Marks v. Culmer

6 Utah 419
Utah Supreme Court·Decided June 15, 1890·Published·Cited by 9 cases

Opinion

Henderson, J.

Tbis cause was commenced in tbe first district court at Provo, by Wolf Marks and Afina Marks, against William H. Culmer, Jabez G. Sutherland, John T. Sullivan, Daniel S. Dana, Delos Lombard, Harvey K. Tompkins and Belle Tompkins. Tbe complaint alleges that tbe plaintiffs [420] are husband and wife, and tbat tbe defendants Harvey and Belle Tompkins are busband and wife, and tbat eacb of tbe said defendants, individually, participated in tbe wrongs therein stated; and, for tbe first cause of action, it alleges “tbat on tbe 19tb day of December, A. D. 1887, tbe said defendants unlawfully, with force and arms, and with a multitude of people broke and entered a certain dwelling-bouse, tbe property of plaintiff, Anna Marks, situated about ten feet southerly of tbe store known as ‘A. Marks’ Store,’ in tbe village or mining camp of Eureka, Juab county, Territory of Utah, and forcibly ejected said plaintiffs, and put them out of said bouse, and broke tbe doors and windows of, and tore down and destroyed tbe same, and took out and threw away, broke and destroyed certain household goods and chattels 'of tbe value of three thous- and dollars to tbe damage of said plaintiffs in tbe sum of five thousand dollars.” And, for a second cause of action, it alleges tbat tbe defendants, at tbe same time and place, “forcibly, unlawfully, willfully and wantonly and by force, with a multitude of people, broke and entered tbe same dwelling-house described in the first cause of action, and took out and destroyed, and threw away, certain moneys, household goods, wearing apparel, furniture and other goods and chattels [particularly describing them,] then and there tbe property of tbe said plaintiff Anna Marks; tbat plaintiffs were thereby damaged in tbe sum of three thousand dollars.” Judgment is prayed for on both causes of action. Tbe defendants answered, denying all tbe material allegations of tbe complaint, alleging tbat tbe lands upon which tbe bouse mentioned in tbe complaint stood was a part of tbe premises known as tbe “Eureka Hotel” in Eureka Mining Camp, in Juab county; that tbe title and right to tbe possession thereof, subject only to the paramount title of tbe United States, was in tbe defendant Culmer; tbat tbe defendant Belle Tompkins and her bus-band, Harvey Tompkins, were, prior to tbe erection of tbe bouse in possession of said property under Culmer, and tbat plaintiff Anna Marks, just prior to the time stated in tbe complaint, by force and arms, and by wilful! trespass, entered upon said premises so in tbe possession of said [421] defendants Belle and Harvey Tompkins, and erected said bouse, contrary to the law and their rights; that thereupon said defendant Belle Tompkins, acting under the advice of defendant Sutherland, who is an attorney-at-law, commenced suit before John E. Hills, a commissioner of this court at Provo, against said Anna Marks, pursuant to the Code, to eject her therefrom and regain possession; that said suit was prosecuted to judgment in favor of defendant Belle Tompkins, upon which a writ of restitution was issued, which was delivered to defendant John T. Sullivan, who was constable of Eureka precinct, and that he executed the same by putting plaintiff Anna Marks and her goods out of said premises; that it was done carefully,” etc.

The case was brought to trial before a jury, and from the evidence it appeared that the premises are situated in Eureka, a mining camp in Juab county; that the entire settlement or village is on lands belonging to the United States, not subject to entry except for mineral, and that no entry had ever been made on any of the lands involved, and that occupants only have a possessory right as against others, subject to the paramount title of the United States; that defendant Culmer was recognized as, and was, the owner of this possessory right to what is known as the “Eureka Hotel” property. The hotel building was situated on the south side of the main street of the settlement, with cellar and out-houses in its rear; and west on the street, perhaps fifty or sixty feet from the hotel, was the hotel barn. Immediately west of the barn, leaving only an alley-way about ten feet wide, was a store building owned and occupied by the plaintiffs. This was a long building, extending back from the street considerably further than the hotel barn. This • store building was divided into two parts. In the front part, Mrs. Marks carried on a mercantile business of some kind; and the back part was used as a dwelling, in which they lived. Culmer did not live in Eureka. He had rented the hotel property to Mrs. Tompkins, who was herself carrying on the hotel business; her husband being in other business, and residing with her. The premises back of the barn, [422] and adjoining tbe rear of tbe store building, were claimed by Culmer and bis tenant, Mrs. Tompkins, as part of tbe hotel premises, and to be in their actual possession, while Mrs. Marks claimed that it was not occupied by them, or at least that it was not so exclusively in their possession as to preclude her from taking possession; and out of this dispute this controversy has arisen. This being tbe condition of things, some time before tbe alleged trespass, Mrs. Marks assumed to take possession of ground in tbe rear of tbe hotel barn. This was resisted by Mrs. Tompkins. The testimony on tbe trial was very conflicting as to tbe possession of this piece of ground at that time. Many witnesses testified that it was inclosed with tbe hotel property, and that Mrs. Marks removed tbe fence; and many testified to tbe contrary. During tbe year previous to tbe alleged trespass, both parties (Mrs. Tompkins and Mrs. Marks) bad tried to maintain a possession as against each other; Mrs. Marks removing tbe fences erected by Mrs. Tompkins. Several affrays and arrests bad resulted; and on one occasion, at least, Mrs. Marks used a revolver. A short time before tbe alleged trespass, Mrs. Marks entered upon tbe land with a force of men, and commenced tbe erection of a small building at right angles with her store building, commencing within three or four feet of tbe southeast corner thereof, and extending west back of tbe barn. Mrs. Tompkins remonstrated, and telegraphed for Culmer, who also went to Eureka, and remonstrated with Mrs. Marks, and tried to make tbe workmen desist, and offered to pay them to tear down what bad then been erected. Culmer thereupon went to Salt Lake, and consulted his attorney, defendant Sutherland, who directed him to institute proceedings in the name of bis tenant, Mrs. Tompkins, to recover possession of the land. Sutherland thereupon commenced an action under tbe forcible entry and detainer act against Mrs. Marks, before Commissioner Hill, at Trovo. Tbe summons in this case was served on Mrs. Marks before she bad completed tbe bouse, or moved into it; but she finished and moved into it before tbe return-day.

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Marks v. Culmer, 6 Utah 419 (Utah 1890).

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