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2 E.D. Smith 419

Legee v. Burbank

New York Court of Common Pleas

Decided February 15, 1854

New York Court of Common Pleas · decided 1854-02-15

This was an action in the nature of trover, to recover the value of a set of four-horse stage harness, levied upon by the defendant, under an execution against a third party. The plaintiff claimed as the assignee of the debtor, under a general insolvent assignment, in trust for the benefit of creditors. On the trial, in the Fourth District Court, the assignor was produced as a witness for the plaintiff, and objected to, but the objection was overruled.

Decided 1854-02-15

By the Court. Woodruff, J.

¶1There was no error committed below in permitting the plaintiff’s assignor to testify. The ground of objection to his testifying was not stated by the defendant on the trial, but it is now urged that the suit *424is prosecuted for- Ms immediate benefit. Not so. He may be interested in having the property applied to the payment of Ms debts. But if the defence attempted, be founded in fact, a recovery here will leave him exposed to liability, to the same extent, for the debt, for the payment of which the defendant claims that the property has been taken in execution.

¶2Be this as it may, he cannot control the suit, nor direct the disposition of the amount recovered. The benefit to result to him is only incidental. The money goes into the pocket of another.

¶3The assignment to the plaintiff passed all of the assignor’s property, and needed no particular specification to embrace the harness in question.

¶4The proof in regard to the value of the harness, &c., if not very precise, is, we think, sufficient to sustain the finding. Some of the evidence is clearly so, and if we should conclude that upon the same evidence we would have assessed the damages at a few dollars less, it is not a case in which they are excessive, or which calls for a reduction of the amount.

¶5Judgment affirmed.

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