Berry v. Roth
Berry v. Roth
Opinion of the Court
This action.was brought -against John Both and A. L. Huston to cancel for fraud a contract made in the name of Huston, as vendor, with
In 1918 John Both was the owner of 240 acres of land in Pine county, and his son owned an 80, making up the half section, which had been deeded to him by his father some little while before. Roth was anxious to sell, and it was understood between him and his son that the son’s 80 would be put in with the rest to make up the half section. The- defendant Huston was a land agent. Roth listed the half section at $35 per acre net to him, Huston, as his agent, to receive as commission all of the sale price in excess. The plaintiffs were shown the land by both defendants. They understood that Roth was the owner. They claim that both of the defendants made false representations as to the character of the lands such as would justify a rescission, or an action for damages. The court so found. The defendant makes no question of the sufficiency of tire evidence to sustain the finding.
On February 8, 1919, Huston made a contract in his own name to sell the land to P. A. Berry, one of the plaintiffs. The understanding was that the two plaintiffs were making the purchase. It was also understood that Roth was the owner and the real seller. On February 21, 1919, Huston, to carry out the deal, took a contract from Roth to himself. Huston was Roth’s agent. It was not understood that he was the purchaser. Roth received a part of the first payment and his son a part and the rest of it went to Huston. They had a satisfactory understanding as to how payments were to be applied.
• The defendant claims that, since the action is one of rescission, the plaintiffs can recover only from Huston who received the money, or in any event can recover no more from the defendant appealing than the amount which he received. This contention we do not sustain.
The contract between Huston and Berry and the subsequent contract between Roth and Huston were parts of the general plan of effecting and completing the sale and passing title to the plaintiffs. Hnder the finding of the court it was the fraud of Roth and Huston which induced the sale. The contract, unless it was annulled, compelled performance by the plaintiff. Unless they were content to keep the land and sue
The material findings of the trial court are sustained and the law was correctly applied.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- T. B. BERRY AND ANOTHER v. JOHN ROTH AND ANOTHER. JOHN ROTH
- Status
- Published