Davis v. Marx
Davis v. Marx
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
Samuel Jackson, being indebted to B. F. Martin $384, payable October 1, 1876, conveyed in trust, as security for the indebtedness, “ one iron-gray mule, one bay mule, four cows and calves, two yoke of oxen, and all other live stock and personal property that he may own during the year,” etc., and also one iron-gray horse. Soon after the deed was recorded, which was February 4, 1876, Jackson exchanged the gray horse for a bay horse, on the agreement with Martin that the bay was to be considered as substituted in the deed for the gray. Still later in March of the same year Jackson exchanged the bay horse to Marx for a strawberry-roan horse.
• The complainant seeks to hold the strawberry-roan subject to the trusts of the deed, because Marx took from Jackson in its place the bay. Marx contends that in the bargain by which he acquired the bay, and parted with the roan, Jackson became indebted to him $118, to secure which he took a deed in trust on the roan ; and that he has a paramount security to Martin.
The latter claims that he has a prior lien, because his security embraced, not only the stock enumerated, but also “ all other live stock Jackson may own during the year.” It might be conceded that, as to Jackson, the deed in trust would have that effect in favor of Martin. But contemporaneously with the acquisition of the horse, and, as we understand the case, as part of his,price, Jackson gave to Martin his note for $118. If there were no other element affecting the equities of the parties than a sale of the horse to Jackson on a credit, and a pledge of the horse by mortgage as a security, Marx’s right would be superior to Martin’s. Perkins et al. v. Swank, 43 Miss. 349. For in that case, by the very act of becoming owner, the title is fettered by an incumbrance, and when the animal became the property of Jackson, his right was subordinate to the mortgage.
It may be legitimate, within proper limitations, to mortgage
If Marx had converted the bay into money, he would be liable for that. Instead of that transaction, he swapped the roan for the bay, and got Jackson’s note for the difference in value. Martin will be righted by ascertaining the value of the bay, and charging that on the roan, and. if on the sale the roan produces
Decree reversed and cause remanded, with directions to ascertain the value of the bay horse received by Marx from Jackson ; and to order the sale of the strawberry-roan horse, and out of the proceeds to deduct the value of the bay horse and pay them over to the complainant.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Zias D. Davis, Trustee, etc. v. Moses Marx
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Chattel Mortgage. Property to be acquired. A mortgage of a certain described horse, and all other live stock of which the mortgagor may become owner during the jnsar, gives a valid lien upon any horse or other animal which the mortgagor may acquire during the given year, by one or more exchanges of the first-mortgaged horse and his successors. 2. Sa'me. After-acquired property. Case in judgment/. J. gave a deed in trust on an iron-gray horse, and all other live stock of which he might become owner during that year, to secure a debt of $384 which he owed Martin. J. then exchanged the iron-gray for a bay horse, and subsequently traded the latter to Marx for a roan horse, giving his note for $118, as the difference in the value of the horses, and securing the same to Marx by a deed in trust on the roan. These trades were within the year covered by Martin’s deed in trust, of which Marx had actual notice. Martin filed a bill to subject the roan horse to the payment of his debt. Held, that the roan horse should be sold, and out of the proceeds of the sale Martin should receive the value of the bay horse, and the balance, if any, should be paid to Marx.