Vincent v. Brant
Vincent v. Brant
Opinion of the Court
This is an action for a forcible entry. The locus in quo is a room in the Hotel Benton, at Benton Harbor. Vincent was lessee of the hotel from Brant, and sublet the room in question to Iman & Whiteman for a billiard- room. Brant brought proceedings against Iman & Whiteman before a circuit court commissioner to recover possession of the room, and obtained a judgment. An appeal was taken from this judgment in the name of Iman & Whiteman, but it was in fact taken by Vincent, who furnished the bond. The evidence on this trial tended to show that while this appeal was pending -- a secret arrangement was made between Brant and Whiteman, by which Whiteman agreed to deliver up possession to Brant, and discontinue the appeal. The purpose of Brant in obtaining possession was to hold under his judgment. White-
The question of chief importance is whether Vincent had such a possession as entitled him to maintain the action. The complainant’s contention is that the secret agreement between Brant and Whiteman amounted to a fraud upon Vincent, and that as, by this collusion, Brant has deprived Vincent of the right to bring the suit through Whiteman, Vincent can himself institute the proceedings which he could otherwise have done through Whiteman.
The general rule, undoubtedly, is that the possession of a tenant is not such a possession as entitles his landlord to bring the action for forcible entry and detainer, and that, when a tenant.is disseised under circumstances which authorize the bringing of the action, the tenant should institute the proceedings. See Tayl. Landl. & Ten. § 790, and cases cited. Furthermore, it appears that Whiteman could not himself bring the suit for forcible entry, not because he has disabled himself from doing so by a collusive agreement after the event, but .because' there was no
“ From the undisputed testimony' in this case, at the time Yincent put the three men in the room, and White-man desired to close up the room for the night, he had the right to use all the necessary force to put out such men, if they refused to go peaceably."
See Newton v. Doyle, 38 Mich. 645.
The judgment will be reversed, with costs, and a new trial ordered.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Alonzo Vincent v. Edward Brant
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published