Cecile v. St. Denis
Cecile v. St. Denis
Opinion of the Court
This case was before this court at the October term, 1839, when it was remanded for a new trial. The object of the suit was then stated, and a judgment given, remanding it for a new trial. 14 La. 174. It is sufficient to say now, that the purpose is to set aside and annul a sale of slaves, made by the plaintiff to the defendant, on the ground that it was obtained from him by fraud, under pretext of screening the property from his creditors, and that certain instruments of writing, given at or about the time when the sale was to be executed, were, in effect, counter-letters. When the cause came again before the court below, the defendant answered the two interrogatories directed by this court to be answered, by saying that she had never seen the papers mentioned, nor had she ever given any counter-letter, nor did she know where the papers described were. At the same term of the court, April, 1842, on the affidavit of the plaintiff, that one or both of the papers mentioned by him were in the possession of one of the defendant’s counsel, an order was made directing him to produce it or them, and in obedience to it he produced the written contract of hire from the defendant to the plaintiff, and said it had been given to him by the former, though she had, in effect, sworn, but a short time before, that no such paper was ever executed. The case was then tried, and upon the answers to the interrogatories, and some other evidence, a verdict was given by a jury in favor of the defendant, which, upon motion and cause shown, was set aside, and a new trial granted. At the fall term, 1842, of the court, the case was again tried by a jury, when a verdict was given in favor of the plaintiff, which was on motion also set aside, and a new trial granted. The cause then stood over until the November term, 1843, when it was finally tried. At and between the fall terms of 1842 and 1843, several creditors of Cécile, the plaintiff, intervened in the suit, setting up their , claims, and alleging that the sale was made to defraud them, adopting the allegations of the petition, so far as they were applicable to their cases, and alleging others, and all praying that the sale might be annulled, and the slaves subjected to the payment of their debts. The answer to all the interventions is a general denial, and
Prom this judgment the defendant prayed a suspensive appeal, and has given a bond to the intervenors alone, for the sum required by law.
In this court the counsel for the plaintiff and intervenors have argued the case as though the former was an appellee and party before us, which he is not. He did not ask for a new trial in the court below, nor has he appealed from any part of the judgment. When the defendant asked for a new trial, she expressly limited the motion to so much of the verdict as was against her. When she took the appeal, the plaintiff was not made a party to it; no bond was given to him, nor was he cited so far as the record informs us. We camiot presume that the defendant intended to appeal from a judgment in her favor. The plaintiff has no right, without asking for an appeal in the court below from a judgment rendered againt him, to thrust himself into this tribunal, without being cited, and without having given bond and security, or complied with any legal formalities. So far as is relates to him we cannot go into an investigation of the case, nor of the exception taken by the defendant as to the action.
As to the intervenors, they all appear to be judgment creditors of Cécile, the plaintiff, in suits commenced since the institution of the suit by him against the defendant; but testimony was offered and heard, without objection, to prove that the debts existed and were owing before the sale in April, 1838, although the notes in two cases bear date long subsequently. The question of fraud and simulation, as between these creditors and the defendant, is, therefore, to be decided. The plaintiff admits that one of the purposes in making the sale to the defendant, was to defraud, or at least delay his creditors, of which purpose, he says, he soon repented. He is proved to be notoriously insolvent, and, as between him and his creditors, the case may be considered as clearly made out. As against the defendant, it also appears to us, that there is sufficient evidence of simulation and fraud towards the creditors, to annul the sales to them. It is
Although we are of opinion that, so far as the sale affects the interest of the creditors, it must, as to them, be revoked; yet we are unable to see upon what ground, or under what law, the court and jury came to the conclusion, that the defendant was liable to the creditors for the hire of the slaves pending the suit. It is not in virtue of any hypothecary right that the action is instituted; and we see nothing in the Code, which confers on the creditors, having the right of instituting a revocatory action, any right to recover the hire of slaves. Article 1972 of the Civil Code says, the judgment in this action shall be, that the contract be avoided as to its effects on the complaining creditors, and that all the property or money taken from the original debtor’s estate by virtue thereof, or the value of such property, to the amount of the debt, shall be applied to the payment of the plaintiffs. All that this article requires is, that the property or
The plea of prescription as it is presented, it seems to us, is of no effect. It does not go to the revocatory part of the action; but is applicable to the demands which the creditors have against Cécile, and is not sustained by evidence.
It is, therefore, ordered and decreed, that so much of the judgment as revokes and annulls the sale from Cecile, the plaintiff, to the defendant, in its effect on the creditors, Morgan, Dupré, and Marie S. P. Metoyer, and decrees said defendant to pay their debts, with interest, and the costs incurred in the court below, or that she give up the slaves, Henry, and Mary and her increase, or the value of them, or such of them as are not delivered, to be applied to that purpose, be affirmed; and it is further ordered, that so much of the said judgment as decrees the defendant to pay hire for said slaves, and gives the intervenors a recourse on it, be annulled and reversed; the said intervenors paying the costs of this appeal in proportion to their respective debts, and all the costs of the intervenors in the court below to be paid by the defendant.
The other intervenors had obtained judgments ascertaining their respective debts, before intervening in this suit.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Jean Baptiste Cecile v. Augustine St. Denis
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published