Sturr v. Beck

by Melvin Fuller

United States Supreme Court

133 U.S. 541

Sturr  v.  Beck

This suit was commenced by Daniel Sturr against Charles W Beck by a complaint filed in a district court of the territory of Dakota, seeking an injunction against the defendant from interfering with an alleged water-right and ditch of the complainant, and the use of the water of a certain creek t rough the same, and for damages alleged to have been sustained by interference which had already taken place. The allegations of the complaint were denied in the answer of the defendant, so far as inconsistent with its statements; and the facts in regard to the matters set up in the complaint were averred by the defendant as he claimed them to be, with a prayer for an injunction against the complainant from trespassing upon his land and diverting the water of the creek, and from keeping and maintaining the ditch on his land, and for damages and costs. The cause was tried by the court upon an agreed statement of facts; it being stipulated that the court might make its findings of fact and conclusions of law on such agreed statement, with the same effect as if the facts therein contained had been proven in court. The court thereupon proceeded to make its findings of fact and conclusions of law as follows:

'Findings of Fact. (1) That the plaintiff, Daniel Sturr, made a homestead filing or entry of the S. E. 1/4, N. W. 1/4, E. 1/2, S. E. 1/4, and S. W. 1/4, S. E. 1/4, of section 35, to wnship 7 N., of range 3 E., B. H. M., on the 15th day of May, 1880, and thereafter, at the United States land-office at Deadwood, Dak., made final proof or entry thereof on the 10th day of May, 1883, having settled thereon in June, 1877, and he has resided thereon continuously ever since, cultivating at least seventy acres thereof, and has received a patent for said land from the United States. (2) That one John Smith made a homestead filing or entry of the W. 1/2, S. E. 1/4, S. W. 1/4, N. E. 1/4, and lot 2 of section 2 township 6 N., of range 3 E., B. H. M., on the 25th day of March, 1879, and thereafter, at the United states land-office at Deadwood, Dak., made final proof or entry thereof on the 10th day of May, 1883, having settled thereon in March, 1877, and resided thereon until he sold the same to defendant, Beck, in May, 1884, and has received a patent for said land from the United States. (3) That on or about the 15th day of May, 1880, the plaintiff, Daniel Sturr, without any grant from John Smith, the occupant and claimant, as above stated, went upon the homestead claim of John Smith, above described, and located a water-right on said Smith's homestead, claiming the right to divert 500 inches, miner's measurement, of the wates of False Bottom creek, then, and long prior thereto, flowing over and across said land in its natural channel, and to carry the same by means of a ditch to and upon his own homestead claim, immediately adjacent. (4) That said plaintiff posted a written notice at the point of said proposed diversion, claiming the right to divert said water, and caused a copy of the same to be filed in the office of the register of deeds in and for Lawrence county, Dak., on the 9th day of May, 1881, and the same was recorded in Book 14, p. 468, of the records of said county. (5) That immediately thereafter the plaintiff constructed a ditch from the point of such diversion across the John Smith Homestead, and diverted and conveyed not less than 300 inches of the waters of said False Bottom creek to and upon his said land adjacent, and there used the same for irrigating his crops growing thereon, whenever the same was necessary, until interfered with by the defendant, in the summer of 1886. (6) That on May 1, 1884, John Smith conveyed his said homestead to the defendant, Charles W. Beck, by warranty deed, purporting to convey the fee without any reservation; whereupon the plaintiff entered into the possession thereof, and has so remained ever since. (7) That in the spring of 1886 the defendant, Beck, notified the plaintiff, Sturr, to cease diverting the waters of False Bottom creek from their natural channel upon defendant's said land, and forbade him maintaining his said ditch upon defendant's said land for that purpose. (8) That the custom existing, and which has existed in Lawrence county ever since its settlement, recognizes and acknowledges the right to locate water-rights, and to divert, appropriate, and use the waters of flowing streams for purposes or irrigation when such location, diversion, and use do not conflict or interfere with rights vested and accrued prior thereto. (9) That neither John Smith nor the defendant, Beck, ever made any water-right location claiming the waters of False Bottom creek, and had not, prior to the said location thereof by the plaintiff, Daniel Sturr, ever diverted the said waters from their natural channel, where they had been accustomed to flow. (10) That said John Smith, on the 2d day of February, 1882, recited, in the written contract of that date made with the plaintiff, Daniel Sturr, that the latter was the owner of the Elm Tree water-right, which was the said water-right located as aforesaid by said Sturr on the 15th day of May, 1880. (11) That the use of said water for irrigation is beneficial and valuable to the person or persons owning or possessing the same.

'Conclusions of Law. (1) That at the time of the location of the water-right made upon John Smith's homestead by the plaintiff, Daniel Sturr, in May, 1880, a prior right to have the waters of said False Bottom creek flow, in the regular channel of said creek, over and across said land, had vested in John Smith by virtue of his homestead filing or entry made on the 25th day of March, 1879; he having made final proof or entry thereafter. (2) That said vested right, so acquired by said John Smith, was conveyed to the defendant, Charles W. Beck, by warranty deed, on May 1, 1884. (3) That the plaintiff, Daniel Sturr, by his location and diversion of the waters of False Bottom creek, so made by him upon the homestead of said John Smith on the 15th day of May, 1880, acquired no right, as against the defendant Beck, to divert said waters, or to maintain a ditch upon defendant's land for that purpose. (4) That the patent issued to John Smith for the premises mentioned related back to the date of his making his homestead filing or entry of said premises on the 25th day of March, 1879. (5) That the plaintiff can take nothing by this action.'

Judgment in favor of the defendant was entered, dismissing the complaint upon the merits, and awarding costs. To the tenth finding of fact, and to conclusions of law Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4, plaintiff duly excepted, and also to the judgment and decree, and filed his motion to set aside certain of the findings of fact and conclusions of law, and to adopt others named in their places, ans also for a new trial, which motions were severally overruled, and he excepted. Plaintiff thereupon prosecuted an appeal to the supreme court of the territory, and assigned as error that the court erred 'in its finding of fact No. 10, and in not correcting the same as requested by plaintiff in his motion to correct said finding;' in the conclusions of law Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively; in denying the motion for a new trial; and 'because the decision of the court is against law.' The judgment of the district court was affirmed by the supreme court, which rendered the following opinion: 'The judgment of the lower court is affirmed. The court holds that the homesteader was the prior appropriator of the water-right, and the plaintiff has no right to enter upon the prior possession of the defendant, under his H. E., for the purpose of appropriating any portion of the running streams and creeks thereon.' An appeal was then taken to this court.

Daniel McLaughlin and William R. Steele, for appellant.

R. A. Burton, for appellee.

Mr. Chief Justice FULLER, after stating the facts as above, delivered the opinion of the court.

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