Tennell v. Roberts
Tennell v. Roberts
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
Edward Roberts Sold to the Tennells, a tract of land, and to assure the title, assigned to them a bond, executed on the 20th April, 1814, by James Howard to William Roberts the father, tb «lake him a deed to a part of 100 acres of land, as soon as said Howard obtained a deed for the 100 acres, from Price’s heirs, by virtue of a bond put into Howard’s bands by said William Roberts; Ííoward having-bought a part of the 1GÓ acres of said William.
He also assigned a hond, executed by William Roberts to Bailey Allison, bearing date 31st August. 1813.
Both these bonds were assigned to the Tennells, by Edward Roberts, on the 19th January, 1820.
In April, 1821, the Tennells exhibited their bill to re scind the contract, and for an injunction against a judgment at law obtained by Barnes, the assignee of one of the notes for fifty dollars-, part of the purchase money.
The complainants are entitled to have the contract rescinded, because the bonds so assigned by Edward Roberts to the Tennells, are not assurances for the tract of land sold to them.
By an amended bill and the proofs, it appears that., since the original bill was filed, Price’s heirs have recovered in ejectment, against the Tennells, and also that Edward Roberts has instituted an ejectment against the complainants, his vendees, and actually recovered the possession, and was reinstated in possession before the hearing of the cause. In fine, it appears, that Edward Roberts first sold the land to Allison; Allison finding himself in difficulty for want of title, rescinded his contract with Edward Roberts, and gave up the bond from William Roberts, which had been executed to Allison, instead of to Edward himself; this bond Allison passed by delivery only to Edward Roberts, and the pretended assignment front Allison to Edward Roberts has been procured, and bears date in 1822, long since the assignment by Ed-> ward Roberts to the Tennells and pending this suit.
'Under the circumstances of unfairness, prevarica-tiou and double dealing, practised by Edward Roberts, connected with the facts, that pending this bill, defendant, Roberts,had actually evicted the complainants, and regained the possession before the hearing of the cause, the court ought to have rescinded the contract, and perpetuated the injunction.
In doing so, the decree was right. Rut in so far as the decree has made that depend upon the condition, that complainants pay to Barnes, the balance of rents and profits as assessed and reported by the commissioner, and unless they do, their bill shall stand dismissed j it is unwarranted by the principles and usages recognized by courts of equity. To inflict such a penalty, to dismiss a well grounded complaint and prayer for relief against unfair practico, and deceit and 'want of title in the vendor, unless the complainants shall pay $59 80 cents, for rents and profits, thereby" leaving them without remedy as to the contract, and subjected to pay the purchase money amounting to $300, is unreasonable and contrary to usage, even if that balance of $59 80 cents, had been properly struck.
~ Upon the coming in of the report of the commissioner as to rents and improvements, &c., each party took exceptions to the report. The complainants, because the charges were incorrect. The defendant, because the commissioner had not allowed, rent at the rate of $25 per year. This exception of the defendant is founded upon this. In answer to the amended bill charging the total defect of title, and the recovery in ejectments, by Price’s heirs, and by Roberts, the defendant, Roberts, totally departs from his first answer, and alleges, that the contract was conditional, that the Tennell’s were to pay punctually the note for $100, and if they did not, thgy were to lose the other part of the price for which -they' had exe-ecuted their notes, give up the obligations for the title to the land, which had been assigned to them, and pay rents, and that the condition had not been complied' with by the complainants. The defendant does prove by one witness, that the obligations assigned by Roberts to the Tennells, were deposited with Watson, to be delivered to complainants,in case they paid the note-for $>100, and that the complainants produced that
As Roberts would not await the decision of this cause, nor abide the powers of the court of equity, to restore the possession to him if proper; and to decree an account of rents and profits, &c., but resorted to his ejectment, pending this bill, and actually-obtained the possession, and disireined for rent; and it appears,moreover, that Roberts has no title, and that Pricers heirs, had also judgment in ejectment against the Tennells. These circumstances combined, seem to 'require a departure from the ordinary-course of equity, upon rescinding a contract. If Price’s heirs, or Roberts should reco.ver against the Ten-nels, for the rents and charges now asked, to be decreed against them as former occupants of the land, and they should also be decreed in this cause, then the Tennells would be driven into equity, again, to seek relief, or submit to be twice charged.
When the actual fraud practised by Roberts, on the Tennells is considered, united with the extraordinary circumstances of Roberts’ defences, his proceeding at law by ejectment, and the ejectment bj
It is therefore, ordered and decreed, that the decree of the circuit court, be annulled and set aside; that the case he remanded with directions to enter a decree rescinding the contract, perpetuating the injunction against the judgment at law, obtained by Barnes, assignee of Roberts, restoring to Roberts the two obligations assigned by him to the complainants, and directing the other notes for the purchase money to be delivered up by the defendant, Roberts, to be cancelled, and that the defendants pay. the complainants their costs,
The Tennells to recover costs in this court.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.