Sullivan v. State ex rel. Langsdale

23 N.E. 150, 121 Ind. 342, 1889 Ind. LEXIS 70
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 20, 1889
DocketNo. 15,104
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 23 N.E. 150 (Sullivan v. State ex rel. Langsdale) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sullivan v. State ex rel. Langsdale, 23 N.E. 150, 121 Ind. 342, 1889 Ind. LEXIS 70 (Ind. 1889).

Opinion

Olds, J.

— This action was brought by the relatrix, Eliza[343]*343beth Langsdale, administratrix de bonis non, with the will annexed, of the estate of Mary Ferrell, deceased, against John E. Sullivan, James B. Conaty, William K. Sproule and Daniel Burton, on tire official bond of John E. Sullivan, clerk of the circuit court of Marion county. The defendants named in the complaint, other than Sullivan, were sureties on the bond.

Defendant Burton filed a separate demurrer to the complaint for want of sufficient facts, which was overruled and exceptions taken. Burton then answered by general denial and three special paragraphs. Plaintiff filed a demurrer to each of the special paragraphs. The demurrer was sustained to each paragraph and exceptions taken. Burton then withdrew his answer in general denial and refused to plead further. The other defendants answered by general denial. The cause was then submitted to the court, and trial had, resulting in a finding and judgment against all of the defendants.

Burton made a motion to modify the judgment, which was overruled and exceptions reserved. Burton appeals, the other defendants refusing to join. Errors are assigned as to these rulings of the court.

Omitting the caption the complaint is as follows :

“ The State of Indiana, on the relation of Elizabeth Langsdale, administratrix de bonis non, with the will annexed, of the estate of Mary Ferrell, deceased, complains of said defendants, John E. Sullivan, William K. Sproule, James Renihan, James B. Conaty, and Daniel Burton, and says that prior to the 9th day of November, A. D. 1886, the said defendant, John E. Sullivan, was duly elected clerk of the circuit court in and for Marion county, in the State of Indiana, and on said day was qualified, according to law, and entered upon his duties as such; that on said 9th day of November, A. D. 1886, he executed his bond, according to law, with said William K. Sproule, James Renihan, James B. Conaty, and Daniel Burton as sureties, which was duly filed [344]*344and approved by the board of commissioners of said county according to law (a copy of said bond is herewith filed, marked “Exhibit A,” and is made a part hereof); that the said bond conditioned, among other -things, that said John E. Sullivan shall faithfully discharge the duties of said office of clerk of the circuit court in and for Marion county, and shall pay over to the person or persons entitled to the same all money that may come into his hands/ But the plaintiff says that the said John E. SullivaD has not discharged his said duties as such clerk faithfully and according to law, and can not and will not pay over to the person or persons entitled thereto' certain money in his hands, but has failed in this, to wit: Pursuant to an order of the Marion Circuit Court, duly entered of record in Order-Book No. 82, page 3, a certain Levi Thomas, then executor of'the last will of Mary Ferrell, deceased, paid over to the defendant John E. Sullivan, then the clerk of the Circuit Court of Marion county aforesaid, as such clerk and in trust, the following sums of money belonging to the estate of said Mary Ferrell, deceased, that is to say:
On the 24th day of December, 1887, the sum of . $2,500 00
On the 16th day of January, 1888, the sum of . 150 00
On the 13th day of April, 1888, the sum of . . 621 57
Total.................$3,271 57
“All of said money the said John E. Sullivan, as such clerk, was required by the order of said circuit court of Marion county to keep and hold in trust, subject to the further order of the court; but plaintiff avers and charges that said John E. Sullivan has not so kept and held said money, but has squandered the same and every part thereof, and has fled to parts unknown to the plaintiff; that he is now a fugitive from justice; that he has resigned his office as such clerk, leaving no money in the office of the clerk of said circuit court and of Marion county, and leaving no money subject to the order of said circuit court, but is a defaulter as to the [345]*345whole amount of said trust fund ; and that by reason of said wrongful and unlawful acts of said John E. Sullivan the said estate and said Elizabeth Langsdale, as administratrix as aforesaid thereof, has been injured and damaged in the sum of seven thousand dollars. Wherefore plaintiff demands judgment against the defendants for seven thousand dollars ($7,000), and all other proper relief.
“Robert Denny, “ Jno. R. McFee,
Attorneys for Plaintiff.”
“ Plaintiee’s ‘ Exhibit A.5
“Know all men by these presents: That we, John E. Sullivan, William K. Sproule, James Renihan, James B. Conaty and Daniel Burton are bound unto the State of Indiana, in the penal sum of $25,000 (twenty-five thousand dollars), to the payment of which we bind ourselves, our heirs, assigns, executors and administrators.
“ The conditions of the above bond are such that whereas the above bound, John E. Sullivan, has been elected clerk of the circuit court in and for the county of Marion, State of Indiana, for a term of four years, and is about to enter upon the duties of such office. Now, if said John E. Sullivan shall faithfully discharge the duties of said office of clerk of the circuit court in and for said county of Marion, and shall pay over to the person or persons entitled to the same all money that may come into his hands as such clerk, then this bond shall be void, otherwise to remain in full force and effect.
“ Witness our hands and seals this 9th day of November,
1886.
[seal.] “ John E. Sullivan.
[seal.] “William K. Sproule.
[seal.] “ James Renihan.
[seal.] “ James B. Conaty.
[seal.] “ Daniel Burton.”

[346]*346It is urged as against the sufficiency of the complaint that the complaint avers that Levi Thomas, the predecessor of the relatrix in the trust of the administration of the estate of Mary Ferrell, deceased, paid into the hands of John E. Sullivan, as clerk, the .money which he had in his hands belonging to said estate, amounting in the aggregate to $3,-271.57, in pursuance of an order of court, to be held by him, as such clerk, in trust until the further order of the court, and that said Sullivan has not kept and held said money, but has squandered the same and every part thereof, and has fled to parts unknown to the plaintiff, leaving no money in the office of the clerk of said court, and leaving no money subject to the order of said court, and that conceding that the complaint shows a breach of the bond, it shows no right of action whatever in the relatrix; that until the court made an order for the payment of the money so deposited to her she could not demand its payment.

The conditions of the bond are, that John E. Sullivan shall faithfully discharge the duties of said office of clerk of the circuit court in and for said county of Marion, and shall pay over to the person or persons entitled to the same all money that may come into his hands as such clerk.”

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Bluebook (online)
23 N.E. 150, 121 Ind. 342, 1889 Ind. LEXIS 70, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sullivan-v-state-ex-rel-langsdale-ind-1889.