National Bank of Boyertown v. Schufelt

82 S.W. 927, 5 Indian Terr. 27, 1903 Indian Terr. LEXIS 30
CourtCourt Of Appeals Of Indian Territory
DecidedSeptember 23, 1903
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 82 S.W. 927 (National Bank of Boyertown v. Schufelt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court Of Appeals Of Indian Territory primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
National Bank of Boyertown v. Schufelt, 82 S.W. 927, 5 Indian Terr. 27, 1903 Indian Terr. LEXIS 30 (Conn. 1903).

Opinions

Clayton, J.

There are filed with the brief of appellant five specifications of error. They are as follows:

“(1) The court erred in failing to grant a new trial.
“(2)-- The court erred in overruling plaintiff's challenge to the juror W. J. Tiger.
“(3) The court erred in allowing witness German to [30]*30testify as to learning that the money derived from the sale of the cattle shipped by Herrelson to the M., K. & T. Commission Co. had been turned over to Shaner.
“(4) The court erred in instructing the 'jury that the question to be decided was how many of the cattle the. marshal had levied on were located in the feed lot; the instruction complained of being as follows: ‘The court instructs the jury that on the 28th day of October, 1898, Thomas W. 'Herrelson executed to Olinger & Lloyd two chattel mortgages — one on 342 head of cattle described therein as two years old and upwards, and the other on 326 head of cattle described therein as three years old and upwards, all of said cattle being branded alike, and the first of said cattle above referred to being located on Herrelson’s Hog Shooter Ranch, ten miles southwest of Lenapah, Ind. Ter., and the balance of said cattle being located three miles west of Lenapah, Ind. Ter., on the Schufelt Ranch. The question for you to decide in this case is whether the mortgage of the plaintiff which is on the cattle above described as 326 covered the cattle levied upon by the marshal under the writ of replevin in this action, or any part of same; that is, whether they or any part of them were located in the feed lot as described in the’ mortgage of October 28, 1898, now owned by plaintiff.’ And the following instruction, given by the court of its own motion: ‘This is a civil action in replevin, brought by the plaintiff to recover certain cattle of the defendant. The plaintiff claims that he owns the same under and by virtue of a certain chattel mortgage that is in evidence before you. The defendant claims that he owns them under and by virtue of the second mortgage that is in evidence before you. The question for you to determine is as to whether or not any of the cattle levied upon in this action by the marshal under the writ of replevin is contained in that second mortgage and in the first mortgage, or rather to separate them if you can; and the evidence shows there should be a separation of such [31]*31cattle as belonged to tbe first mortgage and such cattle as belonged to the second mortgage.’
“(5) The court erred in failing to set aside the verdict as being contrary to law and not supported by sufficient evidence.”

We will first consider the second specification — that the court erred in overruling plaintiff’s challenge to juror W. T. Tiger. The juror Tiger was duly summoned, and was serving on the regular panel. He was selected as one of the eighteen offered to the respective parties from which to select the jury. It was shown that he had served as a juror in the court at which the trial was being had at a previous term within a year, and was thereupon challenged by the plaintiff on that ground for cause. The court overruled the challenge, and exceptions were saved. It is contended that the statute of 1889 entitled “An act to establish a court in the Indian Territory, and for other purposes, (Act Cong. March 1, 1889, c. 333, 25 Stat. 783), is in force. If so, a juror can serve but once in each year, and service within a year is ground for a challenge for cause. If this be conceded, and if it were error in the court to overrule plaintiff’s challenge for cause, is he in an attitude in which he can now complain? Mr. Thompson, in his work on Trials, vol. 1, § 115, says: “The sound and prevailing view is that a party cannot, on error or appeal, complain of a ruling of the trial court in overruling his challenge for cause, if it appear that when the jury had been completed his peremptory challenges were not exhausted; since he might have excluded the obnoxious juror by a peremptory challenge, and therefore the error is to be deemed an error without injury. For the same reason, if the court erroneously overrules a challenge for cause, and thereafter the challenging party excludes the obnoxious juror by a peremptory challenge, he cannot assign the ruling of the court for error, unless it appear that before the jury was sworn his quiver of peremptory challeng[32]*32es was exhausted; in which case there is room for the inference that the erroneous ruling of the court may have resulted in leaving upon the panel other obnoxious jurors whom the party might, but for the ruling, have excluded by peremptory challenge. Some courts therefore hold that it is enough, in such a juncture, to show that his peremptory challenges were exhausted before the jury was sworn. But others take what seems to be the better view — that it must also appear not only that his peremptory challenges were exhausted, but that some objectionable person took his place on the jury, who otherwise would have been excluded by a peremptory challenge.” And in section 120, vol. 1, the same author uses the following language: “Finally, it is a rule of paramount importance that errors committed in overruling challenges for cause are not grounds of reversal, unless'it be shown an objectionable juror was forced upon the challenging party after he had exhausted his peremptory challenges.” In Holt vs State, 9 Tex. App. 571, the court say: “Unless objection is shown to one or more of the jury who tried the case, the antecedent rulings of the court upon the competency or incompetency of jurors who have been challenged and stood aside will not be inquired into in this court.” See, also, Spies vs People, 122 Ill. 1, 12 N. E. 865, 17 N.E. 898, 3 Am. St. Rep. 320; Ex parte Spies, 123 U. S. 131, 8 Sup. C. 21, 22, 31 L. Ed. 80; Stewart vs State, 13 Ark. 720. In the case last cited it was held that: “If a party challenges a juror peremptorily when he is not obliged to do so, he waives his exception, and cannot avail himself on error of the exception thus abandoned, and although he mav exhaust his right of peremptory challenges.” We agree with Mr. Thompson “that it is the better view,” and we think it is supported by the weight of authority, that upon error of the court in overruling a challenge for cause, where a peremptory challenge has been used, and the peremptory challenges have been exhausted, the challenging party on error or appeal cannot complain, unless it is further shown that after the challenges had [33]*33been exhausted some objectionable person took his place on the jury, who would otherwise have been excluded by a peremptory challenge. The reason is that, although the peremptory challenges may have been exhausted before the completion of the impaneling of the jury, yet those who were afterwards taken may not have been objectionable. It is true they may have been, and, if they were, then the challenging party has suffered a wrong; but, if they were not, he has not been wronged, notwithstanding the fact that he was improperly forced to exhaust one of his challenges.

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

Related

Colbert v. Journal Publishing Co.
142 P. 146 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1914)
National Bank of Boyertown v. Schufelt
145 F. 509 (Eighth Circuit, 1906)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
82 S.W. 927, 5 Indian Terr. 27, 1903 Indian Terr. LEXIS 30, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-bank-of-boyertown-v-schufelt-ctappindterr-1903.