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Gardner v. DutchGardner v. Dutch

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Nov 15, 1812
Reporters:
The Court

observed that, if the plaintiff was, in fact, tenant in common of the chattels with Wellman Of Ropes, he could not maintain ‍​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‍replevin for his undivided share. But he was not tenant in’ common. Though the bags belonging to him had no distinguishing marks, he might have * taken the number of bags and the quantity of coffee, to which he was ‍​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‍entitled, by his own selection, while they remained in the hands of Wellman & Ropes; and the defendant,- as a deputy sheriff, could not change the rights of third parties. Then, if a return were to be ordered, the defendant would still be accountable to ‍​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‍the plaintiff for the proceeds. Thus the whole case resolved itself into a question as to the form of the action, (a)

Judgment on the verdict.

Notes

[And see Damon vs. Osborn, 1 Pick. Rep. 476. — But see Austen vs. Craven, 4 Taunt. 644. — White vs. Wilks, 5 Taunt. 176. — 1 Marsh. 2. —Busk vs. Davis, 2 M. & S. 397. ‍​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‍— 1 Marsh. 258. — 5 Taunt. 622.—Zagury vs. Furnell, 2 Camp. 240. — Shepley vs. Davis, 5 Taunt. 617. How could any one portion of the coffee be taken, as belonging to the plaintiff rather than another? Had not each, before a division by mutual consent, an interest in every part ‍​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‍of it ? How, then, could either insist that, in any part in particular, he had an exclusive property ?— Ed.]

Case Details

Case Name: Gardner v. Dutch
Court Name: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Date Published: Nov 15, 1812
Citation: 9 Mass. 427
Court Abbreviation: Mass.
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