from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
PROCESS OF INTERPLEADER, practice. Formerly when two parties concurred in a
bailment to a third person of things which were to be delivered to one of
them on the performance of a covenant or other thing, and the parties
brought several actions of detinue against the bailee, the latter might
plead the facts of the case and pray that the plaintiffs in the several
actions might interplead with each other; this was called process of
interpleader. 3 Reeves, Hist. Law, eh. 23; Mitford, Eq. Pl. by Jeremy, 141;
2 Story, Eq. Jur. Sec. 802.