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72 Mass. 385

Nelson v. Nelson

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Decided September 15, 1856

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · decided 1856-09-15

<p>A sale of wood growing on the seller’s land, with the right to cut it within a specified time, but without any agreement that the purchaser may assign his rights, gives him a t-"' to the wood cut within that time, which title he may sell to a third person; and tin** person may maintain an action against the owner of the land for subsequently burning the wood.</p>

Decided 1856-09-15

Metcalf, J.

¶1By the bargain between Donelson and the defendant, and Donelson’s labors under that bargain, the wood which he cut became his property; Nettleton v. Sikes, 8 Met. 34; and he might as well transfer that property, as any other, to whom he pleased. He did transfer a part of it to the plaintiff; and whilst it was the plaintiff’s, the defendant burnt it. He is therefore answerable to the plaintiff for its value. We say he burnt it whilst it was the plaintiff’s, because it does not appear that the time within which it was to be taken from the land had expired before it was burnt, nor that it was to be forfeited to the defendant, if not taken off within that time.

¶2This view of the case makes it unnecessary to consider whether the plaintiff acquired from Donelson the right to enter upon the defendant’s land and take off the wood with his own hands, or whether the license so to do, given to him by the defendant, was revocable. If both these points were adjudged in the defend ant’s favor, still he would have no defence to this action.

¶3 Exceptions overruled.

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