Case Name: Benjamin W. King agt. Amos A. Southwick et al.
Court: New York Court of Common Pleas
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1884-01
Citations: 66 How. Pr. 282
Docket Number: 
Parties: Benjamin W. King agt. Amos A. Southwick et al.
Judges: 
Reporter: Howard's Practice Reports
Volume: 66
Pages: 282–283

Head Matter:
N. Y. COMMON PLEAS.
Benjamin W. King agt. Amos A. Southwick et al.
Attachment—An affidavit on an application for am, attachment which states the cause of action on information and belief is insufficient— Code of Civil Procedure, sections 635, 636.
In an affidavit on an application for an attachment the cause of action was stated on information and belief, hut the non-residence of the defendants was alleged positively. On motion to vacate the attachment:
Held, that the cause of action being stated on information and belief, and the sources of the information not being given, the attachment must be vacated. Such a verification is proper in a pleading but not in an affidavit to obtain an attachment.
Special Term, January, 1884.
Motion to vacate an attachment.
The affidavit upon which the attachment was issued, alleged, first, upon information and belief, a cause of action against the defendants .for a conspiracy to defraud ; and, second, positively that the defendants were non-residents. The motion to vacate the attachment was made upon the papers upon which it was granted.
Oswald Prentiss Backus, for motion,
argued that the cause of action must be proved, and that an allegation upon information and belief is insufficient, and cited .on applications for attachment: Code of Civil Procedure (secs. 635, 636); Smith agt. Luce (14 Wend., 239); Ex parte Haynes (18 Wend., 611); Pierse agt. Smith (1 Minn., 60 [82]); Hill agt. Bond (22 How., 272); St. Arnaud agt. De Beixcedon (3 Sandf. [S. C.], 703); Brewer agt. Tucker (13 Abb., 76); Lawton agt. Kiel (51 Barb., 32); Yates agt. North (44 N. Y., 271, 274); Steuben County Bank agt. Alberger (78 N. Y., 258); Ackroyd agt. Ackroyd (11 Abb., 345); Castellanos agt. Jones (5 N. Y., 164,168); Donnelly agt. Corbett (7 N. Y., 500, 507). Arrest and bail: Code of Civil Procedure (549, 557); De Nierth agt. Sidner (25 How., 419); Whitlock agt. Roth (5 How., 143); Blason agt. Bruno (21 How., 112); Dreyfus agt. Otis (54 How., 405); Baton agt. Reisenberger (25 How., 164); Crandall agt. Bryan (15 How., 48); Adams agt. Mills (3 How., 219); Pierson agt. Freeman (77 N. Y., 589). Injunctions : Code of Civil Procedure (secs. 603, 604, 607); Crocker agt. Baker (3 Abb., 182); Pomeroy agt. Hindmarsh (5 How., 437); Conkey agt. Dike (17 Minn., 459).
Julius M. Ferguson, opposed.

Opinion:
J. F. Daly, J.
— The motion to vacate an attachment must be granted. The whole cause of action (which is for conspiracy and fraud) is stated on information and belief, and the sources of information are not given. Such a verification of the cause of action is proper in a pleading, but is not proper in an affidavit upon an application to obtain an attachment.
Ten dollars costs to defendant.