35 S.C. 266 | S.C. | 1892
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The defendant was convicted before T. G. White, Esq., as trial justice, of entering upon the unenclosed land of one Peter Massey, situate on Ladies Island, in Beaufort County, after notice from said Massey forbidding him to do so, and sentenced to pay a'fine of ten dollars and costs, or to imprisonment in the county jail for twenty days. From this judgment of the trial justice, an appeal was taken by defendant to the Circuit Court on several grounds, and came on to be heard by Judge Wallace, who dismissed the appeal and affirmed the judgment of the trial justice. The appellant has appealed from the judgment of the Circuit Judge upon the following grounds and exceptions: 1. Because his honor, the presiding judge, erred in holding that it was not necessary for the person forbidding the entry to have the legal title. 2. Because his honor, the presiding judge, erred in holding that he could not take into consideration the intention of the defendant in making the entry.
Appellant's first ground of appeal is intended to have this court so to construe this section, as to limit the remedy supplied by it to persons who hold the legal title to lands. Such a construction of this section is too narrow and is, in fact, at variance with its express language, for it provides such remedy to the owner or tenant. Here Massey was either the owner, for ho had purchased and paid for the land and had possession thereof, or, if not the owner, he was the tenant at will of the owner. This provision of the law was evidently meant to furnish the owner or tenant in possession of land the legal means to prevent any intrusion thereon by another, after notice prohibiting any entry on the same. Its object was highly commendable and the remedy very simple. State v. Cockfield, 15 Rich., 53; State v. Mays, 21 S. C., 190. Certainly it was no part of its object to devolve upon the courts, on the criminal side thereof, the trial of title to land. And this court approves the refusal of both the trial justice and Circuit Judge to regard with any favor this effort on the part, of this defendant. We must overrule the first ground of appeal.
It is the judgment of this court, that the judgment of the Circuit Court be affirmed.