11 Mo. App. 562 | Mo. Ct. App. | 1882
Lead Opinion
delivered the opinion of the court.
This is an action by a surety against his co-surety, for contribution.
It appears that plaintiff and defendant were co-sureties upon the bond given by one Drake, as constable. Drake was elected constable of the Eight Ward of St. Louis, on November 3, 1874, for a term of two years, and gave bond. The legislature, by act of March 24, 1875 (Acts, p. 29), provided, that constables then in office should hold until the general election of 1878 and the qualification of their successors. The county court, in consequence of this law, required Drake to give a new bond, and he accordingly gave
This action for contribution was begun on January 15, 1880, for one-half of the amount thus paid by Schaeffer. On appeal and trial anew in the circuit court, there was judgment for plaintiff for $137.02.
Appellant contends: —
1. That the bond upon which Prenderville sued and recovered judgment, was not the official bond of Constable Drake ; and that, if it was a private bond, even if good as a common-law bond, still, the first bond given by Drake was his only official bond, and no recovery ought to have been had lyy Prenderville against the sureties of Drake as constable, upon a bond which was not his official bond.
2.. It is secondly objected against the judgment, that the money having been received by the constable when the bond of 1874 was in force, the sureties on that bond were liable. To this we say that the constable having received the money from the garnishees officially, it must be presumed that he had it until the time came for the return of the execution. The State to use v. Taylor, 6 Mo. App. 277. He was not in default until then. The execution was not returnable until ninety days after December 23, 1876, and the bond was approved on or about December 11, 1876.
3. Appellant contends that Schaeffer might have successfully pleaded the statute of limitations to the action of Prenderville against Drake and Schaeffer. That action was brought under the provision of law that summons shall issue against a constable and his sureties whenever it is stated to the justice by the party injured that the constable has failed to return an execution, or failed to have on the return-day, the money collected on execution, or if he fail to pay over upon demand money received by him on any judgment, etc. Rev. Stats., sect. 3029. The time of limitation under the general law (Rev. Stats., sect. 3231) is three years, where the action is against a ‘ ' sheriff, coroner, or other officer’ ’ for omission of an official duty. But there is a special provision in regard to constables (sect. 651), that the constable’s bond may be sued upon at the instance of any person injured by the breach, if [suit is] brought within two years from the expiration of the time for which the constable was elected or appointed.” The term of Drake expired in November, 1878. The action of Prenderville was brought within two years of the end of the constable’s. term, but not within three years of the breach of official duty. But we need not determine whether the general or special clause
The judgment is affirmed.
Rehearing
delivered the opinion of the court on a motion for a rehearing.
We have stated explicitly in the opinion that Constable Drake, under the special law of 1875, became his own successor. A new term was created, and he was bound to qualify precisely as in case of an election or appointment. The statute required that every constable should give bond within ten days after election or appointment, the bond to be approved by the court. Wag. Stats. 266, sect. 2. All this matter is fully gone into in the case of The State ex rel. v. Kurtzeborn (9 Mo. App. 245), to which reference is made in the opinion in the present case. For the reason that the sureties on the first bond of Drake had stipulated only for the original term, they had “ become insufficient” within
The application for rehearing is denied.