Hunt v. Swyney
Hunt v. Swyney
Opinion of the Court
Appeal by defendant, Swyney, from a judgment in favor of the interyener, Honora Sharp, and from an order denying his motion for a new trial. An action.was commenced October 17, 1887, by plaintiff, as the executor of the will of George F. Sharp, deceased, against the defendant Swyney et al., to compel said Swyney to convey to plaintiff a certain lot in the city of San Francisco, and to recover the value of the use thereof, alleging that said Swyney held the title in trust for the estate of his testator. Honora Sharp, the widow of said George F. Sharp, filed her complaint in intervention August 17, 1888, alleging the same facts, except that Swyney held the property in trust for her, and that she, and not the estate, was the owner, and entitled to a conveyance and to recover the rents and profits. On December 21, 1880, Alfred Rising and wife executed to George F. Sharp
The findings fully sustain the contention of the intervener, but it is contended by appellant that in several material matters they are not justified by the evidence. So far as the findings are adverse to defendant’s claim that he purchased the note and mortgage, and was the owner of them in his own right, and not in trust for the use and benefit of any person other than himself, the evidence, while conflicting, could lead to no other reasonable conclusion than that reached by the court. The particulars in which the testimony of the intervener is least satisfactory, and which are largely commented upon by appellant, are those which relate to the question whether the trust was for the benefit of herself or her husband ; but the trust having been found on sufficient evidence, that is a question which does not materially concern the appellant, though the findings in that respect are sufficiently supported. Appellant also specifies several particulars in which he contends the court erred during the trial.
Two other errors of law are stated in the specifications, being rulings upon the admission of testimony, and marked “D” and “E.” I can see no valid objection that appellant could urge to either. Both questions were pertinent to the controversy between Mrs. Sharp and the estate, and, if erroneous upon any ground, it is not perceived how they could prejudice the appellant. These exceptions are stated in appellant’s brief, but no comments of any character are made.
We concur: Belcher, C.; Vanclief, C.
For the reasons given in the foregoing opinion the judgment and order appealed from are affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- HUNT v. SWYNEY (SHARP, Intervener)
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Evidence.—S.’s Clerk, Y„ Took an Assignment of Mortgage from him, foreclosed it, and took the property in his own name. S. having died, Y. contended, as against his widow, that he had bought the mortgage, and foreclosed it for himself. The widow asserted that she had bought it from her husband, and had it assigned to Y. for foreclosure. On direct examination, Mrs. S. was asked whether at the time in question Y. was her agent for collecting rents. Y.’s accounts were then put in evidence, showing large credits for rents collected for her, and charges for the notary’s fee on the assignment of the mortgage, for taxes on the same, and expenses of foreclosure and sale. Held, that the question was proper as an introduction of the accounts. Witness.—Where a ■ Witness Responsively Answers a question in the affirmative, and then proceeds to state other irresponsive matters, a motion to strike out the whole answer is rightly denied. Resulting Trust.—Y., Who had Been the Clerk of S., Deceased, and Mrs. S.’s rent collector, took an assignment of mortgage from S., foreclosed it, and took title to the land in his own name. Mrs. S. thereafter claimed the land as having bought the mortgage from her husband, and had it assigned to Y. to foreclose. Y. maintained that he had bought and foreclosed the mortgage for himself. The record of the foreclosure case showed that Y., cross-examined, had admitted his agency for Mrs. S. in the matter, and that the price of the mortgage was applied on a debt due from S. to his wife. Held, that the court was justified in finding him a trustee, who could have no possession adverse to Mrs. S.