Johnson v. Scott
Johnson v. Scott
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
Johnson sold to one Fisher a lot of ground, for which Fisher gave him two promissory notes, each for three hundred
The plaintiff gave to Fisher his title bond, in which he recited the sale and the execution of the two notes, called therein bonds, as the considerations for the sale, and bound himself to make to “ Fisher, his heirs or assigns, a good and sufficient general warrantee deed to the lot of ground, with all the appurtenances thereto belonging, so soon as the two bonds aforesaid, together with accruing interest, according to the tenor and effect of said bonds, are fully paid.” Fisher assigned the title bond to the defendants Nolley & Scott. Nolley subsequently assigned the same to Scott.
This suit was brought by Johnson to enforce his vendor’s lien for a portion of the purchase money.- The petition stated that the second of said notes had been nearly all paid, and that the plaintiff took, in lieu of the first one, a note of Nolley and the other defendant Ford, dated on the day of the maturity of the first note, (November 15, 1858,) and payable on the first day of October, 1859. Nolley and Ford did not answer the petitions.
Scott answered and denied that the note of Nolley and Ford was given in lieu of one of the notes given by Fisher, and averred that he had fully discharged and satisfied the notes given for the original purchase money for said property, and produced them in court, and prayed judgment that the plaintiff be compelled to make him a deed of conveyance of the property.
At the trial the plaintiff called Fisher as a witness, who described his purchase of the lot from the plaintiff and his giving notes therefor, and stated that the notes had never been surrendered to him. He then called Ford, who testified that he signed the notes sued on as surety for Nolley, but that he did not know what was the consideration of it, and had no further knowledge of the transaction.
He then called Nolley, who testified: “ I gave the note
The defendant Scott only gave in evidence the title bond and the two notes given by Fisher to the plaintiffs.
Judgment was given for the plaintiffs against Nolley and Ford for the balance due on their note, and also subjecting the lot of ground to a lien for the amount of that judgment, and ordering its sale for the satisfaction of that judgment.
Scott has brought the case to this court by writ of error.
In this case the bond expressly stipulated that the conveyance was to be made so soon as the consideration was paid, and consequently, unless there was an express waiver of the lien, (which would not result from the mere acceptance of other security,) the lien remains in force until full payment of the consideration.
The question is, therefore, whether the consideration has been paid. The evidence does not show payment; although the old note was in effect cancelled, another was substituted for it, and the debt still remained unpaid.
The hardship upon Scott of having to pay a portion of the consideration twice, does not result from the action of the plaintiffs, but from the fraudulent conduct of Nolley.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- George T. Johnson, in Error v. Elijah Scott, in Error
- Status
- Published