Piper v. Sawyer
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Piper v. Sawyer
Opinion of the Court
Action by plaintiff to recover possession of certain premises in the possession of defendants. The answer of defendants admits the possession, and pleads the pendency of another action between the same parties in abatement. Upon the trial below, plaintiff, as proof of his title to the premises, introduced in evidence the judgment roll, the sheriff’s report of sale, order of confirmation, and certificate of sale in a foreclosure action by plaintiff against said defendants. In support of their plea in abate-
There are only two questions requiring consideration, and they are: First, was there any report or confirmation of the sale in the foreclosure action? and, second, does the former action, as pleaded, abate the present suit?
1. The argument of appellants to show that there was no report of sale, nor order of confirmation thereof, is based principally upon the assumption that the party defendant named in the title of the report and order is a different person than the party defendant named in the title to the complaint and summons and other proceedings. This claim is based upon the fact that in the report of sale and order of confirmation the name is written “J. A. Sawyer,” whereas in the pleadings, summons, and other papers the name is “Joseph A. Sawyer.” We shall not take the trouble to point out that it appears conclusive from the entire record that Joseph A. Sawyer and J. A. Sawyer are one and the same individual. It is sufficient, in disposing of this point, to say that, the question not having been raised on the trial below, it will not be considered by this court on appeal. The other objections to the record in the foreclosure action require no consideration.
2. The action pleaded in abatement was entitled, “Joseph A. Sawyer and Nellie A. Sawyer [defendants here] against Daniel S. Piper [plaintiff here] and Jane S. Piper.” The substance of the allegations in the complaint is as follows: That defendant Joseph A. Sawyer was in 1895 the owner of the premises in quesfion. That Piper was the holder of several mortgages upon the premises, and, there being certain other mortgages outstanding, an agreement in writing was entered into between the parties whereby the Sawyers agreed to deed the premises to Piper, and to pay to him $100 per month, and the total indebtedness against the property, amounting to $20,400, in some manner thereafter to be agreed upon, and also to pay the taxes and keep the buildings insured. Piper agreed to buy in the mortgages against the prop
We cannot agree with appellants that such action is in abatement to the possessory action now before us on appeal. There are two reasons for so holding:
First. The complaint in that action does not state a cause of action. Let it be granted that Piper’s real wife did not execute the deed which was delivered in escrow, and that he represented her as such by delivering the deed, when in fact the other lady was his wife; it does not appear that appellants were in any way injured by such misrepresentation. The agreement required plaintiff to execute and deliver in escrow a warranty deed of the premises, such deed to become effective and to be delivered only upon compliance by the Sawyers with their part of the agreement. The gist of the false representation is in a failure to carry out the agreement by Piper, by the delivery of a proper deed. It does not appear from the.complaint that the Sawyers were in any manner injured by the failure to deliver a proper deed. They defaulted in the payments required by the agreement, and as a consequence foreclosure followed. The result might have been the same, so
Second. The subject-matter of the two actions is not the same. In that case the action was brought to set aside the agreement and foreclosure proceedings upon the ground that the agreement had not been carried out by Piper. The defendants did not seek affirmative relief, but rested upon pure defense. That was not a possessory action, the appellants being already in possession. Here the action is in ejectment against the appellants, who are in possession. A decree in that action in Piper’s favor-would not necessarily determine the issues in this.
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- DANIEL S. PIPER v. JOSEPH A. SAWYER and Another
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published