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33 N.C. 240

Harshaw v. . Crow

Supreme Court of North Carolina

Decided August 5, 1850

Supreme Court of North Carolina · decided 1850-08-05

This was a suit by warrant for $50, the penalty for burning the plaintiff’s woods. The warrant was as follows : STATE OP NORTH CAROLINA, > Cherokee County.

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently December 2006

1 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1850-08-05

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Pearson, J.

¶1 This was a warrant for $50, the penalty for burning the plaintiff’s woods. The jury found in favor of the plaintiff, but the judge below arrested the judgment, being of opinion, that “ the preamble constituted no part of the warrant.” In this, we think there was error. The recital or preamble, as it is called, does constitute a part of the warrant and sets out, in apt words, the offence, for which, as the plaintiff alleged, the defendant had incurred the penalty sued for.

¶2 The warrant is a very good form. We can see but one objection to it, as applied to this case ; and that is, the negative averment as to two day’s notice not having been given to the owners of adjoining wood land. The defendant set fire to the plaintiff’s wood land, and in such case he incurred the penalty, without reference to the fact of notice. That provision only applies to cases, where one sets fire to Ms own wood land. This averment, however, *242 is mere surplusage, aud has no effect upon the validity Of the warrant.

¶3 The judgment must be reversed, and there must be judgment for the plaintiff.

¶4 Per Curiam Judgment accordingly.

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