Ross v. Leggett

28 N.W. 695, 61 Mich. 445, 1886 Mich. LEXIS 925
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJune 10, 1886
StatusPublished
Cited by34 cases

This text of 28 N.W. 695 (Ross v. Leggett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ross v. Leggett, 28 N.W. 695, 61 Mich. 445, 1886 Mich. LEXIS 925 (Mich. 1886).

Opinion

Sherwood, J.

The defendant in this- case was president of the Brush Electric Light Company, and had obtained from the city of Detroit the contract for lighting the city at night, by electricity displayed from towers.

By its contract with the city it was authorized to erect suitable towers for that purpose, and to anchor them, by means of guys, within the streets of the city. In so doing, and for the purpose of anchoring one of its light towers, under the direction of the defendant, .the company planted one' of its guy-posts, from eight to ten feet high, and about nine inches in diameter, in the street lawn, on the south side ■of Joy street, in front of the residence of the plaintiff, which was located at the south-east corner of Joy street and Third avenue.

The post was placed in the lawn, which was used for shade trees and ornamental purposes, about midway between the -curb and sidewalk, a little one side of the walk leading from the plaintiff’s yard to the carriage block, on Joy street.

The plaintiff protested against the use of his street lawn for such purpose, and forbade the defendant setting the guy-post therein. His remonstrances were unheeded, and the post was placed in the lawn.

The plaintiff was offering his house and lot for sale at the time, and considered the use made of his premises by the company a damage to the property of at least $500.

When the plaintiff learned of the intention of the defend[447]*447ant to thus mar the beauty of his lawn, he took counsel of an attorney as to the right of the company to thus appropriate the use of his property,.and was informed that the planting of the post in his lawn was without authoidty, and that he had the legal right to remove the same. Acting upon advice thus received, after, the post was set, and the guy-line was attached thereto, he took a saw and cut into the post about four inches.

A short time thereafter the defendant came to his house, and demanded that plaintiff should pay him six dollars for the post, and setting the same, and informed him that he had ordered his arrest, and that an officer would be there in a few moments for that purpose. The officer soo.n came, and, as the plaintiff claims, at the instance of the defendant, arrested him, in the presence of his wife and children, and took him to the residence of the superintendent of police; and, after detaining him there about 20 minutes, without any complaint having been made or warrant issued (it then being between 8 and 9 o’clock in the evening), the officer, accompanied by the defendant a portion of the way, took him to the Fremont street station, and there searched him, and took from him his watch, some keys, a pocket-knife, and his money; and then locked him into a station cell, 8 by 10 feet, built of stone, and lined with iron, with a stone floor, and furnished with no bed or furniture, except two 'wooden benches, about 16 inches wide, extending the length of the cell.

That in this condition he was imprisoned throughout the night, and until about 9 o’clock the next morning, when he was taken from the cell, and, accompanied by an officer, ■through the street, to a police office; and there kept until •about half-past 11 o’clock, when the defendant appeared, and made a complaint against him for willfully and maliciously injuring “ personal property of the Brush Light Company, to-wit, one guy-post,” on the twelfth day of August, 1884, “to the damage of six dollars.;” and, after detaining him there until about 12 o’clock, the police justice discharged him, upon his own recognizance, he declining to plead until he could see his counsel. What further was done with the [448]*448plaintiff in the police court does not appear from the record, although we are informed by the brief of one of the counsel that the case against him was subsequently heard, and the plaintiff was discharged.

The plaintiff, feeling himself greatly aggrieved and injured in the premises, brought this suit against the defendant in the superior court of Detroit, alleging as his cause of action his wrongful detention and imprisonment, “whereby he was greatly injured in name and-credit, and suffered great pain and mortification and disgrace, to his damage twenty thousand dollars.”

