Smith v. Chapman
Smith v. Chapman
Opinion of the Court
The first question in this case, in its natural order, is, whether it was indispensible to the support of the plaintiff’s bill, that Selden Huntington should have been made a party.
By the practice of chancery, formerly, a foreclosure was admitted against the defendants brought before the court notwithstanding there were intervening incumbrancers; (Draper & al. v. Jennings & al. 2 Vernon 518.) after which it was established as a test on this subject, that all persons must be made parties who are interested in taking the account. Hobart v. Abbott, 2 P. Wms. 643. Fell v. Brown, 2 Br. Ch. Rep. 276.
The bill of foreclosure sets forth a mistake or fraud, in the witnessing of the deed of mortgage, by Dolly Chapman, the wife of the mortgagor; and that this is a subject of relief, so far as relates to the defendants, admits not of a question. The point is too clear, to require a reference to the cases, decisive of this point. I will barely cite Wilkie v. Holmes, 1 Scho. & Lef. Rep. 60. n.—S. C. 1 Dick. 165. and Wade v. Paget, 1 Br. Ch. Rep. 368. in which this principle is settled; that where a power, to be executed in writing, in the presence of a specified number of witnesses, is witnessed by a smaller number, the defective execution may be supplied. The principal case is aided by numerous determinations authorizing the interposition of the court for the correction of mistake or fraud; within which it undoubtedly is embraced. See particularly the late case of Wadsworth v. Windell & al. 5 Johns. Ch. Rep. 224.
New trial not to be granted.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Smith against Chapman and others
- Cited By
- 13 cases
- Status
- Published