenses and mileage in such a case is fatally defective if it fail to show that the mileage was computed by the route most usually traveled.
3. Account Must Contain no Illegal Items. — Unless the account is correct as a whole, the Governor is warranted in refusing to approve it'.
4. Mandamus — Whether it will Lie Against the Governor.— Whether the action of the Governor can be controlled by mandamus in such a case is doubted, but where the Governor submits to such an action without objection the courts will determine the rights of the plaintiff.
C. P. CHENAULT and GUY H. BRIGGS, fob appellant.
1. The agent for the reclamation of a fugitive from justice, being the mere agent of the Commonwealth, with no personal interest in the return of the fugitive, the State of Kentucky is liable for his expenses whether successful or unsuccessful through no fault of his own. Sec. 1934 of Ky. Stat. Public policy requires this construction of the statute.
2. The language of the statute carries with it a discretion in the Governor to impose any condition he may see proper in issuing his commission. He may, therefore, provide in the commission that the agent is to receive no compensation unless he shall be ■ successful in his attempt to reclaim and return the fugitive. Booker v. Stevenson, 8 Bush, 39.
WILLIAM O. BRADLEY, GOVERNOR OF KENTUCKY, in his own behalf.
1. The construction contended for by the appellant would open the door to gross frauds upon the Commonwealth. It is shown by the Auditor's reports that many thousands of dollars are expended each year under what is known as “expressages,” including the cost of bringing back to this State fugitives from justice. The statute itself limits the mileage to the route most usually traveled and the fee and necessary expenses to such as the agent may have to expend "in reclaiming and transporting each fugitive,” and further provides that he is not to be so entitled except “upon the return” of the fugitive to the county in which is located the jail mentioned in the proclamation.
2. The petition is fatally defective in failing to say that the mileage claimed was computed “by the route most usually traveled.”
3. It does not appear why the fugitive from justice was not returned or that the Governor of New York refused to honor the requisition. >
4. The item claimed of $7.44 for expenses from Mt. Sterling to Frankfort and return is not proper, and under a ruling of this court in Booker v. Stevenson, 8 Bush, 39, the Governor is justi fied in refusing to allow an account which contains any illegal item.
GUY H. BRIGGS, por appellant,
in a supplemental brief, made the additional citation of Green v. Page, 80 Ky., 368.
Same counsel filed a petition for a rehearing, further arguing the construction of the statutes bearing on the question.

Opinion:
JUDGE DURELLE
delivered the opinion op the court.
By section 1934, Ky. Stat., it is provided that, "in all cases where the Governor of this Commonwealth shall make a requisition upon the Governor of another State or Territory for a fugitive from justice, the person named in such requisition as the agent of this Commonwealth shall, unless a different condition is contained in the commission of the agent, be allowed to receive as compensation for his services at the rate of six cents per mile for the distance he may travel to and from the jail of the county designated in the proclamation to the place where said fugitive may be arrested — the distance to be computed by the route most usually traveled, and such other fees and necessary expenses as he may have to expend in reclaiming and transporting such fugitive." Under this section the appellant was appointed the agent of the Commonwealth to demand a fugitive from justice in the state of New York, and lodge him with the jailer of the county of Montgomery. The appellant proceeded to New York, but the Governor of that State refused to honor the requisition; and, upon appellant's account for mileage to and from New York being presented, the Governor of this Commonwealth refuses to approve it. Certain minor objections to the account as presented, such as that the account includes mileage from Mt. Sterling to Frankfort and return, in order to obtain the requisition; and from the city of New York, where the fugitive was arrested, to the city of Albany, in order to obtain tbe warrant of the New York Governor; as well as the objection that the affidavit filed with the claim, does not show the distance, to be computed by the route most usually traveled, as required by the statute, but only that the distance claimed for was necessarily traveled, — seem to us to be well taken. It follows, therefore, in accordance with the view expressed in Booker v. Stephenson, 8 Bush, 41, that the Governor can not be considered in default for refusing to allow the claim. It was there said, Judge Lindsay delivering the opinion: "If it be conceded that the duty of the Governor in the allowance of such claims is purely ministerial, and that the performance of the same can be enforced by mandamus, still he can not be regarded as in default for refusing to allow a claim which embraces any illegal or unauthorized charge."
This conclusion being reached, we need not consider the question in that case referred to, whether mandamus will lie against the Governor in such case. But, as the Governor did not raise the question whether mamdamus would lie against him, we must assume that the omission to do so was because he desired the question decided whether such a claim ought to be allowed by him.
It is urged on behalf of appellant that, unless some' condition to the contrary is inserted in the commission to the agent of the Commonwealth, he is entitled to six cents per mile as matter of right, whether he succeeds in reclaiming and returning the fugitive or not. But we have, though with some hesitation, reached the conclusion that neither fees and expenses in reclaiming and transporting the fugitive, nor mileage of the agent to and from the state in which the fugitive has taken refuge, were intended by the statute to be allowed, except in the event of the reclamation of the fugitive and his return to this Commonwealth. Force is given to this conclusion by the fact that the same sentence of the statute allows the mileage to the agent, "and such other fees and necessary expenses as he may have to expend in reclaiming and transporting such fugitive;" the language used .indicating that the mileage and the fees and expenses are to be allowed only in the event of their expenditure in reclaiming and transporting the fugitive. The judgment is affirmed, the whole court sitting.