Carrico v. Couch

1915 OK 115, 146 P. 447, 45 Okla. 672, 1915 Okla. LEXIS 543
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedFebruary 23, 1915
Docket3781
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 1915 OK 115 (Carrico v. Couch) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Carrico v. Couch, 1915 OK 115, 146 P. 447, 45 Okla. 672, 1915 Okla. LEXIS 543 (Okla. 1915).

Opinion

TURNER, J.

On September 13, 1911, the board of county commissioners of Oklahoma county, sued Mary D. Couch, as principal, and Oscar Reagan and E. A. De Tarr, as sureties upon her *674 official bond as county superintendent of public instruction in and for Oklahoma county. Several breaches of the bond were alleged, and judgment was prayed against defendants for $1,606.07. After answer filed in effect a general denial and a dross-petition to recover $2 overpaid, there was trial to the court upon this agreed statement of facts:

“First. It is agreed that Mary D. Couch was elected superintendent of public instruction for Oklahoma county on September 17, 1907, and that she qualified as such, took her oath of office, and entered into the discharge of the duties thereof on November 17, 1907.
“Second. That during her term of office, as aforesaid, from November 17, 1907, to January 9, 1911, she drew from Oklahoina county the sum of $180 as a member of the examining board of Oklahoma county, and that she served 60 days as a member of said board of examiners.
“Third. That, during her term of office as aforesaid, she drew $1,073.32 as her salary as superintendent, more than $100 per month, and that she drew no more than said salary would amount to provided she was allowed $1,800 a year from March 24, 1909, and that Oklahoma county, as shown by the federal census of 1907, was a county of more than 40,000 inhabitants, and was March 24, 1909, and now is, a county of more than 40,000 inhabitants.
“Fourth. That during the years of 1908, 1909, and 1910, there were 109 separate schools, and 145 different rooms having separate teachers outside of cities of the first class in Oklahoma county; and that during the year of 1909 defendant Mary D. Couch received $118 for her services in visiting said schools; that during the year 1910 she received $186 for her services in visiting said schools; that during the school year of 1908-09 she received $12 for services in visiting said schools; that during the school year 1909-10 she received for her services in visiting schools the sum of $145; that during the school year 1910-11 up to January 9, 1911, she received the sum of $123 for. her services in visiting schools. It is further agreed that the defendant Mary D. Coucn received no pay for visiting any school not actually visited, nor *675 visiting any school twice -during any school year -as interpreted, by her — that is, a year commencing July 1st and ending June 30 th of the fo-llo-wing year — except that it is admitted by plaintiff® and -defendants that in the schools of Capítol Hill, Harr-ah, Luther, and other places having two or more rooms in one school district, that she charged $1 for visiting each room.
“Fifth. That during her term of office, and. after March 24, 1909, she received for clerk hire, $268.75, and that amount was actually expended by her for clerical help in addition to the salary drawn by the clerk provided for by the law.”

From which the court found:

First. That Mary D.' Couch was elected superintendent of public instruction for Oklahoma county on September 17, 1907, and on the 17th day of September, 1907, qualified as such and entered into the discharge of the duties of superintendent of public instruction in and for said county.

Second. That during her term of office she drew from Oklahoma county $180 as a member of the examining board in and for said county to which she was not entitled, and that she and her bondsmen are responsible to Oklahoma connty therefor.

Third. That after March 24, 1909, and before the expiration of her term of office, she drew from Oklahoma county $268.75 for clerk hire expended by her over and -above the- salary allowed bylaw for the clerk in the office of superintendent, and that she and her bondsmen are responsible to Oklahoma county for said $268.75.

Fourth. That, while she was county superintendent aforesaid, she drew from Oklahoma county $52 for services in visiting schools to which she was not entitled, inasmuch as she drew $1 per room -for visiting -s-aicl schools, where under the law she was only entitled to- $1 per sohoo-1, and in this she overdrew fo-r visiting schools her account in the sum of $52, for which she and her bondsmen are liable.

Fifth. The court further finds that the said Mary D. Conch was entitled to the increase of salary allowed by the law of 1909, *676 and that the $1,073.32 which the said Mary D. Couch drew from Oklahoma county for the increase in salary was permissible under the law, and she is entitled thereto.

Sixth. The court further finds that said Mfcry D. Couch, as superintendent, has overpaid the county $2 for examination fees, and that she is entitled to credit thereof for the same and on March 20, 1912, rendered and entered judgment in favor of plaintiff and against defendants for $498.75.

From that part of the judgment finding that she was entitled to the $1,073.32 increase in salary, plaintiffs appealed, and from the remainder thereof defendants prosecuted their cross-appeal, to this court.

By act of the Legislature of the territory of Oklahoma adopt- . ed prior to statehood, the office of county superintendent was created, and the salary of that office fixed at $1,200 per annum. This was the law at the advent of statehood. Const, art. 17, sec. 2, provides:

“There is hereby created, subject to change by the Legislature, in and for each organized county in this state, the offices of judge of the county court, * * * superintendent of public instruction. * * *”

And the Schedule, sec. 18:

“Until otherwise provided by law, the ternjs, duties, powers, qualifications, and salary and compensation of all county and township officers, not otherwise provided by this Constitution, shall be as now provided by the laws of the territory of Oklahoma for like named officers. * * *”

And section 2 of the Schedule:

“All laws in force in the territory of Oklahoma at the time of the admission of the state into the Union, which are not repugnant to this Constitution, and which are not locally inapplicable, shall be extended to and remain in force in the state of Oklahoma until they expire by their own limitation or are ’altered or repealed by law.”

*677 The court erred in holding that the act of March 24, 1909, raised the salary of the defendant county superintendent from $1,200 to $1,800 per annum, and- in rendering judgment accordingly. Bo ard of County Commissioners v. Henry et al., 33 Okla. 210, 126 Pac. 761. We will not determine whether this $1,073.32, allowed defendant as an increase in salary by the board of county commissioners, was a voluntary payment made her by the board and as such cannot be recovered. This for the reason that this question was not raised in the lower court by demurrer or otherwise, and cannot be raised here for the first time, as is sought to be done by counsel for Mary D. Couch in the brief filed -since the submission of'the cause.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1915 OK 115, 146 P. 447, 45 Okla. 672, 1915 Okla. LEXIS 543, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/carrico-v-couch-okla-1915.