68 CIVIL TIMBER TRESPASS 



possession at the time of the commission of the act com- 

 plained of is sufficient to support the action of trespass. 1 

 The mere title to property which is held adversely by 

 another is not sufficient. Since trespass is an injury to 

 the property itself and not merely one to a right in the 

 property, the plaintiff in an action for trespass must have 

 a right in rem and cannot rely upon a right in personam 

 against another for the property. Title in the plaintiff 

 will be necessary only when the land is unoccupied, 2 or 

 no one is in possession. 3 If possession alone is relied upon 

 it must be actual 4 and not merely constructive. Trespass 

 may be maintained by the one entitled to possession even 

 though the premises be occupied by another, if such occu- 

 pation is not adverse to the one entitled. 5 



A lessor cannot bring an action in trespass on the realty 

 while the leased premises are in the possession of the lessee; 

 but after reentry and the taking of possession upon the 

 termination of the lease he may maintain an action for 

 any act of trespass committed subsequent to the reentry 

 even though committed by the tenant himself who still 

 remains upon the premises, 6 and it is generally held that 

 if the tenancy be one at will or by sufferance an act of waste 

 by the tenant terminates the tenancy and trespass may be 

 maintained by the owner without a previous entry. 7 Dur- 

 ing the term of a lease the tenant has possession and may 

 maintain an action of trespass quare clausum fregit. If 

 the premises are occupied merely under a right to cut a 

 limited number of trees, the occupant has not sufficient 

 possession to maintain an action of trespass. 8 



1. Whiddon v. Williams Lbr. Co., 98 Ga. 700, 25 8. E. 770; Phillips v. Babcock 



Bros. Lbr. Co., 5 Ga. App. 634, 63 S. E. 808; Ramos Lbr. etc. Co. v. Labarre, 

 116 La. 559, 40 So. 898; Lindsay v. Latham 107 S. W. 267, 32 Ky. L. Rep. 867. 

 Chandlee v. Walker, 21 N. H. 282; Sawyer v. Newland, 9 Vt. 383. 



2. Shipman v. Baxter, 21 Ala. 456; Wadleigh v. Marathon Co. Bank, 58 Wis. 546, 



17 N. W. 314. 



3. Moore v. Vickers, 126 Ga. 42, 54 S. E. 814; Whiddon v. Williams Lbr. Co., 98 Ga. 



700, 25 S. E. 770; Gray v. Peay, 82 S. W. 1006, 26 Ky. L. Rep. 989; Drake v. 

 Howell, 133 N. C. 162, 45 S. E. 539. 



4. Webb v. Sturtevant, 2 111. 181. 



5. Spencer v. Weatherby, 46 N. C. 327, (Grantor, still occupying, liable for cutting 



tree) ; Cf. Gordner v. Blades Lbr. Co., 144 N. C. 110, 56 S. E. 695; Garbutt Lbr. 

 Co. v. Wall, 126 Ga. 172. 54 S. E. 944. Branch v. Mosrrion 51 N. C. 16. 



6. Dorrell v. Johnson, 17 Pick. (Mass.) 263. 



7. Daniels v. Pond, 21 Pick. (Mass.) 307, 32 Am. Dec. 269; Catlin v. Hayden, 1 Vt. 



375; Treat v. Peck, 5 Conn. 280; Phillips v. Covert, 7 Johns. (N. Y.) 1; Sneak 

 v. Mundorf, 2 Browne (Pa.) 106; But see, Russell v. Fabyan, 34 N. H. 218. 



8. Monahan v. Foley, 4 U. C. Q. B. 129. 



