Ploof v. Putnam

In order to accommodate plaintiff’s need to protect his/her own life or property, should society privilege him/her with the right to interfere with another’s property? Plaintiff, his wife, and children were out on a lake in plaintiff’s boat during sudden storm. In order to avoid the risk of harm to his family and property, the plaintiff moored his boat to the defendant’s private island in the middle of the lake. Defendant’s servant unmoored the boat, causing the boat to be destroyed and casting the plaintiff, his wife, and children into the water.