36 Ind. App. 106 | Ind. Ct. App. | 1905
The decedent, Fred L. Jessup, commenced this action upon an injunction bond. During its pendency he died, and, his death having been suggested to the court, his administrator, William Hays, was substituted as plaintiff. The appellants demurred to the amended complaint, and the demurrer was overruled. They then filed an answer in general denial, but afterward withdrew the same and elected to stand upon the ruling upon the demurrer. Hpon their refusal to plead further, judgment was rendered against them for costs.
Overruling the demurrer to the amended complaint is assigned as error. The amended complaint is of considerable length, but the material facts therein stated, upon which its sufficiency must be determined,-may be stated in few words. It is averred that on the 27th of November, 1899, the appellant Sheets and one Underwood, on their own behalf and on behalf of various other citizens and taxpayers of Sugar creek township, Vigo county, Indiana, filed their verified complaint in the Vigo Circuit Court
. He having been the contractor to build and construct the road, and being entitled to recover all sums from the county due him under the contract, it seems to us that he was a party in interest, and that he was properly admitted as a defendant in the injunction suit. At most, the board of commissioners was only a nominal party, representing the taxpayers. It is true such board was chargeable with making the contract and paying out the money thereunder, and such board was a proper party to the suit. If the plaintiffs in the injunction suit had been successful, the result would have been that Jessup could not receive the balance of the money due 'him upon the contract. The court
In the case of Oelrichs v. Spain, supra, one Hill was the plaintiff, and the action was to recover damages upon two injunction bonds. Hill had not been named in either bond, nor joined as a party in the original injunction suit; nor had he become a party in any manner, except that he had an interest in the funds in controversy: The suit was to enjoin the disposition of that fund, and Hill was adversely affected by the restraining order therein issued; and it was held by the Supreme Court of the United States that, notwithstanding the fact that he was not a party, having an interest in the fund, he was entitled to recover. Substantially to the same effect is the cause of Andrews v. Glenville Woolen Co., supra.
Appellee alleges in his complaint that the bond in suit was filed for the benefit of Jessup, and that he had an interest adverse to the plaintiffs in the subject-matter of the controversy arising under the injunction suit.
Our conclusion is that under the facts pleaded the complaint was sufficient, and required an answer. There was no error in overruling the demurrer, and the judgment is affirmed.