107 Wis. 569 | Wis. | 1900
There can be no doubt but that the town of Yilas was primarily liable for the relief of Leduchi under sec. 1512, Stats. 1898, and that the county was liable to reimburse the town upon its complying with the conditions precedent named in such section, which reads as follows; “’When any person not having a legal settlement therein
Notwithstanding what has been said, it does not necessarily follow that plaintiff could successfully appeal to a court of equity to enforce the legal right of the county, and performance of the duty of its proper officers, to reject the physician’s claim. A taxpayer can successfully invoke the power of a court of equity to enforce a right of a public corporation when there is danger that such corporation will otherwise suffer some substantial injury which to some extent will affect the taxpayer. The power of taxpayers, in such an emergency, to set judicial machinery in motion, is a very valuable right, but it must be kept within those reasonable limits which govern the-administration of justice in courts of equity. The wrong existing or threatened must be one that will or may, if not properly met, cause some substantial loss to the corporation, else there is no warrant for calling the equity power of the court into activity.
Applying the foregoing to the facts of this case, it is clear that the judgment appealed from is right. No equity was shown by the evidence, entitling plaintiff to maintain the action. While it is true that the claim of the physician for attending Leduchi ivas an indebtedness of the town of Vilas primarily, the county was ultimately liable therefor. The claim appears to have been reasonable in amount. It would, if it had taken its proper course, ultimately have reached the county as a legal claim and been paid precisely at the same amount as that allowed by the county, direct to the physician.
The result of this case by no means justifies such conduct as the action was designed to prevent. It was clearly
By the Court.— The judgment is affirmed.