Settle v. Sterling

1 Idaho 259
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 15, 1869
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 1 Idaho 259 (Settle v. Sterling) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Settle v. Sterling, 1 Idaho 259 (Idaho 1869).

Opinion

Miller, J.,

delivered the opinion,

Kelly, J., concurring, Bowees, C. J., dissenting.

This case comes before us upon the consent of parties. The parties hereto, under section 336, Civil Practice Act, page 153, Laws of Idaho, first session, have, without action, agreed upon a case, and presented a submission thereof to the court below, duly verified according to law by both their affidavits. The court below entered a judgment pro fofma in favor of the defendant, and from that judgment, by consent of both parties, had in open court, this case comes before us. The case on the agreed statement and submission duly verified as aforesaid by the affidavits of both parties was argued in due course by counsel for both parties before a full bench, and afterwards judgment thereon was duly entered by Justices Kelly and Miller (Bowers, C. J., being absent at court in Boise county), on the sixth day of March, 1869, in favor of the plaintiff, and directing a writ of mandate to issue, commanding the defendant to audit the account of plaintiff; which writ did issue on the same day and was obeyed by defendant.

The statement as submitted and sworn to by both parties, states as follows:

1. That iii September, 1868, the grand jury of Alturas county duly presented and found by their indictment one John A. Andrews guilty of the crime of grand larceny.

2. That at that time the said John A. Andrews was a fugitive from justice, being then in the state of Indiana.

3. That the governor of Idaho duly issued his requisition upon the governor of Indiana for the body of said John A. Andrews, and duly appointed the said George F. Settle the agent for the territory to demand of the governor of Indiana [261]*261tbe said John A. Andrews to bring him to this territory in pursuance of said requisition.

4. That before issuing his said requisition and the appointment thereunder of said Settle, by the governor as aforesaid, he, the said governor, required of said Settle, the execution by him of the paper hereto annexed.

5. That said Settle, in pursuance of said requisition, proceeded to Indiana, and did perform all his necessary duties under and by virtue of said requisition, and did make and file before the said Sterling, as prison commissioner, his account for his said services, duly verified according to law, and that said account is true, just, and correct.

6. That said account was so presented to and filed by said Sterling, as prison commissioner, on January 2, 1869, and the services rendered therein were so rendered by said Settle from the twenty-second of September, 1868, to the twenty-fifth of December, 1868, under said requisition.

7. That said Sterling, as prison commissioner, refused on the second day of January, 1869, to audit said, account of said Settle, and still refuses to audit said account, on the ground and for the reason of the execution by him of the paper hereto annexed.

8. The said Settle asks for the peremptory writ of mandate of this court compelling said E. 0. Sterling, as prison commissioner, to audit his account aforesaid against the territory. Signed, GEOBGE E, SETTLE,

E. 0. STEELING.

Territory of Idaho, county of Ada, ss.

George E. Settle and E. C. Sterling, being each duly sworn for himself, says that the foregoing statement of facts is true and correct; that the controversy is real and the proceeding in good faith to determine the rights of the parties thereto. GEOEGE E. SETTLE,

E. C. STEELING.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this sixteenth day of January. 1869.

Sol HasbeouoK,

Clerk district court, second judicial district, of Idaho Territory.

[262]*262Boise City, Idaho Territory, September 24, 1868.

Whereas, a certain bill of indictment has been found against one John A. Andrews by the grand jury of Alturas county, Idaho territory, bearing date September 11, 1868, charging said Andrews with committing a felony, and

Whereas, said Andrews has fled this territory and is now in the state of Indiana, and

Whereas, the governor of Idaho, to wit, Hon. D. W. Ballard, is about to issue his requisition upon the governor of Indiana for the rendition of said John A. Andrews as a fugitive from justice, and is about to appoint George Franklin Settle as a suitable person to receive and return said Andrews from the state of Indiana to the sheriff of Alturas county, Idaho. Now it is expressly understood and agreed on the part of said George Franklin Settle, by and with the governor, D. W. Ballard, upon the issuing of the said requisition, and his appointment as agent, or suitable person to return said Andrews, and in consideration of the interest of said George Franklin Settle in the property stolen or embezzled, by said Andrews, charged in said indictment as a felony, and a hope to recover the same, and in consideration of the sum of one dollar, advanced by the governor, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, I hereby agree to aceept said agency, and proceed to the state of Indiana with said requisition, and use due diligence to return said fugitive Andrews. And I further certify and agree, that no other or further charge or claim shall ever be made by me, or in my behalf, against the territory of Idaho, or against Alturas county, on account of any services I may or shall render by reason of the issuing of said requisition for said John A. Andrews.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of September, 1868.

GEOEGE FEANKLIN SETTLE.

Attest: .

S. E. Howlett.

The question submitted for the decision of the court was, whether or not the said Settle was bound by the instrument so signed by him, under the circumstances.

[263]*263However commendable the conduct of the governor in looking after the pecuniary interests of the territory may be, and as in this case the same really was, I think the paper signed by Settle no bar whatever to the enforcement of his claim against the territory.

Looking to the instrument alone, and not to the statement, for any elucidation of the circumstances under or the consideration upon which the same was made, and treating the same either as a contract sui generis or a waiver, it is alike objectionable, either as being based upon no consideration or upon an illegal one. The paper reciting the fact of the indictment, and that the governor is about to issue his requisition for Andrews, and to appoint Settle the agent of the territory to execute the same, states as follows:

“Now it is expressly understood and agreed, on the part of said Settle, by and with the governor, D. W. Ballard, upon the issuing of the requisition, and his appointment as agent to return said Andrews, and in consideration of the interest of said Settle in the property stolen or embezzled by said Andrews, and a hope to recover the same, and in consideration of the sum of one dollar, advanced by the governor, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, I hereby agree, etc.”

The considerations, then, for Settle’s agreement not to charge the territory anything for his services are: 1. The issuing of the requisition and his appointment as agent thereunder; 2.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1 Idaho 259, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/settle-v-sterling-idaho-1869.