O'Callaghan v. Cronan

Oct 10, 1876
Reporters:
,
Before:
Gray
Gray, C. J.

The allegations of conspiracy, illegality, falsehood and malice will not ‍​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‍support this action, unless either the purpose intended, or the means by which it was to be accomplished, is shown to be ‍​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‍unlawful. Adler v. Fenton, 24 How. 407. Bowen v. Matheson, 14 Allen, 499. No such unlawfulness appears upon the face of this declaration. The purpose of compelling the plaintiff to ‍​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‍withdraw from the firm was not in itself unlawful; and the means are not shown to be unlawful, for the plaintiff’s creditors, ‍​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‍upon the allegations in the declaration, had a lawful right to attach his property and to petition the officer to sell the ‍​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‍goods attached. The declaration therefore shows no cause of action. Judgment for the defendant.