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5 Ark. 309

Bowen v. Cook

Supreme Court of Arkansas

Decided January 15, 1850

Supreme Court of Arkansas · decided 1850-01-15

Writ of Error to Ouachita Circuit Court. In January, 1849, William T. Bowen sued Charles Cook, before a justice of the peace of Ouachita county, on an account for $100, for one-fourth of crop made by Cook and Bowen in the year 1848. Judgment for defendant before the justice, and appeal by plaintiff to the Circuit Court, where the cause was-determined in April, 1849, before the Hon. John Quillet, Judge. Trial by jury in the Circuit Court, and verdict for defendant.

Decided 1850-01-15

Mr. Justice Scott

¶1delivered the opinion of the Court.

¶2Neither the testimony of the witness, Floyd, nor the written instrument read in evidence, should have been permitted, by the Court, to go to the jury, as none of the matters touching the entry, sale, and the then possession of the land, had the least relevancy to the issues, and in no way demonstrated, or had any tendency to make clear or ascertain any legitimate point in the case. And, as this testimony was of facts in their nature tending to prejudice the minds of the jury, and to divert them from the legitimate questions before them, it doubtless had a mischievous effect in inducing a verdict for-the defendant in the face of all the relevant testimony adduced in the case.

¶3Inasrtmch, then, as the Court erred in permitting this testimony to go the iury, and the verdict is contrary not to the weight of the testimony, but to all the legitimate evidence in the case, and injustice was done, the motion for a new trial should have been granted. It is, therefore, that the judgment must be reversed, and the cause remanded to be proceeded in.

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