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1 Daly 196

Fox v. Duff

New York Court of Common Pleas

Decided March 15, 1862

New York Court of Common Pleas · decided 1862-03-15

Appeal by the defendant from a judgment of the Fifth District Court. The defendant was the owner of certain premises in Mott street, in this city, which he had rented to the plaintiff, and received the rent for up to the 1st of May, 1861. On the 1st day of May, 1861, and while the plaintiff was absent, the defendant broke the door open with an axe, took out the windows, and removed the furniture of the plaintiff from the premises, and threatened to injure the plaintiff.

Decided 1862-03-15

¶1By the Court.

Hilton, J.

¶2The plaintiff, although a married woman, could acquire and hold an interest in lands the same as if she were unmarried (see Laws 1849, p. 528). She acquired such an interest by virtue of the letting to her by the defendant of the premises in question, in consideration of pay-*197mg to him the rent therefor in advance, and her possession could not be lawfully disturbed until the expiration of her term. The defendant by entering upon the premises in the manner described by the evidence, and threatening her with personal violence, committed a malicious trespass, which we think fully warranted the Justice in punishing him to the extent of the damages awarded. *

¶3The action was also properly brought in her own name, without giving her husband as a party plaintiff, as it concerned her separate property, and in respect to which she was competent to sue or be sued alone. Darby v. Callaghan, 16 N. Y. Rep. 71; Code, § 114, sub. 1; Laws 1860, p. 158, § 7 ; Vincent v. Buhler, Com. Pleas, Gen. T. Aug. 1861.*

¶4Judgment affirmed.

¶5Ante, p. 165.

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