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2 R.I. 492

Dana v. Lewis

Supreme Court of Rhode Island

Decided September 6, 1853

Supreme Court of Rhode Island · decided 1853-09-06

This was ail action of replevin for fourteen tons of hay and five tons of oats unthrashed, cut for fodder, which were attached by the defendant, as sheriff, upon exectu tion in favor of Joseph Metcalf against Amasa Whipple.

Decided 1853-09-06

Brayton, J.

¶1 delivered the opinion of the Court.

¶2 The only question in this case is, whether the word crops, in the bequest to Amasa Whipple, means growing crops or gathered crops. If it means the former, the execution was rightly served by the defendant. It is a rule of construction, that effect should be given to all the words of a written instrument, if that be possible. We think the gathered crops would have passed to Amasa Whipple by the words “ hay, fodder, produce and provisions and, therefore, as the word crops” may mean either gathered or growing crops, in order to give effect to it, we must construe it in the latter sense.

¶3 Judgment for the defendant.

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