Spangler v. Savings Loan & Trust Co.
Spangler v. Savings Loan & Trust Co.
Opinion of the Court
— On August 8, 1913, the Savings Loan and Trust Company, a corporation engaged in the banking and trust company business, in the city of Auburn, Indiana, and hereinafter referred to as the “trust company,” brought suit against the Auburn Creamery Company, a corporation, hereinafter referred to as the “creamery company,” in which it sought to recover upon four notes and to foreclose a mortgage, given to secure the same by the latter to the former company, and also asking for the appointment of a receiver for the creamery company. On August 20, 1914, Michael Boland was appointed receiver, and the cause was continued as to the foreclosure proceeding.
On August 27, said receiver accepted said trust and filed his bond therein, which was approved by the court, whereupon said receiver filed a petition showing that the creamery plant, which had been operated by said creamery company, was abandoned, and asking an order of the court authorizing him to rent the same, which petition was granted and the receiver authorized to rent said plant until the further order of the court. On November 13, 1913, the receiver filed a petition, in which he showed to the court that the said creamery company was the owner of the real estate on which its said plant was located,
This petition was examined and approved by the court. On January 26, 1914, appears the following entry of the proceedings had in the receivership proceedings, to wit: “Comes now William W. Spangler and files an intervening petition making the Savings, Loan and Trust Company, Auburn Creamery Company and Michael Boland its receiver and Isaac M. Zent, Thomas A. Carter and Simon Trovinger parties and a summons is now ordered issued for all of said defendants except Michael Boland, Beceiver of Auburn Creamery Company, returnable on the first day of the March term, 1914, of this court; Which intervening petition is in these words as follows to wdt: — ”
This petition bears the title of the original action, viz., “Savings Loan & Trust Co. v. Auburn Creamery Company,” and alleges that S, for his intervening
The entry of March 3, 1914, shows an appearance to the petition of S by J. E. Pomeroy for Carter, and Trovinger, service on Zent, and a default as to him, and the following further appearance: “Come now
Carter and Trovinger filed an answer in general denial and also a pleading designated an intervening cross-complaint, in which they allege that they and Zent, as trustees, own the equitable title to the real estate involved; that on April 21, 1909, they, as trustees, entered into a contract with S for the purchase of said real estate, which contract is set out and made part of said cross-complaint; that they took possession of said real estate under said contract and made valuable and lasting improvements thereon; that they are, and at all times have been, ready and willing to perform their part of said contract, and are entitled to a deed to said real estate; that S has refused and neglected to make such deed; that they are ready and willing to pay to S whatever sum the court may find to be due to him; that their codefendants, S, the trust company, and the creamery company by said receiver, are each claiming an interest in said land and asserting some title or lien adverse, etc., which are unfounded and without right. Prayer for judgment for- cross-complainants, tliat their title be quieted as against all claims and liens of S, and against said codefendants, Savings Loan and Trust Company and the Auburn Creamery Company, by Michael Boland, receiver, that the court determine the amount due S from cross-complainants, and that, upon the paymeiit of such sum, S be ordered to execute a deed to cross-complainants to said real estate, and upon his failure to do so, that a commissioner be appointed to execute such deed, etc
Upon the motion of the receiver, the causes of action in said intervening petition' of S, and said cross-complaint of Carter and Trovinger, were consolidated for the purposes of trial.
S, the receiver, and said cross-complainants each respectively asked for a special finding of facts and conclusions of law. Whereupon the cause was submitted to the court for trial, and after hearing the evidence, the court returned a special finding of facts.
This finding is lengthy, and is not necessary to our disposition of the appeal.
The conclusions of law are as follows: “1. That the intervening petitioner William W. Spangler has no title to or lien upon real estate described and set out in the findings of fact and should not recover on his intervening petition herein. 2. That the intervening petitioners Thomas A. Carter and Simon Trovinger have no title to or lien’upon said real estate in controversy and set out, and should not recover upon their intervening petition herein. 3. That each of the intervening petitioners, William W.
The judgment is as follows: “It is therefore considered, adjudged and decreed by the court upon the special findings of fact and conclusions of law, that the intervener, William W. Spangler take nothing by his action herein and that, the Savings, Loan & Trust Company and Michael Boland, Receiver of Auburn Creamery Company recover of and from said intervener, William W. Spangler, their costs herein made and taxed at................dollars.
“It is further adjudged and decreed by the court that the defendants and cross interveners, Thomas A. Carter and Simon Trovinger take nothing by their cross-petition herein and that the defendants, Savings, Loan & Trust Company and Michael Boland, Receiver of Auburn Creamery Company, recover of and from said defendants and cross-interveners, Thomas A. Carter and Simon Trovinger their costs herein made, and taxed at.............. dollars.”
S alone appeals and makes the trust company, “Michael Boland, receiver of the Auburn Creamery Company,” Carter, Trovinger and Zent, appellees. The Auburn Creamery Company is not made an appellee. The appeal is a vacation appeal, and it is suggested by those who are made appellees that such company is a necessary appellee and that appellant’s failure to so include it in the assignment of errors deprives this court of jurisdiction of the appeal.
This brings us to appellant’s second contention, which has two phases, viz.: (1) That the creamery company was not a nécessary party below, and, for this reason, not a necessary appellee; (2) that it was not in fact made a defendant below, and hence should not be made an appellee in this court.
Appellant attaches importance to the fact that no summons was asked or had upon the creamery company. This fact is consistent with his contention that it was not Ms intention to make the creamery company a defendant to his intervening petition, but it- is inconsistent with the express averment of his petition, indicated supra, and with the record entries, supra, which expressly show that such company was made a party to such petition and appeared thereto. While it is true that this court, where necesary, will go back to the summons to ascertain who were the parties to the judgment below, there is no necessity to do so in this case, because the record shows an appearance to said petition by said creamery company.
“The voluntary submission of a cause for trial waives the failure to file pleadings forming an issue.” Hose v. Allwein (1883), 91 Ind. 497, 501; Farmers Loan, etc., Co. v. Canada, etc., R. Co. (1891), 127 Ind. 250, 254, 26 N. E. 784, 11 L. R. A. 740; Purple v. Farrington (1889), 119 Ind. 164, 169, 21 N. E. 543, 4 L. R. A. 535.
The creamery company was, under the authorities cited, at least a proper party defendant, and in any event, in his petition, appellant included it as one of the parties complained of, and hence, is now in no position to be heard to say that it was not a proper party defendant thereto. Clearspring Tp. v. Blough (1909), 173 Ind. 15, 88 N. E. 511, 513, 89 N. E, 369.
Assuming, however, that the court has jurisdiction to determine the appeal on its merits, the judgment below would have to be affirmed. Appellant, both in oral argument and in his brief, predicates his right to a reversal of the judgment below upon the ground that neither the findings nor the evidence shows that the- creamery company ever had either a legal or equitable title to the real estate in controversy. We are convinced that under the law applicable to the facts shown both by the finding and the evidence, the trial court was warranted in concluding that such company at least had the equitable title to the real estate involved. However, for the reasons already ■indicated, the appeal must be and is dismissed.
Note. — Reported in 114 N. E. 105.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.