THE cases of Clurissa Thomas vs. Clarissa Thomas and Edward Thomas, 3 Lilt. Rep. 8, and Saunders’ heirs vs. Saunders’ executors,
Each of those cases recognizes and adopts the prin-eiple, that the same person cannot be both plaintiff and defendant in a common law action, whether the action he brought by and against the same person singly, or in conjunction with others.
The present action was brought in the names Archibald Aden, Oulbbert Bullitt, Daniel Fetter, John Sutton and Paul Skidmore, against John T. Gray, John Gwáthmey, Paul Skidmore and George Groa tsing'er, upon a covenant executed by the latter to the former. The action being, therefore, both in the name of Skid-more as. plaintiff and defendant, comes emphatically within the principle settled in the cases to which we have referred.
It is true, the replication of the plaintiffs, to which the defendants demurred, and which was adjudged insufficient by the court below, alleges, that after the 09-tion was commenced, and before the defendants appeared and pleaded, Skidmore departed this life, and the action, as to him, was abated; but, if the principle of law be as we have supposed, the action vyas irregularly commenced, and being erroneous in the origin,. the error cannot have been cured by the subsequént abatement. ' '
The judgment must, therefore, be affirmed with costs.
