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29 S.C.L. 166

Marshall v. Reynolds

Court of Appeals of South Carolina

Decided December 15, 1843

Court of Appeals of South Carolina · decided 1843-12-15

Before O’Neall, J. at Union, Fall Term, 1843. This was an action of trespass, for beating the plaintiff, stopping his wagon, and compelling him to fly from and leave it. The proof abundantly established the case against Wm. F. Reynolds, sen’r. and William Liles. The proof against Wm. F. Reynolds, jun’r. was slight; it was that while his father and Liles had stopped the plaintiff’s wagon, on Sunday, he went for the constable to seize the wagon, for a debt of his father, Wm.

Decided 1843-12-15

¶1Caria, per

O’Neall, J.

¶2In this case, the court are satisfied with the decision of the Judge below.

¶3We all agree that there was some evidence against Wm. F. Reynolds, jun’r. and where that is the case, it never was pretended, in England or this State, that he was to be acquitted in any other way than on a trial with the other defendants. The case'from Rice’s Reports, 95, McDonald vs. Ivy, very clearly shews, that the motion to strike out the defendant’s name from the record, could, under no circumstances, be allowed, when the case was on trial.

¶4The true rule in actions in form ix delicto, is that which is stated by Park, J. in Childs vs. Chamberlain, 6 Car. 3 Chitty’s Practice, 213; it is, “if there be no evidence against any one defendant, at the conclusion of the case, on the part of the plaintiff, such defendant is to be acquitted.” Who is to judge whether there be any evidence against the defendant 1 Certainly not his counsel. For if that was the case, every case would be embarrassed with this preliminary issue. It is, unquestionably, for the Judge presiding, and is a matter which must be left to his discretion. The motion is dismissed.

Richardson, Evans, Butler and Wardlaw, JJ. concurred.
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