22 Vt. 363 | Vt. | 1850
The opinion of the court was delivered by
In this case the petitioner asks to be discharged, for the reason, that he is committed on mesne process, issued against his body by a justice of the peace, upon the affidavit of the creditor, when he offered himself to be examined, under the late statute, [Acts of 1845, p. 17,] in regard to the grounds, upon which the writ issued as a capias, and the justice declined examining him,— and also for the reason, that the creditor has already brought suit for the same cause of action, and attached property to twice the amount of the sum due.
It seems to as, that neither of these grounds is sufficient to entitle the petitioner to his discharge. The last ground alleged is matter of abatement merely, and should be presented in a traversable form, and as a direct answer to the suit, and not in this collateral manner. We might, with almost as much propriety, be" called upon to discharge one upon habeas corpus, committed on mesne process, because there was nothing due, — and so the suit was mere oppression.
In regard to the second ground urged, — the statute upon this subject is very broad undoubtedly, and the case of Hathaway v. Holmes, 1 Vt. 405, where the subject is very elaborately discussed by Prentiss, J., shows, that this remedy is of very extensive application. But we are not aware, that it has ever been resorted to and sustained in a case like the present. The refusal of the justice to ex
Prisoner remanded and petition dismissed.