109 Wis. 330 | Wis. | 1901
This writ is brought to reverse a judgment based upon findings on the trial of an appeal from the disallowance, by the county board, of the claim of Jxmeau County against Wood County for the support of a pauper and his family. The findings are to the effect that one Charles Spies and family resided in Marathon county from November 1, 1892, to April 1, 1894, and during that time were self-supporting; that at the last-named date they moved to Wood Coxmty, and received aid from that county through its poor commissioners, “as poor and indigent persons,”' July 1, August 6, and September 11 and 24, 1894, and December 21, 1895, and February 8, April 30, and May 2 and 29, 1896; that Charles Spies was an honorably discharged soldier of the late war of the Rebellion, and received aid from Wood Coxmty “ as a poor and indigent person ” in December, 1894, and January, February, March, and April, 1895, “out of the soldiers’ relief fund*” of that county; that Spies and family left Wood Coxmty and *went to Jxmea/u County, July 10, 1896, and have resided in Juneaxt, Coxmty ever since that time, and in July, August, November, and December, 1896, and January, February, March, April, May, and June, 1897, Jxmeau Coxmty furnished aid for Spies and his family, as poor and indigent persons, to the amount of $73; that both Wood and Juneau Counties were, during such times, under the county system for the support of the poor. And, as conclusions of law, the court found, in effect, that Charles Spies and family, from July 1,1894, to May 29,,1896, were supported-in and by Wood Coxmty as paupers; that neither Charles Spies nor any of his family has a settlement in Wood Coxmty; that judgment be rendered in favor of Wood County and against Jxmeau County for the costs and disbursements of this action; and ordered judgment to be entered accordingly. To reverse that judgment, Juneau Coxmty sued out this writ of error.
It is conceded that neither Spies nor any of his family had
Both counties were, during the times in question, acting under the county system. Secs. 151/f-1529, Stats. 1898. One ■of these sections provides that “ when any county shall have abolished the distinction between county and town poor the powers conferred and duties imposed by this chapter on town supervisors, as officers of the poor, shall be exercised by the. county superintendents of the poor in such county, if there be any, and if there be none, then by such officers ■or agents as shall be appointed by the county board therefor; otherwise by such board.” Sec. 1524. That section further provides “ that temporary aid shall be given, granted, furnished and provided to and for all honorably discharged indigent Union soldiers, sailors and marines, and the indigent wives, widows and minor children of indigent or deceased honorably discharged Union soldiers, sailors or marines, without requiring the removal of any such person to any poorhouse,” etc. The statutes also make special provisions for the “ relief of soldiers, sailors and marines.” Secs. 1529a-
The trial court was clearly right in finding that Spies and his family received aid out of the soldiers’ relief fund, “ as. poor and indigent persons.” Upon no other theory, in our judgment, could such taxation for supplying such fund be sustained. In the case last cited we were compelled to hold' an act of the legislature unconstitutional which provided that habitual drunkards who were “ pecuniarily unable to procure and -pay for treatment for such disease ” might be
By the Court.— The judgment of the circuit court is affirmed.