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83 Me. 146

Mann v. Maxwell

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Decided January 2, 1891

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine · decided 1891-01-02

On exceptions. This was a proceeding under B. S., c. 97, relating to bastardy. The complainant having filed, under section five of that chapter and before trial, her declaration, she next introduced the deposition of Mrs. Jenkins, to meet the requirements of section six ot the same chapter. The respondent objected to the fifth interrogatory and to interrogatories and answers numbered six and seven, which were as follows : Int. 5.

Decided 1891-01-02

Tup,buy, J.

¶1This is a complaint for bastardy. The verdict was for the plaintiff, and the defendant brings the case here on two exceptions.

¶2The first is to the admission of three questions, numbered five, six and seven, in the deposition of Mrs. Jenkins. No objection was made to them when the deposition was taken. We think they were clearly competent.

¶3The second is to the exclusion of a question put to the plaintiff on cross-examination. It is unnecessary to discuss the competency of the inquiry proposed, as during the trial and before the evidence was closed, the court concluded to admit the proposed questions, and so informed one of the defendant’s counsel, and told him he might have the plaintiff recalled, and further cross-examine her by putting the questions which had been excluded; but he declined to do so, saying he preferred the matter to remain as it was.

¶4When evidence is offered by a party, and at the time, in the light of what has been developed, the judge thinks it incompetent, and excludes it, but on further developments he concludes to admit it, as frequently occurs during- a trial, and so informs counsel, and he declines to put it in, but elects to take his chance with the jury without it, it is too late for him to insist on exceptions after verdict against him.

¶5Exceptions overruled.

Pjetees, C. J., Walton, Yxikhn, Haskell and Wuitetioxtse,, JJ., concurred.
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