7 Mo. 194 | Mo. | 1841
Opinion of the Court by
This was an action of debt on a collector’s bond, in which judgment was obtained by the State against the appellants. The appellants, in February, 1836, became securities for William Mauzey, as collector of Ray county, and with him entered into bond to the State of Missouri, with the conditions prescribed by law. The declaration avers as a breach of the condition of the bond, that Mauzey, in February, 1S37, and before and since that time received large sums of money, for which he failed to account. Thd appellants pleaded nil debet, non est factum, performance of the conditions of the bond, and a plea alleging in substance, that in the latter part of the year, 1836, Mauzey died intestate, and letters of administration were granted on his estate ; that the administrators advertised in the public newspapers that letters of administration had been granted to them, with their date, and requiring all persons having claims against the estate, to exhibit them for allowance within one year after the date of the letters, or they might be precluded from any benefit of said estate; and that if such claims were not exhibited within three years from the date of said letters, they should be forever barred : and that three years had fully elapsed after the date of said letters before the commencement of this suit. It is further alleged that they had no notice of any default or other liability of the said Mauzey, as collector, until alter the expiration of three years from the date of the said letters; by reason whereof they have been precluded from any benefit of the estate of the said Mauzey, in consequence of their liability as his securities.
To the first and last pleas the defendant in error demurred, and the demurrer was sustained. This is (he error of which complaint is made.
Nil debot is a bad plea to an action of debt on a with collateral conditions. Chitty’s Pleadings, 478. bond
As to the second plea, the counsel for the appellants have relied on the care of the People v. Janson, reported in 7th Johnson 332, in which it was hold, that in an action brought against a surety on a bond given for the faithful discharge of
Judgment affirmed.