Lemaster v. Fisher
Lemaster v. Fisher
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
This is an action in replevin to recover possession of a piano mortgaged by defendants Tawney and wife to the plaintiff, Lemaster, to secure a note given for purchase money. The answer was a general denial. The mortgage provided that the piano should be kept by the mortgagors at a certain number ■on a designated street, and that if the “indebtedness shall be deemed insecure” the property might be taken and sold to pay the plaintiff. The building where the piano was kept was owned by the plaintiff’s wife, and rented to Tawney. For default in the payment of rent
The petition was informal and contained unnecessary matter. It did, however, allege that the-plaintiff was. the special owner of the property under a mortgage, a copy of which was attached; that the defendants, without the knowledge of the plaintiff, removed the property from the place designated in the mortgage;' that defendant Fisher “is wrongfully and unjustly detaining-in his possession the said goods and chattels from this plaintiff, who is justly entitled to the same, . . . and did so wrongfully detain possession of said goods, and chattels for the space of thirty days before the commencement of this action.” It was also alleged that, “defendants H. W. Tawney and N. Tawney are aiding, counseling and abetting the said John Fisher . . . in wrongfully . . . detaining the said goods and. chattels.” This stated a cause of action, and there was no error in overruling the objection to evidence. (Cobbey, Replevin, 2d ed., § 453; Farmers’ Bank v. Bank of Glen Elder, 46 Kan. 376; Bartlett v. Bank, 70 Kan. 126; Laithe v. McDonald, 7 Kan. 254; Civ. Code, § 140, Gen. Stat. 1901, § 4574; Code 1909, § 581.)
In the absence of a stipulation to the contrary, the mortgagee of personal property has the legal title-thereto and the right of possession. (Gen. Stat. 1868, ch. 68, § 15; Gen. Stat. 1909, § 5230.) The only stipu
It is argued that a demand upon Fisher was also necessary as a condition to the maintenance of an action against him. This contention can not be sustained; he claimed no interest in the property, and was only a custodian for Tawney; he had no better right than Tawney, for whom he held the property. The requirements of the statute relating to registry do not apply, for he was not a purchaser. (Gen. Stat. 1868, ch. 68, §9; Gen. Stat. 1909, § 5224.) He might have been relieved from costs by filing a disclaimer (Civ. Code, § 587; Gen. Stat. 1901, §5073), or by offering to surrender possession. (Cobbey, Replevin, 2d ed., § 451.)
The debt secured by the mortgage was not due when the action was commenced, and the defendants insist that the plaintiff was not entitled to possession under the insecurity clause, so-called; that the condition is unlike that under consideration in Werner v. Bergman, 28 Kan. 60. In that case the condition was that “the mortgagee shall deem himself insecure.” (Page 64.) The condition in the mortgage in this case is the same in effect, and no reason is perceived why the rule in the Werner case should not be followed, if it were necessary to uphold the judgment.
The judgment is affirméd.'
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.