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1 Monag. 247

Marsh v. Bower

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Decided November 5, 1888

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania · decided 1888-11-05

<p>Error, No. 79, Oct. T. 1888, to O. P. No. 2, Allegheny Co., to review a judgment for want of a sufficient affidavit of defense on a scire facias sur mechanics’ lien by John W. Power and D. O. Bower, doing business as John "W. Bower & Co., against Charles Dudgeon, contractor, and ¥m. Marsh, owner, at Jan. ..T. 1888, No. 344.</p> <p>The claim filed was for “ a debt contracted for work done and material furnished ” at the instance of the contractor named; and referred to a bill of particulars annexed as “showing the nature, kind and amount of work done and material furnished and the time when the same was done,” The following is the bill of particulars filed:</p> <p>1887.</p> <p>Sept. 23, 2086 sqr. ft. Tin Hoofing on house, . . . $125.16</p> <p>7 3-in. ■ — .—■ Pipes, 12,.......84</p> <p>14-in......... .15</p> <p>Oct. 3, 4 ft. 4-in. Cond., 13,.....• . .52</p> <p>1 Shoe,.........35</p> <p>60 ft. 3-in. Cond., 10, ...... 6.00</p> <p>7 Shoes, 25,.......1.75</p> <p>1 Porch Hoof, 234 sq. ft., 62, .... 15.21</p> <p>$149.98</p> <p>Oct.' By cash (credit),.......47.78</p> <p>Balance due, . ......$102.20</p> <p>Interest from Oct. 3d, 1887.</p> <p>The defendant, Marsh, filed an affidavit o'f defense in which he averred that he never contracted with plaintiffs for the furnishing of materials, and had no knowledge that said materials had been furnished nor work done by plaintiffs until the lien upon which suit was brought had been filed, or at least until he had settled with his contractor. He further averred that he relied on notice from all persons furnishing materials in the construction of his house as required by the Act of June 17, 1887, and that no notice was given under the Act. The court made absolute a rule for judgment for want of a sufficient affidavit of defense.</p> <p>The assignments of error specified the action of the court, 1, in making absolute the rule; and, 2, in not discharging the rule.</p>

Relies on Titusville Iron Works v. Keystone Oil Co. · Appeal of Barrett

Decided 1888-11-05

Williams, J.,

¶1The affidavit of defense set up no answer to the plaintiff’s claim on the merits. It rested wholly on the failure of the material man to give the notice of his intention to rely upon his lien as a security for his bill, which is provided for in the 2d section of the Act of 1887. We have held that Act to be unconstitutional, and, therefore, of no effect whatever, in the case of the Titusville Iron Works v. The Keystone Oil Co., decided at the present term. [Reported in 122 Pa. 627.] It is unnecessary to repeat the reasons there given. Whether Bower & Co. were within the provisions of the 2d section or not is a question of no consequence, for the Act falls as a whole. No part of it is in force, and our mechanic’s lien laws stand precisely as though it had never been passed. The court below was right, therefore, in holding the affidavit to be insufficient, and in entering judgment non obstante, and the judgment is now affirmed.

¶2Cf. Barrett’s Appeal, 116 Pa. 486, for construction of art. hi, \ 6, of the constitution. See, also, the next case.

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