PHœnix Ins. Co. of Hartford, Conn., v. McEvony

• Citation: 52 Neb. 566,72 N.W. 956
• Parties: PHŒNIX INS. CO. OF HARTFORD, CONN., v. MCEVONY ET AL. (TEN CASES).
• Decision Date: 04 November 1897
• Court: Supreme Court of Nebraska

52 Neb. 566

72 N.W. 956

PHŒNIX INS. CO. OF HARTFORD, CONN.,

v.MCEVONY ET AL. (TEN CASES).

Supreme Court of Nebraska.

Nov. 4, 1897.

Syllabus by the Court.

1. The statute limits the mileage of a sheriff to five cents per mile for each mile actually and necessarily traveled in making a levy upon and appraisal of real estate.

2. A sheriff may not legally charge, as costs for printing a notice of sale of real estate, any greater sum than he actually paid the printer therefor.

3. Freeholders summoned by a sheriff to appraise real estate levied on are entitled to only 50 cents each per day for each day they are employed in such duty.

4. Such appraisers are not entitled to mileage.

5. The sheriff is not entitled to the fees of an appraiser for assisting in appraising real estate levied upon.

6. In an action against a sheriff and the sureties on his bond to recover illegal fees charged and collected by him, the plaintiff may join in his petition a cause of action to recover the penalty provided by statute for the charging and taking of illegal fees by an officer.

7. The statute prescribes and limits the fees and compensation which a sheriff may charge and receive for any services performed by him by virtue of his office, and he cannot make a valid agreement with a litigant for any compensation beyond that prescribed by statute for the performance of an official duty.

Error to district court, Holt county; Kinkaid, Judge.

Ten actions by the Phœnix Insurance Company of Hartford, Conn., against H. C. McEvony and others. The cases were consolidated. Judgment for defendants, and plaintiff brings error. Reversed.

Wright & Stout, for plaintiff in error.

H. M. Uttley and R. R. Dickson, for defendants in error.

RAGAN, C.

The Phœnix Insurance Company of Hartford, Conn., hereinafter called the “Insurance Company,” brought to the district court of Holt county against H. C. McEvony, the sheriff thereof, and the sureties on his official bond, 10 actions at law to recover certain fees, which the Insurance Company alleged the sheriff had charged and taken from it for services performed by him as sheriff in certain proceedings brought in the district court of said county by said Insurance Company to foreclose certain real-estate mortgages, which said fees were in excess of those which the statute permitted the sheriff to charge and take for the services rendered. The petition in each of the cases claimed also the $50 penalty provided by section 34, c. 28, Comp. St., for the charging and taking of illegal fees. The cases in the district court were numbered 4,128 to 4,137, both inclusive. On motion of the sheriff, these ten suits were consolidated, and tried as one. The jury found a verdict for the defendants in the court below, upon which a judgment of dismissal of the Insurance Company's action was rendered, and it prosecutes here a petition in error.

1. The 10 cases are substantially alike, and the conclusion reached here is applicable to each of said cases. The case considered here is based upon the alleged illegal charges made by the sheriff in the case of the Insurance Company against Cullen,--a case brought to foreclose an ordinary real-estate mortgage. A decree having been obtained, an order of sale was issued and delivered to the sheriff. He caused the property to be appraised, levied upon, advertised the same, and offered it for sale, but it was not sold, for want of bidders. We assume, without deciding, that the evidence sustains the finding of the jury that the sheriff actually traveled 98 miles in levying upon and appraising the land sought to be sold in the foreclosure case of the Insurance Company against Cullen. We also assume, without deciding, that the evidence sustains the finding of the jury that the printer actually charged the sheriff nine dollars for publishing the notice of sale of the land in the Cullen case, and that such charge did not exceed the lawful rate for such services. We then inquire, what services did the sheriff perform in the Cullen case? what were his legal fees therefor? and what did he actually charge and take for such services? The result is as follows:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                ¦Traveled ninety-eight miles to make levy and app. Legal fees for    ¦$4  ¦   ¦
                ¦same, 5 cents for each mile                                         ¦90  ¦   ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Illegal fees taken, none                                            ¦    ¦00 ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Calling inquest, appraisers. Legal fees therefor, 50 cents. Charge  ¦50  ¦   ¦
                ¦therefor                                                            ¦    ¦   ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Illegal fees taken, none                                            ¦    ¦00 ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Fees of two appraisers. Legal fees therefor, 50 cents each, $1.00.  ¦3 00¦   ¦
                ¦Charge therefor                                                     ¦    ¦   ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Illegal fees collected                                              ¦    ¦2  ¦
                ¦                                                                    ¦    ¦00 ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Levy and return of execution. Legal fees for same, $1.00. Charge    ¦2 00¦   ¦
                ¦therefor                                                            ¦    ¦   ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Illegal fees collected                                              ¦    ¦1  ¦
                ¦                                                                    ¦    ¦00 ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Three certificates incumbrances. Legal fees therefor, $2.00 each.   ¦6 75¦   ¦
                ¦Charge therefor                                                     ¦    ¦   ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Illegal fees collected                                              ¦    ¦75 ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Advertising sale in newspaper. Legal fees therefor, 50 cents. Charge¦00  ¦   ¦
                ¦therefor, nothing                                                   ¦    ¦   ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Illegal fees taken                                                  ¦    ¦00 ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Making copy of appraisal. Legal fees therefor, 25 cents. Charge     ¦50  ¦   ¦
                ¦therefor                                                            ¦    ¦   ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Illegal fees collected                                              ¦    ¦25 ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Publishing notice of sale in newspaper. Legal fees therefor, legal  ¦9 00¦   ¦
                ¦rate                                                                ¦    ¦   ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Charge therefor                                                     ¦9 00¦   ¦
                +--------------------------------------------------------------------+----+---¦
                ¦Illegal fees collected, none                                        ¦    ¦00 ¦
                +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                

In other words, the sheriff charged and collected from the Insurance Company for the services rendered in the Cullen case fees in excess of those allowed by law of $3.50. We have said above that we assume that the sheriff, in advertising and appraising this land, actually traveled 98 miles. We do not think, however, that he did. The record shows that this land was levied upon and appraised on the...