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74 Mass. 152

Shepherd v. Young

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · decided 1857-03-15

Action of contract on an account annexed of $500 for board of Julia Anderson, the defendant’s intestate, and her mother, from the 15th of August 1850 to the 4th of July 1852; with a count on a special promise by the defendant to pay said bill to the plaintiff. The parties submitted the case to the decision of the court upon the following facts, and agreed that the court might draw such inferences therefrom as a jury might draw.

Decided 1857-03-15

Bigelow, J.

¶1The facts in this case do not show any valid debt by the infant’s intestate to the plaintiff. The board of the child was clearly a gratuity, furnished from motives of affection and kindness by the plaintiff, without any expectation of remuneration, or intent to make a claim in the nature of a debt. There is therefore nothing on which an implied contract can rest to charge the assets of the intestate in the hands of the defendant. Osborne v. Governors of Guy's Hospital, 2 Stra. 728. Pelly v. Rawlins, Peake’s Add. Cas. 226. Dearborn v. Brownson, 3 Met. 155. Mc Gilvery v. Capen, 7 Gray, 524, 525.

¶2Nor can the plaintiff maintain her action against the defendant as administrator, to charge assets in his hands on the express promise of the defendant. It was wholly without consideration and void, as nudum pactum. Besides, it was not competent for the defendant, by his promise, to lbind the assets in his hands as administrator, to pay a claim which was not valid as against the estate of his intestate. Washburn v. Hall, 10 Pick. 431, Ripley v. Sampson, 10 Pick. 373.

¶3Judgment for the defendant-;

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