Washington Beneficial Society v. Bacher
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Error to the Common Pleas of Lehigh County. This was an issue joined between Amos Bacher, as plaintiff, and The Washington Beneficial Society of the Borough of Allentown, as defendant.
Read the full summary
Error to the Common Pleas of Lehigh County. This was an issue joined between Amos Bacher, as plaintiff, and The Washington Beneficial Society of the Borough of Allentown, as defendant. In January, 1843, Bacher was admitted as a member of the said society; but was expelled therefrom on the 11th September, 1848. He made application to the Common Pleas for a rule to show cause why a mandamus should not issue for his restoration to membership; and an issue was directed as above stated. By an article of the by-laws, it was provided that a member of twelve months’ standing was entitled to receive…
1Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered, by
Lewis, J.
In Davies v. Morris, 5 Harris 209, it was held that in general the members of pecuniary or moneyed institutions, such ‘as banks, insurance and manufacturing companies, and the like, are not witnesses in favor of such corporations, because they are directly interested in the result. The property in controversy would go to increase or diminish the dividends payable to the members offered as witnesses. But societies for religious purposes were held to stand upon a different footing, because, in general, the members of these corporations may…
2Cited by3 opinions
- Hamill v. Supreme Council of the Royal ArcanumSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1893
- Langan v. Pittston School DistrictSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1939
- Groome's EstatePennsylvania Orphans' Court, Philadelphia County · 1939