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23 S.C.L. 87

Bogan v. White

Court of Appeals of South Carolina

Decided December 15, 1837

Court of Appeals of South Carolina · decided 1837-12-15

<p>In trover for a negro, the defendant relied on a gift. The £ury found' for the plaintiff. Pending an appeal, a different jury in the same district sustained the gift, in an action for other property embraced in it. A new trial was granted in the former case, although the Court might not otherwise have disturbed the verdict.</p> <p>Until a defendant can show a title to the possession of the property in dispute, he cannot disturb the possession, or question the title of the plaintiff.</p> <p>In reply to the cross-examination of a witness called to impeach another, he may be asked what persons he has heard say that they would not believe the witness.</p>

Decided 1837-12-15

Curia, per O’Neall, J.

¶1The gift, in my judgment, was fully and clearly proved, and nothing was shown on the part of the plaintiff to avoid it. But as the jury found against my opinion, as they had the right to do, I should not have been disposed to disturb their conclusion, had not a second case, for another slave, between the same parties, on the same .gift, been tried before- me, and another jury of the *92same district, at the succeeding extra Court. In that case the jury would have found for the defendant, had not the plaintiff, to avoid it, submitted to a- nonsuit. One or the other conclusion upon the facts must be erroneous. Which is right? That may be difficult to say, but still, when the opinion of the Judge below 'is fortified by the opinion of the last jury, it certainly creates such a weight of authority against the verdict in this case, that it ought not to stand.

¶2The motion is granted..

Butler, J., dissented.
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