Lamaster v. Elliott

73 N.W. 925, 53 Neb. 424, 1898 Neb. LEXIS 418
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 19, 1898
DocketNo. 7496
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 73 N.W. 925 (Lamaster v. Elliott) 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
Lamaster v. Elliott, 73 N.W. 925, 53 Neb. 424, 1898 Neb. LEXIS 418 (Neb. 1898).

Opinion

Harrison, C. J.

It appears that during the year 1894 M. F. Lamaster was the owner of lot 6, block 58, in the city of Lincoln, and William Barr owned the adjoining lot 5. On these lots stood a brick building, one-half on each lot, of which Barr owned the portion erected on his lot and Lamaster the part of the building which was on his lot. The building had two large rooms on the ground floor, one on each lot. There was a common stairway running up immediately over the division line to floors above, of which there were two, each divided into a number of rooms, and each [425]*425floor having a common hall in the center. The building was heated Avith steam, and in the basement of the building, placed immediately over the dividing line of the lots, Avas the furnace and boiler of the heating apparatus, the Avhole of such apparatus being owned jointly or in common by the owners of the building. It was put into the building by the parties under an agreement that each should pay one-half the expense in all respects of its operation at all times and to be equally interested and represented in such operation. One O. O. Elliott claims that during the year 1894, and prior to the time that artificial heat was required for that year, he entered into a contract Avith the owners of the building by which he Avas to attend to the heating apparatus during the years 1894 and 1895. On November 22, 1894, Lamaster commenced this action, alleging in his petition that Elliott had not been employed by him, nor had he joined in hiring Elliott nor consented that he be employed, but that Barr had employed Elliott against the wishes and contrary to his, Lamaster’s, protests; he also pleaded that Elliott was incompetent and had failed to properly attend to the heating apparatus, by reason of which the rooms belonging to Lamaster had not been heated properly, but had been cold and uncomfortable and rendered almost untenable; that Elliott was insolvent. It was also pleaded that Lamaster and Barr were unable to agree on a person who should be employed to attend to the heating apparatus. It was of the prayer of the petition that a receiver be appointed to take charge and employ a competent person to operate the heating apparatus until such time as the differences between the owners should be adjusted; also, that Elliott be restrained from operating the heating apparatus and that Barr be restrained from further retaining Elliott in his employ for such purpose, and, also, from the employment of any other person for the work except as might be ordered or directed by the court. A temporary restraining order was granted and issued. Separate answers were filed for ap[426]*426pellants, in each of which the allegations of appellee’s petition were denied and it was alleged that the hiring of Elliott was participated in and was the act of both ■Barr and Lamaster; that he was a competent man for the work and was doing it properly, and that the trouble was occasioned by the fact that Elliott had rented rooms of Barr in the building to be heated and was occupying the same with his family. For the appellants there was filed a motion that the restraining order be dissolved. After issues were joined the court appointed Hon. M. B. Reese referee to hear the testimony and to make and report findings of fact and conclusions of law to the court. By stipulation of parties the testimony was presented in the form of affidavits. After a full hearing the referee . reported as follows:

“First — That the said Barr and Lamaster are each the separate and several owners'of lots 5 and 6, and of their buildings thereon, but which buildings constitute one block, known as the Barr-Lamaster Block, the said'William Barr being the owner of lot 5 and the plaintiff being the owner of lot-6, in block 58, in the city of Lincoln.
“Second — That each building is furnished and provided with a' system of pipes and radiators, used for the purpose of supplying said buildings and thé different rooms thereof with heat by steam, but that the steam for both is supplied from one boiler.
“Third — That the furnace and boiler provided and used for generating steam are owned by the said plaintiff and the said William Barr in common, and that each of them have the right to the use of the same; and that the furnace and boiler have been provided for the joint use of both in furnishing steam and heat for said buildings, and that the rights of both in and to said furnace and boiler are equal.
“Fourth — That it is necessary for the accommodation of the owners and tenants of said building that during the winter season of the year some competent person be employed to operate said furnace and boiler.
[427]*427“Fifth — That the defendant C. C. Elliott is a capable engineer and is competent to operate said furnace and boiler, and has a certificate of qualification issued to him by competent authority of the city of Lincoln.
“Sixth — That the said C. C. Elliott was employed for the season of 1894-5 by William Barr to take charge of the said heating apparatus, and that such employment was with the knowledge and (originally) the consent of plaintiff, and that he has never been discharged by the act of both Barr and Lamaster, and that at the time of the commencement of this suit he was engaged in the discharge of the duties of his employment; that on the 22d day of September, 1894, the notice set out in plaintiff’s petition signed by plaintiff was caused to be served upon him by plaintiff.
“Seventh — That sufficient heat, has not been furnished the occupants of the Lamaster side of said block at all times, but the proof is unsatisfactory as to the cause of the failure or who was at fault.
“Eighth — -That the furnace and boiler are capable of furnishing siifficient heat for the block if they and the radiators are properly managed.
“Ninth — That the said defendant C. C. Elliott has wrongfully excluded plaintiff from exercising the necessary acts of ownership over said furnace and boiler and other portions of his property in the basement of the said building and has prevented him from entering therein and thereto, and that plaintiff should be permitted to have free access to the same.
“Tenth — That there is at present no necessity for the appointment of a receiver.
“conclusions at law.
“First — That as to the defendant William Barr this action should be dismissed.
“Second — That as to the defendant C. C. Elliott a perpetual injunction should be awarded restraining and enjoining him from interfering with or preventing plaintiff [428]*428from exercising acts of ownership over and having access.to his property, including the furnace and boiler and other property in - connection therewith or owned by plaintiff, but not to restrain the said Elliott from discharging his said duties as engineer of said building.
“Third — That the costs in this case should be equally divided between the plaintiff and the defendant O. O. Elliott, each one paying one-half.
“To all of which the plaintiff excepts, and to that part awarding an injunction against O. C. Elliott he excepts.”

For the appellants a motion was made for confirmation of the report of the referee and judgment in accordance therewith.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
73 N.W. 925, 53 Neb. 424, 1898 Neb. LEXIS 418, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lamaster-v-elliott-neb-1898.