Deeters v. Clarke

121 N.W. 788, 23 S.D. 298, 1909 S.D. LEXIS 117
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedMay 21, 1909
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 121 N.W. 788 (Deeters v. Clarke) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Deeters v. Clarke, 121 N.W. 788, 23 S.D. 298, 1909 S.D. LEXIS 117 (S.D. 1909).

Opinion

CORSON, J.

This action was instituted by the plaintiff to enjoin the defendant, as Beadle county cattle inspector, from taking proceedings against a herd of' cattle of the plaintiff under the provisions of chapter 133, p. 219, Sess. Laws 1905. Findings and judgment being in favor of the plaintiff, the defendant has appealed.

The complaint is very voluminous, and we shall not attempt to set it out in this opinion or give more than a brief synopsis of it. The plaintiff alleges in his complaint, in substance, in behalf of himself and of 125 other stock owners who are citizens and residents of Beadle county, and who are similarly situated in respect to the matters and things set forth in the complaint: That the defendant, Clarke, was the duly appointed and qualified cattle inspector in and for Beadle county.' That the plaintiff is a stock grower of said county owning and has .in his possession about 147 head of cattle which he keeps in said county. That on the 12th day of July, 1905, said defendant by his deputy served upon this plaintiff a pretended quarantine notice, as follows: “Quarantine notice. July 12, 1905. Mr. L. H. Deeters, Huron, Beadle County: You are hereby notified that certain cattle owned or controlled by you in the township no, range 62, county of Beadle, state of South Dakota, are affected with or exposed to scabies, and you are instructed to confine them to sections 16 and 21, township no-62, county of Beadle, South Dakota, and required to prevent them from coming in contact with other cattle. This quarantine will remain in force until such cattle have been treated according to law or released by a qualified officer. [Signed] R. W. Clarke, County Inspector. S. E. Venables, Deputy.” That on said day defendant served upon said plaintiff 'a pretended inspector’s notice of infected stock, which notice is as follows: “Inspector’s Notice to Owners of Infected Stock. July 12, 1905. Mr. L. H. Deeters, [300]*300Huron, S. D. — Dear Sir: This will 'inform you that certain cattle belonging to you or under your control, branded ---, located in township no, range 62, are affected with scabies, or have been exposed, and if not treated by you within ten days from above date will be dipped under my direction as provided by section 4 of the law of 1905. Yours, etc., R. W. Clarke, Beadle County Cattle Inspector, per S. E. Venables.”- That the plaintiff's cattle, constituting a herd of 147 head, is absolutely free from said disease, and none of said cattle have been exposed to said disease. That, by the terms of said notice to dip, the owners of said cattle are required to observe the instructions of said defendant, but which instructions were not furnished said plaintiff, arid to dip the same as required in said notices, within 10 days from the date of service, and on failure so to do, the said defendant threatens to and does propose to take forcible possession of the said stock and proceed to dip the same. That the said defendant, absolutely disregarding the provisions of the statute law of the state, has failed and neglected to make any inspection whatever, either by himself or by a competent deputy, to ascertain, in advance of the service of said notices, the fact as to whether or not the cattle of this plaintiff are infected with said disease or with any other infectious or contagious disease. That ’ plaintiff’s own cattle constituting his said herd, are absolutely free from said disease, and none of said cattle have been exposed to the same. That plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law, and he therefore prays that the defendant may be enjoined from doing the acts so threatened by him. To this complaint are-attached a number of affidavits in support of the allegations of the complaint.

The defendant in his answer admits that he is such cattle inspector for Beadle county, that he has caused to be served the notices set out in the plaintiff’s complaint, alleges that the disease referred to existed in said county, and that the proceedings threatened to be taken by him were necessary to protect live stock of that county, and of the state at large, and insists that his proceedings are in accordance with the provisions of the statute, and that he was directed to take such proceedings by the state board, as appears by the following order issued to him by said board: [301]*301“State Rive Stock Commission.. Huron, S. D., May 31, 1905. R. W. Clarke, Huron, S. D.: In view of the fact that general infection is believed to exist in the following named counties, county inspectors of such counties are hereby .ordered to require all cattle to be dipped twice within a period of not less than eight or more than fourteen days, according to regulations. * * * In counties other than those named above, county inspectors will proceed as previously ordered and require all exposed or infected cattle to be dipped according to regulations. It is the purpose of the State Rive Stock Commission to rigidly enforce the law in regard to scabies, and county inspectors are expected to attend to their duties thoroughly. C. R. Eakin, Secretary.”

Affidavits were annexed to the answer, and the court from the pleadings and affidavits makes findings of fact substantially in accord with the allegations of the plaintiff’s complaint, and concludes that the notices which were served by the defendant did not comply with the provisions of the law of 1905, in that it does not appear from said notices or from th§ evidence in the case that either the county live stock inspector or his deputy had inspected the plaintiff’s' said stock prior to the giving of said notices, and that therefore plaintiff iwas entitled to the injunction prayed for. .Thereupon the attorneys for the plaintiff and attorney for the defendant entered into the following stipulation, omitting the title: “The defendant hereby admits that the matters and things set out in the complaint in this action and as found by the court in its findings of fact heretofore filed in this action embrace all the issues involved in said action, and does hereby consent that the said findings of fact and conclusions of law heretofore made shall stand as the final findings and conclusions in this action, and that a decree granting a perpetual injunction.may be entered in said action without notice.” The defendant assigned as errors: (1) The court erred in granting the temporary injunction. (2) The court erred in granting plaintiff a final decree, of injunction. (3) The court erred in extending the decree to the benefit of persons not parties to the action.

It is contended by the appellant that the proceedings of the county cattle inspector substantially complied with the law of the [302]*302state, and that the facts were such as to justify his proceedings, and not only was he justified under the law, but also by the order of the State Live Stock 'Commission; but we are of the opinion that the court was right in its conclusions. It is well settled that in proceedings had under a statute affecting the title or interests of parties in property, the statute must be strictly complied with, and that parties assuming to act under such statute must so conduct the same as to show that they are acting within the powers conferred upon them by the statute. Am. & Eng. Ency. of Law, 671. By section 4, c. 133, p. 219, Sess.

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Bluebook (online)
121 N.W. 788, 23 S.D. 298, 1909 S.D. LEXIS 117, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/deeters-v-clarke-sd-1909.