Paige v. Fazackerly

36 Barb. 392, 1862 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 40
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 3, 1862
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 36 Barb. 392 (Paige v. Fazackerly) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Paige v. Fazackerly, 36 Barb. 392, 1862 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 40 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1862).

Opinion

By the Court,

Hogeboom, J.

There is nothing before this court to show upon what ground the county court reversed the justice’s judgment; but the defendant’s counsel now makes these objections to the recovery before the justice: 1. That the plaintiff was bound to shoxv the city ordinance before he could recover. 2. That he was also bound to show that the defendant was a baker in the city of Albany. 3. That there was no statute authorizing the chamberlain to sue for the penalty; and if there was a city ordinance, it should have been proven—as also that Paige was chamberlain. 4. That [394]*394the action should have been brought in the name of “ the chamberlain of the city of Albany,” and not in the name of Paige as such. 5. That the evidence did not show a violation of the ordinance. 6. That the ordinance was unconstitutional and void.

It is safe to say that at the trial none of these objections were properly taken, except the last, which is now not strenuously urged. There is no doubt that a city ordinance regulating the weight of bread is a valid police regulation. (Laws of 1842, ch. 275, § 29. Tanner v. Trustees of Albion, 5 Hill, 121. Mayor of New York v. Williams, 15 N. Y. Rep. 502.)

It is true that, in the motion for a nonsuit, it was urged that no violation of law was shown; but that raises no question whatever, any more than the general issue, or a claim that the plaintiff is not entitled to recover. It presents no specific point—nothing precise or definite upon which the mind of the court or the opposing counsel could act.

It was also urged that there was no proof that the bread was not made into loaves in accordance to law; which is but reiterating the same objection in a little different language. It conveys no idea of the specific objection designed to be urged, nor of any particular defect in the plaintiff’s case. The plaintiff had without objection shown that the loaves were “short of weightthat is, as we must assume, short of the lawful or prescribed standard of weight; and this, on the question of fact, made a prima facie case. If the defendant, under cover of this objection, meant to urge that the ordinance, had not been proved, his language was ingeniously contrived to conceal his idea; and it would be a fraud upon justice to allow it to cover such an objection. The 5th ground of the motion fat a nonsuit was, that “the law under which the proceedings are taken is unconstitutional and void.” The law was therefore before the court, or its existence and provisions assumed to be known.

So the defendant urged that the action was improperly [395]*395brought; but why, or for what reason, was not alleged. It does not sufficiently point out that the intended reason was because the chamberlain was not the proper party to bring it. If it did, the objection was untenable, for he is declared by statute to be the proper person to sue for penalties.

if or does it indicate that the point of the objection was, that the suit should have been brought in the official name of the incumbent of the office. If it did, the objection was untenable; for it is settled that it should be brought, as in this case, in the individual name of the incumbent, with the title of his office added. (Supervisor of Galway v. Stimson, 4 Hill, 136. Commissioners of Cortlandville v. Peck, 5 id. 215. Agent of Mount Pleasant Prison v. Rikeman, 1 Denio, 279. People v. Commissioners of Highways of Seward, 27 Barb. 97.)

if or was the objection taken that Paige was not chamberlain ; and it must be assumed, therefore, that that was understood, or taken for granted. There is some reason for saying that his official title and character stood admitted by the pleadings, by not being specifically denied. But whether this be so or not, it was plainly not a matter of contest, nor a ground of objection at the trial, and it was assumed or taken for granted in the conduct of the cause. This a court of review may and should conclude was the case, when they are satisfied of it from the general scope and tenor of the proceedings. if or is it an unjust conclusion or assumption, for it is in accordance with fairness and justice, and with the uniform tendency of judicial decisions, (with which we must presume parties to have been acquainted.)

The same remarks are applicable to the objection now first made, that it was not shown that the defendant was a baker of the city of Albany. It was shown he was a baker in Elm street; and it is not denied that there is such a street in Albany ; the proceedings were commenced there; the trial was had there; and it would be an outrage upon common sense, as well as common justice, to suppose that in speaking of [396]*396Elm street reference was intended to be made to Elm street in the city of Sew York, or Philadelphia. When it is obvious that a fact was assumed on the trial, it is as much in the case as if it were expressly proved.

I think the same considerations dispose .of the point, principally urged on the argument, and, so far as appears, never before suggested in the whole course of the proceedings, that the plaintiff did not produce or prove the ordinance under which the' right to recover the penalty was claimed.

It is undoubtedty true that the existence of such an ordinance was vital to the plaintiff's case, and should either have been proved or admitted on the trial; that is, admitted by the direct concession of the party, or by his acquiescence in a course of proceeding which assumed the existence of the ordinance. I think the defendant is in the latter predicament. The course of proceeding justifies us in concluding that the parties knew of the ordinance, and tacitly conceded its existence. • Probably it was before the court in the book of city ordinances. It is reasonable to presume that the parties acted upon the assumption of such an ordinance. The warrant and the complaint both made direct and specific reference to it; the plaintiff's evidence referred to it by the use of the term “ short weight;'' its non-production was not in the remotest degree suggested at the trial; the defendant’s evidence was directed to proof tending to disprove the deficiency of weight, and in that way the non-violation of the ordinance ; not a point or objection was raised in regard to it; and with evenhanded justice to all parties, I think we may safely conclude that the existence of the ordinance was taken for granted.

It may not be unprofitable to refer to a few of the leading cases in our own reports, where facts apparently assumed at the trial are treated as beyond the reach of any objection not made in the original tribunal.

In Baldwin v. Calkins, (10 Wend. 167,) an objection was made -on certiorari that the proceedings for the assessment [397]*397of damages under a special act, which required such assessment to he made by three judges of the Onondaga common pleas not interested in the land, did not show that the judges were disinterested; but the court held that as the adverse parties were notified, and made no objections to the judges, their competency was thereby assumed or admitted. (Pages 174, 175.)

In Jackson v. Robert’s ex’rs, (11 Wend.

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Bluebook (online)
36 Barb. 392, 1862 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 40, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/paige-v-fazackerly-nysupct-1862.