9 Wend. 258 | N.Y. Sup. Ct. | 1832
By the Court,
Both the plaintiff and defendant make title to the property in question through Crandall Lee. C. Lee had a mortgage upon the property, which became absolute on the 1st December, 1828. The property therefore became his on that day, as the mortgage was then forfeited. Subsequent to that day, the deputy sheriff levied on the property as the property of C. L. The levy was good and held the property. Why the sheriff permitted the property to remain ten months without removing or selling does not appear from the testimony? but there is no proof that this delay
Whether the removal of the under sheriff from the county incapacitated him from selling, seems to me the important point in the case. The statute, 1 R. L. of 1813, p. 420, directs that each sheriff shall have an under sheriff, who shall be appointed by the sheriff by writing under seal, and removable at his pleasure ; “and as often as any such under sheriff shall die or be removed from his office, or move out of the county, or become incapable of executing the office, another shall be appointed in his place.” In this case Haddock, who had made the levy as under sheriff of Herkimer, had, intermediate the levy and sale, removed to Oneida county. This was a virtual resignation of his office; it was a voluntary withdrawal from the county, which by the statute vacated the office, and a successor was no doubt appointed. Under such circumstances, did he continue in office for any purpose ? The principle is well, established, that when a sheriff has begun to execute an execution, he has, after he goes out of office, a right to complete it; and in pursuance of that principle, it has been held that a deputy of a sheriff whose term of office has expired possesses a similar power. The authority of the deputy continues as long as the authority of the principal. But this supposes a continuance of authority derived from the principal, and not revoked by him. In such cases the principal must continue liable for the acts of the deputy. If a sheriff for any cause think proper to remove a deputy,does not the power of that deputy cease in toto 1 and are the sureties of the deputy any longer liable for his acts % If a deputy dies, there is surely an end of his acts; if he resign, is that resignation partial only, reserving a right to complete his un
The former suit was not for the same cause of action, and is therefore no bar. On the 19th of October, Haddock and the defendant below removed the cow and hogs, and did not intermeddle with the furniture. A suit was commenced for the cow and hogs on the 20th October. At that time no cause of action existed in relation to the other property against Ferguson; at that time he had not asserted any right to con
I am therefore of opinion that the courts below have decided correctly,-and that the judgment of the Herkimer common pleas, must be affirmed, with single costs.