Harries v. McCrea

219 P. 533, 62 Utah 348, 1923 Utah LEXIS 112
CourtUtah Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 29, 1923
DocketNo. 3963
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 219 P. 533 (Harries v. McCrea) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Utah Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Harries v. McCrea, 219 P. 533, 62 Utah 348, 1923 Utah LEXIS 112 (Utah 1923).

Opinion

FRICK, J.

The plaintiff filed his application in this court, praying for an alternative writ of prohibition against the defendant, the Honorable William M. McCrea, as judge of the district court of Salt Lake county. An alternative writ was duly issued, to which the defendant has entered his appearance as hereinafter indicated.

From the application it is made to appear that the plaintiff herein was, on the 7th day of November, 1922, elected sheriff of Salt Lake county, Utah; that on the 23d day of December, 1922, Orman W. Ewing, together with a large number of other electors of Salt Lake county, as plaintiffs, commenced an action or proceeding in the district court aforesaid. The introductory part of the complaint in that action reads:

"Come now the plaintiffs, and in behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, and representing a large number of qualified electors and taxpayers of Salt Labe county, state of Utah, whose names are too numerous to mention, for cause of action against the defendant, complain and allege.”

The complaint then proceeds to allege that all of the [350]*350plaintiffs are duly qualified electors and taxpayers of Salt Lake county, that Benjamin R. Harries, the plaintiff in this proceeding, was, on the 13th day of November, 1922, declared elected sheriff of Salt Lake county, and that a certificate of election to that effect was issued to him. The plaintiffs then further allege:

“That the electors in the state of Utah, and especially in the said county of Salt Lake, where said election was held, at the time of said,election and for many years prior thereto, consisted largely and mainly of members and attendants of Christian churches of various religious denominations, and a majority of said electors were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Lay Saints.
“That the members of said religious body are taught to believe that the directions, orders, and advice emanating from the head officer of said church (said officer being designated and known as the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) is and shall be controlling, not only in spiritual matters but with respect to temporal affairs, and that the requests and advice received from such authority is inspired, and the word of God; and the members of said church have ever been, in the majority of instances, in the habit of obeying such requests and advice.
“That sincerely so believing the members of said church, for years prior to the election herein referred to, have urged and insisted that neither said Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, nor any other religious denomination, should in any manner interfere with the affairs of said state, and that the electors and citizens of said state should be permitted freely to exercise the right guaranteed to them by law to cast a free and untrammeled ballot in accordance with their own opinion as to what was best for them and the public.
“That largely because of the conditions aforesaid, and because of the desire of the citizens of said state to separate the church from the state, and to prevent any interference on the part of the church in the administration of the affairs of said state, there was and is incorporated in the Constitution of the state of Utah, as a solemn covenant, the express provision that: ‘There shall be no union of church and state, nor shall any church dominate the state or interfere with its functions.’
“That notwithstanding the premises, at the election aforesaid, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, by and through the president thereof, combining and acting in concert with other religious organizations know as the Ministerial Association of Salt Lake City, resolved and determined to procure the election of the said Benjamin R. Harries, and to do so by exercising the ecclesias[351]*351tical authority of said Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and other religious bodies, and to that end the president of said church, in writing and by speech, directed and instructed the members of the said church (the said instructions being authoritative and purporting to be the inspired word of God) to cast their ballots for the said Benjamin R. Harries, regardless of their personal opinions, because they Were so advised by the head of said church.
“That as part of said combination the ministers and heads of other ecclesiastical organizations advised and directed the members of their several churches to vote for the said Benjamin R. Harries for sheriff. That by reason of the undue influence aforesaid, and against the will and personal opinion of the said electors of said county at said election, a large number, to wit, a number sufficient to change the result of said election, were induced and compelled to voted for the said Benjamin R. Harries, which said votes would have been otherwise cast and would have prevented the election of said Benjamin R. Harries had they been permitted to cast a free and untrammeled ballot in accordance with their own conscience and opinion. That the said undue influence was exerted to such an extent that not only were the bishops and teachers of said church required and directed to order said electors (members of said church) to vote for said Benjamin R. Harries, but in addition the ecclesiastical authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints procured the students of the religious school known as the Latter Day Saints College, to attend at the polls of the several election precincts and there, in accordance with the orders of the head of said church, solicit voters to vote for the said Benjamin R. Harries.
“That the intimidation and undue influence aforesaid, so exerted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in conjunction with the other religious organizations, was brought to bear upon the great body of voters so generally as to affect the result of said election, and to induce and procure the election of said Benjamin R. Harries against the will, personal opinion, and intention of the great body of said voters. That said election was not free and equal, but, on the contrary, the result thereof was the result of undue influence and coercion, and the same is wholly invalid.
“That plaintiffs have no adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law.
“Wherefore plaintiffs pray:
“That said election be annulled and held for naught; and that said defendant be enjoined from assuming said office of sheriff, or any of the duties thereof.
“That an order to show cause issue returnable speedily, at a time and place to be fixed by the court, requiring the defendant to appear and show cause why a temporary injunction should not [352]*352issue pending the hearing of this cause, and that such temporary injunction issue, and that, upon a final hearing, the same he made perpetual.
“For such other and further relief as may be just and equitable.”

The order prayed for was duly issued and a hearing had thereon. The district court refused to issue the injunction prayed for. Demurrers, both general and special, were interposed to the complaint by the plaintiff herein, which the court sustained.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Attorney General v. Board of Aldermen
218 N.E.2d 127 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1966)
Utah Copper Co. v. District Court of Third Judicial Dist.
64 P.2d 241 (Utah Supreme Court, 1937)
Atwood v. Cox, District Judge
55 P.2d 377 (Utah Supreme Court, 1936)
Ewing v. Harries
250 P. 1049 (Utah Supreme Court, 1926)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
219 P. 533, 62 Utah 348, 1923 Utah LEXIS 112, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/harries-v-mccrea-utah-1923.