Union Bank v. Ames
Union Bank v. Ames
Opinion of the Court
We deem it necessary to state only so much of the facts, as we find them, as are required to make plain the points upon which we rest our decision.
On December 15, 1857, W. C. Drake, being indebted to Levi Cook & Co., A. Bridgman & Co., and others, made a deed
The defendant’s title rests upon the deed of assignment first above stated, and the further facts that the assignees being unable to sell the real estate at auction, conveyed that in controversy and another tract to Charles Ames, at its appraised value, in settlement of the claim of Levi Cook & Co., and, to fortify this conveyance, the defendant shows an agreement in writing, signed by the creditors of Brake, to release their claims upon said land, and assenting to the conveyance in full payment of the claim of Levi Cook & Co.; but said agreement -was signed by “M. T. Kirk, .attorney for A. Bridgman & Co. and others, and not by A. Bridgman Co. in person; ” M. T. Kirk, however, was not the attorney for A. Bridgman & ■Co. in the prosecution of their claim against Brake, although he was their attorney in other claims and matters, but had no general or special authority to execute the agreement. It also appears that at the date of said conveyance by the assignees to Ames, the latter executed a bond to hold the assignees harmless by reason of said conveyance. On the same date, also, ■Brake and wife conveyed the same land to Ames. It also appears that, October 15, 1860, the assignees having asked to be discharged, and having made a report of what they had done, in substance, had the property appraised, ascertained the •creditors, sold the personal property, offered the real estate for ■sale without finding any bidders, and had made the conveyance to Ames. The court ordered “ that all the assets received ■by -said assignees be reformed into court, and that said Brake have possession of the same as fully as though an assignment had not been made.’ ’ It seems, too, that an action was brought in the federal court., on the claim of Levi Cook & Co., against
We ground our affirmance of the judgment of the district court, quieting the title in the plaintiff, Joseph A. Brown, upon the provisions of our statute. Rev., §§ 3160,3316. The first provides that when a judgment has been rendered against a defendant served by publication only, and who does not appear, he may at any time within two years have the action re-tried upon giving security for costs, etc. Under this section the plaintiff obtained the re-trial of this cause. “Sec. 3163. The title of a purchaser in good faith to any property sold under an attachment or judgment shall not be affected by the new trial permitted by section 3160, except the title of property obtained by the plaintiff and not bought of him in good faith by others.” In this case it appears that the title to the property was obtained under the judgment by the plaintiff, and was bought of the plaintiff in good faith by others, to wit: Joseph A. Brown. We do not see any escape from this conclusion. See Lessee of Taylor v. Boyd, 3 Ohio, 337; Heirs of Ludlow v. Kidd, id. 541; Wilcoxson v. Curtis, 11 Ind. 514.
If we should even get beyond this point, we should have but little difficulty in holding that Kirk had no authority to make the agreement releasing Bridgman & Co.’s claim; that the second judgment was in effect and by its very language but a judgment of revivor, it being in this regard essentially different from Bertram v. Waterman, 18 Iowa, 529; that so far as appears either execution sufficiently followed or identified the judgment whereon it issued to sustain the sale under it. But it is not necessary to decide these questions. It is sufficient that in a legal or equitable proceeding wherein the court had jurisdiction of the subject-matter, and the defendant was duly served with notice by publication, it was adjudged that the plaintiff, the bank, was owner of the land, and while this adjudication was in full force and undisturbed, Brown pur
Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.