Taylor v. Bliss

On July 6, 1903, Frank E. Smith was committed to the Providence County Jail, on an execution in favor of the petitioner, in an action of trespass on the case for the wrongful and malicious alienation of the affection of the petitioner’s wife.

On July 14, 1903, a citation was issued by this respondent on Smith’s application to take the poor debtor’s oath. The petitioner then filed this petition for a writ of prohibition against further proceeding under the citation.

Gen. Laws cap. 260, § 1, allows a citation to any person imprisoned for debt. In a general sense a judgment is a debt, but section…