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38 S.C.L. 5

Pratt v. McJunkin

Court of Appeals of South Carolina

Decided November 15, 1850

Court of Appeals of South Carolina · decided 1850-11-15

Before Withers, J., at Union. Fall Term, 1850. Benjamin MeJunkin had been appointed by the Ordinary, guardian of his infant son, John C. MeJunkin, and this was an action on his guardianship bond, against the defendant as surety. The plaintiff proved that the guardian had been cited before the Ordinary, had made default, and that a decree had been rendered against him, for the amount of which a verdict was claimed.

Decided 1850-11-15

¶1Curia, per

Withers, J.

¶3The full benefit of the 13th section of the same Act yet remains *8to any party who may think fit to carry a matter of account to the Court of Equity; and if the principal of sureties, whether guardian or administrator, he negligent alike in the means of de-fence open to him as in the management of his trust, it is hut the natural and necessary incident which sureties undertake to hear among the other burthens they assume. How far they may be enabled, at their own' instance, to enter into a proceeding before the inferior Court, to the end that they may employ their own diligence, in resorting to an appeal, instead of suffering from the indifference of their principal, is a matter for the consideration of those who occupy the position of the defendant in this case.

¶4The conclusion resulting from what is said above is, that the Court of law had jurisdiction of this case, and, therefore, that the motion for nonsuit, proceeding upon that question, is not well founded.

¶5The guardian, Benjamin McJunkin, received for his ward a sum of money from the Commissioner in Equity, which was part proceeds of lands sold under authority of the Court of Equity, in which real estate the ward had an interest to the extent of the sum so received. It was supposed the circuit Court was in error by holding that the defendant, being surety, was liable for that fund. The case of Gray vs. Brown (1 Rich. 351) appears to be conclusive against the appellant, upon this ground.

¶6The instructions given to the jury, complained of in the 2d ground of appeal for a new trial, do not seem to be liable to just objection.

¶7The motion is refused.

O’jNeall, Evans, WáRdlaw and Frost, JJ., concurred.

¶8Motions dismissed.

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