169 Ind. 275 | Ind. | 1907
April 20, 1903, appellants filed their petition in the office of the clerk of the St. Joseph Circuit Court for the drainage of lands therein described. After due notice the matter was referred to the drainage commissioners, who made their report in favor of the proposed work, and in such report described other lands as affected which were not named in the petition. The court fixed a time for hearing this report; and caused the' owners of such additional lands to be duly notified thereof. Appellees filed remonstrances to said report, but no other landowners concerned appeared. The venue of the cause was changed to the Elkhart Circuit Court. On June 26, 1905, three of such remonstrators filed their motion to dismiss the cause, for the alleged reason that the General Assembly had repealed the law under which the proceeding was instituted, and that, in consequence, there was no longer any authority to prosecute the action. It was thereupon shown by affidavits that the proposed ditch would not drain or affect any lake. The court sustained the motion to dismiss the petition and proceedings, and rendered judgment dismissing the same, and against appellants and in favor of appellees for costs.
The only error assigned calls in question the action of the court in sustaining appellees’ motion, and in dismissing the proceeding.
All the petitioners and persons against whom final judgment was rendered, except Bernard Piltz, John M. Felton, Sr., and Christ Weigel, are joined as appellants in the assignment of errors, together with certain other persons named and styled as the executor and heirs at law of Bernard Piltz, deceased, the heirs at law of John M. Felton, Sr., deceased, and the heirs at law of Christ Weigel, deceased.
The seven persons who filed remonstrances and in whose favor judgment for costs was rendered are named as appellees.
The judgment is reversed, with directions to overrule appellees’ motion to dismiss the cause, and for further proceedings.