Heist v. Jacoby

98 N.W. 1058, 71 Neb. 395, 1904 Neb. LEXIS 56
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 17, 1904
DocketNo. 13,199
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 98 N.W. 1058 (Heist v. Jacoby) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Heist v. Jacoby, 98 N.W. 1058, 71 Neb. 395, 1904 Neb. LEXIS 56 (Neb. 1904).

Opinion

Hastings, O.

Counsel for plaintiff state, on page 4 of their brief, that the. question in this case is whether or not the owner of swine, intentionally permitted to run at large on the public highway, is responsible for damages done by them, through the frightening of his horse, to one who was traveling along the highway in the exercise of due care? This is a fair statement of the question. It is not claimed that there was anything vicious or unusual about the hogs or their conduct. It is not even claimed that the owner knew that they were upon the highway; but he had permitted them to run at large, and the case may be briefly stated as presenting [396]*396the question as to whether leaving one’s hogs unconfined is such an act of negligence as makes the owner liable for harm done by them in frightening a horse on the public highway.

Defendant’s hogs, thus permitted to run at large, wandered across the highway running along defendant’s premises and went upon the land of a neighbor. The plaintiff was driving by; the hogs ran out of the neighbor's cornfield, across the road, and apparently somewhat toward plaintiff’s mare, with the peculiar noise of excited, jrun-ning hogs; the mare whirled suddenly, upset the buggy, and broke plaintiff’s arm; he demanded damages of the defendant, who admitted he owned the hogs and “let them run,” hut denied any liability for the injury. The trial court took th(> view that, assuming all this to be true, there was no neglect of any duty toward the traveling public on defendant’s part in letting his hogs out, and that defendant was therefore not liable for the unforseseen injuries to plaintiff. Accordingly, after evidence tending to show the above state of facts had been produced, the jury were instructed to return a verdict for the defendant. A motion for new trial was overuled, and from a judgment on this verdict plaintiff brings error.

Plaintiff bases his case chiefly on the proposition that these hogs were, by statute in this state, required to be restrained from running at large; that, by consequence, they were wrongfully and in violation of law upon the public highway, and the owner therefore liable for any injury they might do in any way to a passer on the highway.

It seems to be conceded by the plaintiff that, if the hogs were rightfully upon the highway, the owner is not liable for any such unforeseen result as their frightening plaintiff’s horse, there being, as above indicated, neither allegation nor proof of anything unusual or extraordinary in the hogs or their conduct, the sole negligence alleged being, allowing the hogs loose so that they could get upon the highway.

[397]*397The defendant on the other hand seems to concede that, if the OAvner Avas violating the express statute of the state of Nebraska in permitting them upon the highAvay, or rather in leaving them out so that they could get upon the highway, he is liable for any damage directly resulting from their presence there. It is insisted, lioAvever, that there is no statute of Nebraska forbidding hogs to be upon the highway. It is claimed that the rule at common law is, merely, that one AArho permits his animals to go upon the highway, under such circumstances that damage to passers in the exercise of ordinary prudence might be reasonably expected to occur, is guilty of negligence and liable for its consequences. It is insisted that all of the cases cited by plaintiff, holding that a liability exists under similar circumstances to those disclosed in the present case, are Avhere some statute expressly prohibits the animals’ presence on the liiglrway. It is also insisted that the provisions of the act of February 25, 1875, requiring sheep and swine to be “restrained from running at large in the state of Nebraska” do not in terms refer to highways; and that section tAvo of the act, giving a lien upon trespassing hogs for damages to property, provides for its application to nothing more than trespasses upon private property. This act is the only statute which is claimed to have application to the present ease. It is found at page 190, laws of 1875, and is as follows:

“An act to restrain 'sheep and SAvine from running at large in the state of Nebraska.
“Sec. 1. That from and after the first day of March, A. D. 1875, sheep and SAvine shall be restrained from running at large in the state of Nebraska.
“Sec. 2. That all damages to property committed by such stock so running at large, shall be paid by the owner of said stock, and the person vdiose property is damaged thereby, may have a lien upon said trespassing animal for the full amount of damages and costs, and enforce and collect the same by the proper civil action.”

It is someAA'hat difficult to believe that this act Avas in[398]*398tended in any way to protect passers along the highway against unconfined hogs. It is ordinarily supposed that, where any new right is conferred by statute, and a remedy at the same time provided for its vindication, the remedy so provided is exclusive; if the right previously existed, then the remedy furnished by the statute is cumulative. Blain v. Willson, 32 Neb. 302; Keith & Barlon v. Tilford, 12 Neb. 271. The remedy here provided is merely a lien upon the trespassing animals for damages to property; no penalty is attached to the violation of the first section; it is not even declared unlawful to set the animals at large; no person is designated whose duty it is to restrain them; the provision is simply that the owner shall pay the damages to property, and the injured party is given a lien without being under the necessity of capturing the offending sheep or swine. It does not make the letting of the animals loose an offense against the state of Nebraska, and it does not in any way indicate' that protection of the highway was in any maimer within the purview of its enactment.

It is true that the title of the act indicates a purpose to restrain sheep and swine from going at large in the state of Nebraska. A law for that purpose can act only upon the owners or those, in charge of the animals. It is also true that the act of 1871, known as the “Herd Law,” was already in effect, providing a remedy for all trespasses by domestic animals upon cultivated lands, and giving a lien upon the stock by taking it up and substantially following the. statute’s provisions, but not otherwise. Bucher v. Wagoner, 13 Neb. 424. The purpose of this act of 1875 seems to have been to keep sheep and swine away from private premises, and remove the risk of their doing damage there, which was left by the herd law; to widen the remedy for damage's done by them, and give a lien against them without capture of the animals damage feasant. The keeping of them off the highway can hardly have been in the legislator’s mind. Some means for doing so would have been provided, had such been the purpose.

It is also to be said that the statutes on this subject and [399]*399decisions of the courts construing them, recognize a dear distinction between public objects in such legislation and the protection of private rights. A good example of this is the case of Bates v. Nelson, 49 Mich. 459, in which a provision that animals at large on public ground might be impounded, and, after having been so at large, might be taken up if found in private grounds, was construed. It was held that cattle which had merely passed through other private premises could not be so taken, the law being intended as a vindication of public rights.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
98 N.W. 1058, 71 Neb. 395, 1904 Neb. LEXIS 56, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/heist-v-jacoby-neb-1904.