It was maintained by the counsel for the defendant, that the court below erred in permitting the plaintiff to amend his declaration, but there can be no doubt that it was entirely within the discretion of that court to allow the amendment. Then it was maintained that the charge for storage could not be recovered on an account annexed, as it was a charge for money paid. But this item may very properly be considered, in effect, as a general charge for storage, and as such proper in an account annexed. Some objection was made to the plaintiff’s right to recover, on the ground, that the plaintiff had not actually paid the owner of the warehouse, where the property was stored; though it was shown that he was liable for the storage, and on the day of the trial had given his note for the amount. Under the circumstances of this case, it does not appear to the court,
In the letter of the defendant, dated April. 5th, 1843, to the plaintiff, enclosing the writ for service, the plaintiff is requested to return the writ to the defendant. It did not appear, whether the writ was returned to the defendant or to the clerk’s office. The property was attached on the 10th of April; but the service was not completed by giving a summons to the defendant, until the 6th of July, when the return was finished; so that when the return was made, the property had been on storage about three months. Yet there is no charge for storage on the writ, nor any thing intimating the existence of any such charge. The action, in which this charge was made, was entered at the August term, 1843, and continued to March term, 1844. The plaintiff kept the property for thirteen months, and then gave it up ; and there was no evidence of any express notice to the defendant, in this case, of the existence of the charge for storage, before the commencement of this suit. The evidence offered to show, that the defendant had knowledge of a usage in Suffolk county, to hold attorneys responsible without notice for all expenses incurred in the attachment and custody of property, wholly failed to establish that fact.
Every just principle requires, that a sheriff should give an attorney reasonable notice of expenses incurred in the service of a writ. This is necessary that the expenses may be included in the taxed costs. The attorney should be informed of them also for his own safety and security. Though the attorney makes himself originally liable for expenses, yet his liability is not on his own account, or for his own benefit, but in behalf and on account of his client. He stands somewhat in the situation of a guarantor, and should know the extent of his liability, in order that he may look to his
The exception to the instruction in this particular, therefore, is sustained, and the verdict is consequently set aside and a new trial granted.
