Missouri Court of Appeals April 18, 1893 (Cramer v. Groseclose)

Rombauer, P. J.

— The statute provides, in substance, that any person who shall cut down, injure or destroy or carry away any tree or timber growing on the land of another person shall pay to the party injured treble the value of the thing so destroyed or carried away, with costs; but, if, on the trial of the action, it shall appear that the defendant had probable cause to believe that the land