Hull v. Davidson

Decision Date06 March 1894
Citation25 S.W. 1047
PartiesHULL v. DAVIDSON.
CourtTexas Court of Appeals

Appeal from Wichita county court; J. H. Barwise, Judge.

Action by S. G. Davidson against J. W. Hull for conversion. Judgment for plaintiff. Defendant appeals. Reversed.

James & Chambers, for appellant.

TARLTON, C. J.

Suit brought February 20, 1890, with a writ or sequestration, to recover a certain sorrel mare, or her value. Judgment in the county court for $135, from which this appeal is prosecuted. Among the defenses relied upon by the defendant, Hull, was the plea of two years' limitation. To this the plaintiff replied "that the animal in controversy was stolen from the plaintiff herein in the fall of 1887." It appears from the plaintiff's testimony, assuming the identity of the animal sued for with that claimed by the defendant, that she was missed from her range in Young county about October 1, 1887; that she had never before that time attempted to run astray; and that the plaintiff failed to notice the animal in the list of estrays published in the Dallas News, whence the plaintiff drew the conclusion, to which he testified as a fact, that the animal had been stolen at the date named. For the defendant the evidence is undisputed that one Manges Goode was in possession of the mare, using her openly, and claiming to be her owner, as early as the year 1887; that as early as January, 1888, and probably before that date, he sold the mare to one Samuel Wright; and that from Samuel Wright, through mesne transfers, the defendant bought the animal for a valuable consideration, claiming and holding her notoriously and adversely at the date of the institution of this suit, during a period more than sufficient to meet the requirements of the statute pleaded. The charge of the court, as we read it, was so framed as to instruct the jury, in effect, that if the mare, in the first instance, was stolen, the defendant's plea of limitation, or his title, dependent thereon, was tainted, though he and his vendors had held the animal in good faith for a period of more than two years before the bringing of the suit. This instruction we hold to be erroneous. The evidence will not permit us to indulge the inference that the defendant, and those under whom he held for two years before the date of the suit, were in any way connected with the theft (if it existed) of the animal. Munson v. Hallowell, 26 Tex. 475; McDonald v. McGuire, 8 Tex. 361; Huntsman v. Jarvis, 17 Tex. 161; Winburn v....

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9 cases
  • Luter v. Hutchinson
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Appeals
    • November 26, 1902
    ...discussed, and the opinion of this court fully sustained. See, also, Huntsman v. Jarvin, 17 Tex. 161. In the case of Hull v. Davidson, 6 Tex. Civ. App. 588, 25 S. W. 1047, it was said: "The charge of the court, as we read it, was so framed as to instruct the jury, in effect, that, if the ma......
  • Mutual Life Ins. Co. of New York v. Baker
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Appeals
    • May 22, 1895
  • Vaughn v. Charpiot
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Appeals
    • June 26, 1919
    ...v. Wilkinson, 45 Tex. 453; Flynn v. Lynch, 1 White & W. Civ. Cas. Ct. App. § 787; Craddock v. Goodwin, 54 Tex. 579; Hull v. Davidson, 6 Tex. Civ. App. 588, 25 S. W. 1047; Railey v. Hopkins, 50 Tex. Civ. App. 600, 110 S. W. 779; Hermann v. Allen, 118 S. W. 794. Charpiot does not say what par......
  • Byers v. Shelton
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Appeals
    • March 6, 1926
    ...have brought under contract of hire. In support of this proposition appellants cite Hudson v. Wilkinson, 45 Tex. 445; Hull v. Davidson, 25 S. W. 1047, 6 Tex. Civ. App. 588; Railey v. Hopkins, 110 S. W. 779, 50 Tex. Civ. App. 600; Brookmole v. Kinchen (Tex. Civ. App.) 253 S. W. 953. In Hudso......
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