Genet v. President of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Co.

Headnote

Reference—Withduawing submission.

Where a cause pending before a referee was submitted on March 19th, and the documentary evidence was soon after withdrawn for use in the trial of another action between the same parties and was not returned to the

referee until October 17th, and in the meantime on July 2d, defendant moved before the referee to reopen the cause and put in evidence the judgment rendered in such other action, whieli motion was pending and undetermined on December 3d following, when plaintiff served .notice of her election to terminate the reference, on the ground that the referee’s report liad not been filed or delivered within 60 days after final settlement of the cause, it was held that, at the time when plaintiS’s notice was served, the cause had not been finally submitted to the referee.

Action by Augusta G. Genet against the president, manager, and company of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, for damages on contract. The cause was referred, and was submitted to the referee, March 19,1895. Pending the trial before the referee, plaintiff began an action against the defendant herein, in the superior court, based on the same contract involved in this action, and raising an issue identical with that pending before the referee, on the trial of which second action documents and exhibits in evidence before the referee were borrowed from him by both parties, and offered in evidence therein, and not finally returned to him until October 17,1895. That action resulted -in a judgment, July 2, 1895, in favor of defendant, who thereupon moved the referee to reopen the case, and put in evidence the judgment of the supreme court, which motion has not yet been decided. December 3, 1895, plaintiff served notice on defendant’s attorney that she elected to end the reference. From an order appointing a new referee, on motion of plaintiff, supported and opposed by, affidavits setting up, with other matters, the foregoing facts, defendant appeals.