Grimsley v. White
Grimsley v. White
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion, of the Court.
Grimsley brought his action of ejectment against White in the Circuit Court of" St,,Louis county j-judgment was th,ere given for White, the-defendant. To reverse this judgment Grimsly appeals.
Grimsley and White, it appears by the facts preserved in the bill of exceptions, were joint purchasers of a lot in the city of St. Louis, bounded on the east by Church or Second street, and on the south by north C. street. This lot extending fifty feet,, by estimation, on Church street, by one hundred and- twenty feet on north C. street,, at right angles with, Church, street, veas divided between, them by deed, of partition
It was before observed, an absolute' estate in fee had been in the first part of the deed of partition made to Grimsley by While: the words are not quoted, because no doubt as to their import was expressed, and at the close of the deed comes the covenant of White, that he will, on the happening of a certain event, do what he had already by his deed said Was done, that is, give Grimsley possession of the land described, so that he might enjoy the estate conveyed to him. There is no covenant 01s the part of Grimsley, that White shall enjoy this land till the happening of the events in the deed mentioned. Shepherd’s 'íomchstoite, pages 86-7, has been referred to, to show that all parts Of the' deed must be taken together in construing it, and that we must he liberal in the construction of words mí res magis valeat quam pereat, to comply with the intention of the parties: in a note to page 87 of the same author, it is said that a distinction obtains betwixt a deed poll and an indenture; that the latter is to be regarded as the words of both parties. Now admit this rule, and we have only the words of both parties that White would, on a certain contingency, deliver up some of Grimsley’s land, which he had just before granted to him absolutely, and covenanted with him for quiet enjoyment, &c.
White seems to he rather a tenant by sufferance of Grimsley. The Circuit Court had instructed the jury that Grimsley could not recover under said deed the land sued for, unless he proved that a demand had, by the corporation of the city of St. Louis, of some competent authority, been made of him, of the quantity which he enjoyed on north C. street. This instruction we think should not have been given, but the jury should have been instructed that Grimsley coul.d recover under the deed without proving a demand.
Reference
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