5 Kan. 462 | Kan. | 1870
By the Court,
The court below granted' a peremptory writ of mandamus, commanding the plaintiff in error to deliver up to the defendant in error the books, papers, records, seal and insignia of office pertaining to the office of probate judge of said county of Saline. Of the several errors alleged, we shall notice but one, as that disposes of the whole case. The case was tried on the affidavit and petition of the relator, to which the respondent answered as to an alternative writ, and this case was tried as though such writ had issued. The petition, which was sworn to and formed the affidavit in the case, did not state facts that would authorize the award of the peremptory writ of mandamus.
If it be conceded that the relator, Hamilton, was duly elected and qualified, and his bond good and sufficient, and duly and properly approved, and his right to the office and its insignia perfect and complete, and his possession and enjoyment thereof, as absolutely right and perfect in law, as in any conceivable ease; and the taking possession by Hussey, of the books, papers, seal, etc., belonging to the office, as wrongful as is alleged in the affidavit, still the writ ought to have been refused.
The affidavit nowhere alleges in terms, or by any fair or reasonable implication, that Hussey, the respondent, took possession of the books and other property of the office, under any pretense of a color of right to such
A writ of mandamus may only issue to an inferior tribunal, corporation, board, or person, to compel the performance of an act which the law specially enjoins as a duty, resulting from an office, trust, or station, [Civil Code, § 688,] and may not issue in such cases where there is a plain and adequate, remedy at law. [§ 689.] The affidavit in this case does not profess to show that Hussey held, or pretended to hold, any office, trust or station, from which any duty resulted. He is nowhere represented as any other than a private person, with no more special duty than pertains to any and every inhabitant. For this insufficiency of the affidavit the writ ought to have been refused. By the affidavit, it appears that the relator had as plain and adequate a remedy as any other officer of citizen has when his property, or that of which he has the custody, is stolen from him. We are referred to the cases of “ the People, ex rel. v. Brewster,” [15 Ills., 500,] and that of the People, ex rel. Cummings v. Head, [25 Ills., 325.] These cases go a long way in granting relief by way of mandamus, but differ from the case
It is apparent from reading the judgment of the court below, that the court must have acted on facts publicly known, and which may have been the grounds of contest in that court, and its attention not drawn to the
The judgment of the district court is reversed, with directions to refuse the writ of mandamus.