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75 Mass. 421

Baker v. Crosby

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Decided October 15, 1857

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · decided 1857-10-15

Action of tort for breaking and entering the plaintiff’s close in North Bridgewater, and with horses and carriages passing over the same. Answer, a right of way over said land from the main street to lands of the defendant.

Decided 1857-10-15

By the Court.

¶1There is no evidence of a right of way by grant or necessity ; for it does not appear that Lydia Packard ever owned the Meeting-house Green ; and if Porter ever had a way of necessity over • it, he subsequently acquired other land, bounding on the land granted to him by Packard, and on a public way, which removed the necessity. Nichols v. Luce, 24 Pick. 102. Holmes v. Goring, 2 Bing. 76, and 9 Moore, 166. Woolrych on Ways, 71.

¶2But there was evidence tending to show a way of prescrip. *425tian. Such were the facts, that there was no other ready or convenient access; that the house stood there at the time of the deed to Porter in 1745, and its occupants had since used the way claimed; that there were gates opening into the green, and a regular track from the principal gate to the main street, indicating a peculiar and exclusive use. This evidence should have been submitted to the jury. Exceptions sustained.

¶3*426CASES ARGUED AND DETERMINED * IN THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF NORFOLK, OCTOBER TERM 1857, AT DEDHAM. Hon. LEMUEL SHAW, Chief Justice. Hon. CHARLES A. DEWEY, ~| Hon. THERON METCALF, i TmTICBa Hon. BENJAMIN F. THOMAS, f duSTICBSHon. PLINY MERRICK, J

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