McClaskey v. Barr

79 F. 408, 10 Ohio F. Dec. 69, 1897 U.S. App. LEXIS 2565
U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Southern Ohio·Decided March 27, 1897·Published·Cited by 5 cases

Opinion

SAGE, District Judge.

The defendants William Henry Elder and other defendants in possession move the court to outer up judgment against James S. White, Howard Ferris, administrator of Samuel Cooper, deceased, and Hannah Cooper Fewlass, sureties for [410] costs in the above-entitled cause. The obligations of these several parties are as follows:

On the 19th of October, 1889, James S. White, with Benjamin M. Stewart, signed upon the printed form of cost bond used in this court an obligation as follows: “I hereby acknowledge myself security for costs in this case, on behalf of Robert Eldridge, W. S. Thurston, and Arnold McMahon,”—at the same time qualifying in the sum of $10,000. On the same day he signed another cost bond as follows: “I hereby acknowledge myself security for costs in this case on behalf of Samuel Barr, Robert Barr, et al.” This, also, was signed with Benjamin M. Stewart, and accompanied by an affidavit that he was worth $10,000 in real estate within the jurisdiction of the court, and subject to execution, levy, and sale.

Samuel Cooper, on the 15th of September, 1887, signed a cost bond as follows: “I hereby acknowledge myself security for costs in this case,”—and the same day qualified in the sum of $10,000. Each one of these bonds was under the title and number of the case. Samuel Cooper died on or about the 30th day of August, 1888, intestate and without issue, leaving his widow, Hannah Cooper, now Hannah Cooper Eewlass, his sole heir and distributee. At the time of his death he was owner of a large amount of personal property and real estate in Hamilton county, Ohio. About September 11, 1888, Howard Ferris was duly appointed by the probate, court of said county administrator of his estate, gave bond as required by law, and entered upon the discharge of his duties. He has never resigned or been discharged. All the personal property and real estate of which Samuel Cooper died seised passed into the possession of his widow, now Hannah Cooper Fewlass, and she is still possessed of the real estate. The claim of the moving parties is that the costs secured in this case are a lien upon the estate of Samuel Cooper, including all the real estate of which he died possessed.

James S., White and Benjamin M. Stewart, for. plea to the citations served on them, admit that on the 19th of October, 1889, they became sureties,—on one bond on the cross petition filed at that date by Samuel Barr and Robert Barr et al., and on one bond on the cross petition filed on that date by Robert Eldridge, W. S. Thurston, and Arnold McMahon. They severally aver that their liability under said bonds covers only the actual costs accruing after the date of filing said cross petitions and made thereon, and not for the general costs incurred under the original bill. They also severally aver that the costs taxed and claimed against them embrace large items for which they are in no way liable.

They deny liability for the costs incui*red in the circuit court of appeals, as they did not sign the bonds for appeal in said cause. Further, they severally aver that Robert Eldridge, W. S. Thurston, and Arnold 'McMahon, for whom they became sureties on one of said bonds, live within the jurisdiction of this court, and are solvent; that execution has been issued against them- for said costs, and levied on real estate belonging to them; that Thurston has paid part of the costs for which he is liable, and is able to pay the en-[411] (ire amount of the same, and said costs can be collected from him by the process of this court.

They further ayer that the complainants on the cross petition of Bamuel Harr and Robert Rarr and others are, or some of them are, solvent, and the costs incurred on said cross petitions can be collected by proceedings against them. They therefore pray that the defendants be required first to exhaust the principals for whom they are sureties before any decree be rendered against them in' this matter, and for other and proper relief in the premises.

Howard Ferris, for plea, to the notice of said motion served upon him, denies that he is administrator of Samuel Cooper, deceased; avers that he ceased so to be on the 23d day of March, 1892, and that on that day the estate was settled, and on the 31st of March, 1892, the costs of the estate were paid, and that he then and from that time ceased to be the administrator of said estate, or to be in any way connected with it; that he fully accounted under the statute as administrator, fully executed his trust, and has no money or property in his hands belonging to the estate, nor has he had at any time since March 23, 1892.

He further pleads that no claim was presented to him for allowance because of costs or otherwise, and that more than four years have elapsed since he gave bond as administrator, and since due notice of Ms appointment as such was given to all parties interested in this case, and that the claim is barred by the statute of limitations.

Hannah Cooper Fewiass, for plea to the notice to her, sets up that the estate of Samuel 'Cooper was long since settled and the property distributed, that no claim concerning the subject-matter of said notice was ever presented to the estate, and that any such claim was long since barred by the statute of limitations. She further pleads that she never signed any such bond, and is not liable thereon, because she denies the jurisdiction of this court to in any way require her to answer or respond by reason of any of the matters set out in the notice, or to in any way authorize or permit any proceedings against her.

Howard Ferris, as administrator, pleads to the notice to surety served on him that he long since ceased to be the administrator of Bamuel Cooper, deceased, having under the statute fully executed Ms trust and accounted for said estate; also, that the claim now made was never presented to him as administrator, and that it was long since barred by the .statute of limitations.

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McClaskey v. Barr, 79 F. 408, 10 Ohio F. Dec. 69, 1897 U.S. App. LEXIS 2565 (circtsdoh 1897).

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