The defendant pleaded the general issue, and gave notice that he would show on the trial thereunder “ that the plaintiff willfully and maliciously and feloniously did destroy and injure the personal property of the Brush Electric Light Company, to-wit, one wooden post, which was there used to support the guy-lines pertaining to a tower, the property of said company, contrary to the statute in that behalf made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the people of the State of Michigan ;” and further gave notice that he would show that he had reasonable and probable cause to believe that plaintiff was and had been guilty of willfully maliciously, and feloniously destroying and injuring the said guy-post, as above set forth.”

The cause was tried before Judge Chipman, by jury, and a vei’dict obtained for $4,500 against the defendant, who now brings error.

The record contains all the testimony taken in the case upon the trial, and the charge of the court in full.

Twenty-seven errors are assigned, and most of them relied upon for reversal. Six relate to the decisions of the court overruling defendant’s objection to testimony offered by counsel for plaintiff; one to the ruling of the court in sustaining the objection of plaintiff’s counsel to a question put upon cross-examination. We have carefully examined the exceptions upon which these assignments are based, and are satisfied none of them are well taken.

Of the remaining errors assigned, eleven are to the refusals [449]*449of the court to charge as requested, and nine relate to exceptions taken to as many different portions of the charge of the court. An examination of the requests and the charge shows several of the defendant’s requests were given by the court. The remainder were properly refused.

The exceptions needing most consideration are those relating to the charge on the question of damages. The able briefs of counsel on both sides have been carefully reviewed, and the authorities consulted, but we are unable to concur in the conclusions reached by the learned counsel for the defendant.

■The court, in his charge to the jury, assumed that defendant had the right to plant the post in the lawn where he did, so that if there was any doubt or question upon that subject the charge was in the defendant’s favor, and it is unnecessary to discuss that question here.

It is not questioned or disputed that the arrest was made without any warrant or other process being issued for that purpose, and whether or not it was made by direction of the defendant was properly submitted to the jury, and they found against the defendant.

The court further charged the jury that if the plaintiff Avas guilty of any offense in cutting the post, he Avas not guilty of felony, but of a misdemeanor;—

“ That no arrest can be made for a misdemeanor unless by Avarrant, upon complaint duly made, or by an officer or bystander Avho actually sees the offense Avhich constitutes the misdemeanor. In the case of felony it is different. There, upon proper information, — such information as would justify a reasonable man in acting upon it, — an arrest may be made without Avarrant, and by one who does not see the actual commission of the offense.

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

Related

McGowan v. Hodge
27 V.I. 66 (Supreme Court of The Virgin Islands, 1992)
Cadillac Vending Co. v. Haynes
402 N.W.2d 31 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1986)
Hayes-Albion Corp. v. Kuberski
364 N.W.2d 609 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1985)
Raymond R. Wiskotoni v. Michigan National Bank-West
716 F.2d 378 (Sixth Circuit, 1983)
Jackovich v. General Adjustment Bureau, Inc
326 N.W.2d 458 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1982)
Rivers v. Ex-Cell-O Corp.
300 N.W.2d 420 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1980)
People v. Brooks
274 N.W.2d 430 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1979)
Ray v. City of Detroit
242 N.W.2d 494 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1976)
Delude v. Raasakka
202 N.W.2d 508 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1972)
People v. Panknin
143 N.W.2d 806 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1966)
Poledna v. Bendix Aviation Corp.
103 N.W.2d 789 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1960)
Hasted v. Van Wagnen
220 N.W. 762 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1928)
Bennett v. Fleser
196 N.W. 438 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1923)
People v. Bressler
194 N.W. 559 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1923)
People v. Chyc
189 N.W. 70 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1922)
United States v. Borkowski
268 F. 408 (S.D. Ohio, 1920)
Arizona Copper Co. v. Burciaga
177 P. 29 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1918)
State ex rel. Thompson v. Reichman
135 Tenn. 685 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1916)
Hink v. Sherman
129 N.W. 732 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1911)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
28 N.W. 695, 61 Mich. 445, 1886 Mich. LEXIS 925, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ross-v-leggett-mich-1886.