Featherston v. Richardson
Featherston v. Richardson
Opinion of the Court
The error assigned in this record is the judgment of the court overruling the demurrer and retaining the bill.
The purpose of the bill is to set aside a deed made by the complainant’s intestate, on the ground that the grantee had no title to certain lands conveyed by the intestate, because he had wholly failed to carry out the trusts confided to him, upon the fulfilment and performance of which his title to the land conveyed was to be absolute, but not before; or in the event that equity would not have the deed set aside and canceled absolutely, then that a decree be had compelling the grantee to fulfil the trust confided to him by the decedent, or deliver up the deed and restore the land to the estate.
This is the sum and substance, the aim and scope of the bill and amendments.
The equity of the bill rests, in the main, on the construction of the deed.
These words appear in it: “ Now, the further consideration of this deed is that the said Featherston is to pay off and discharge said mortgages (previously described), he contracting to be liable for the payment of the same only so far as the proceeds of the land will go towards their payment, in no case assuming any individual liability except to faithfully discharge his duty in managing or dis posing of the land, so as to make it or the proceeds thereof,
Without invoking the aid of surrounding circumstances, which, if the instrument itself were doubtful of construction, could well be invoked by parol, and which are set out in the bill, we are of opinion that its meaning is quite apparent from inspection. Its own light is enough to enable one to read it without pouring other rays upon it.
Two considerations are expressed in it, one is the usual trifling and formal consideration of ten dollars at its beginning, and the other and the real consideration is the extinguishment of the mortgages by “ managing or disposing of the land,” and relieving the grantor from “the trouble and vexation ” of doing so himself.
This real consideration on which the title to the grantee is to become absolute — it being in him before in the former part of the deed, to enable him to manage and dispose of it to extinguish these mortgages — the bill alleges has not been performed at all by him, but the lands have been used for his own profit and emolument. Some of the mortgages are unpaid ; others, which have been paid, are transferred to the wife of the grantee, and are outstanding in her name, with the view that the interest accumulating on them may eat up the entire lands. Thus the consideration of the deed has absolutely failed, the trust on which it is made has been betrayed, and the confidence
Ought it not then to be canceled and annulled by a court of equity? Could not this grantor have gone into equity and demanded its cancellation in his life time? If so, may not his legal representative do so now under this bill ? Shall he hold the land and not pay for it what he agreed to pay, to-wit, the relief' of the grantor from the trouble and vexation of managing and selling the lands so, as to extinguish the liens thereon — a payment which he has not made and can now never make, because the grantor is now free forever from all earthly vexation and annoyance ?
Without considering, therefore, the surrounding circumstances, or any other charges in this bill, such as the insolvency of the grantee, his disclaimer of title while the grantor lived, his failure to record the conveyance during that life-time, his transfer of the mortgages to his wife, etc., there is equity in it springing out of the deed itself, and the utter failure to perform the trusts expressed therein, to require its retention in court and to demand a thorough and full trial thereof on the merits. The demurrer, in any view we can take of it, was properly overruled, and the judgment must be affirmed.
The entire bill, amendments and all, points to these lands, to the fraudulent use of a legal quasi title in them, and to relief from this fraud. In its entirety it appears to us
Judgment affirmed.
Cited for plaintiff in error: Code, §§3480, 2309,-2310, 2295, 3115; 2 Wash. Real Prop., 3 (2), 10 (11), 6 (4), 11 (10), 12 (13), 18 (19), 20, 7, (5), 4 (bottom); 1 Perry on Trusts, 124, 134, 135, 137, 1.53 ; Hill on Trusts, 91, 120; 20 Ga., 563; 15 Ib., 103; 5 Ib., 341; 13 Ib., 192; 40 Ib., 199, 204; 1 Doug. R., 225, 527; 4 Kent., 130, 129, 132; 2 Story, 1319, 1494, 1509; 53 Me., 213; 14 Allen, 69; 4 Watts and S., 149; 30 Ind., 228; Har. and J., 551.
For defendant: Code, §2316; 2 Story Eq., 972, n, 4, 1036, n. B.; 1 Vol. Leading Cases in Eq., 304, 307, 327.
Reference
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- Featherston v. Richardson, administrator
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