McKinney v. Jones
McKinney v. Jones
Opinion of the Court
The bill of complaint is filed to. foreclose a mortgage executed by John McKinney and Maggie E. McKinney (the complainant) to Ephriam Jijones, to secure the payment of $2,000 in four equal annual payments of $500, represented by promissory notes-of those amounts. The notes and mortgage bear date-the 12th day of September, 1888. This mortgage was-assigned to complainant on the 12th day of June, 1889-The main controversy in the case is over the assignment. The defendant claims it was obtained from him by false-representations and fraud.
In 1888 defendant Ephriam H. Jones was the owner of a foundry, planing-mill, and feed-mill situated at Vernon, Shiawassee county, in this State, and his son-in-law, Charles Garner, was a broker in Chicago. Jones had placed this property in Garner’s hands for sale. John
The misrepresentation relied on to defeat the settlement is that Chandler claimed that he had in his possession letters written by Garner to McKinney representing that the foundry was being operated by Jones, and cleared annually $2,000 net, and which letters he agreed to surrender if the case was settled: that he had not-surrendered such letters, and no such letters had in fact-been written by Garner; that the claim that he held these letters was the main inducement to the settlement.
Ephriain H. Jones and his son William both testified that-they did not believe that Garner had written any such letters, and they did not believe that Chandler could produce them. The negotiations for a settlement were-in progress nearly a week, and they could have easily communicated with Garner in Chicago, and ascertained the facts, but they claimed they did not. The affidavit-does not claim such representation to havé been made by letter, but by parol. The defendant Jones, in addition to advising with his son, also advised with others about the matter before he settled, and could have taken the-advice of counselors learned in the law. Full opportunity was allowed h m, and the papers executed on the settlement were drawn by a justice of his own choice. He-received a conveyance of the property, and went into possession of the real and personal property, and disposed of some of the personalty. He has never tendered back a deed of it, nor offered to pay for the property converted. From the testimony the property is-worth from $2,000 to $2,500, and he indorsed the notes without recourse, so that he is not individually liable-thereon.
The testimony shows that the suit was instituted in good faith, and not for the purpose of defrauding or
The decree appealed from will be affirmed, with costs.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.