McCaull Webster Elevator Co. v. Hoffman
McCaull Webster Elevator Co. v. Hoffman
Opinion of the Court
This is an appeal from a judgment subjecting the mortgage liens of Carl Tallmadge and his father to the prior rights of the plaintiff because they had both actual and constructive notice of such prior liens. The facts are not in dispute. In May, 1917, the Moreau Xaimber Company, of Aberdeen, S. D., owned the land in question' and
The mortgage under which plaintiff put up the redemption money was adjudged void, but that is a matter of no consequence. A party may not accept redemption money, deny the right to redeem, and retain the money. If Carl Tallmadge did not pay to Anna Bernauer the money, or use it for her benefit, that is a matter between them. He may still have to account to her. He admits that, so far as it concerns Anna Bernauer, the judgment which gives the plaintiff a prior lien on the land is right, but claims that it is wrong in giving the lien prior to the mortgages subsequently recorded for a loan subsequently made, with actual and constructive notice of the plaintiff’s prior right. In all that Carl Tallmadge did he acted as agent for Anna Bernauer, and as agent for his father, and defendants cannot deny the fact that he had actual and constructive notice of the facts. As an honest man he had no reason or excuse for defending the action or taking the appeal.
Judgment affirmed, with costs against the appellants.
Concurring Opinion
(specially concurring). I concur in the affirmance of the judgment. The Moreau Lumber Company held the legal title to the
The appellant presents the questions: First. Is the mortgage of the plaintiff, declared void by this court, prior to the mortgages of the Tallmadges? Second. Does the payment of $1,467.66 made by the plaintiff to the clerk of court constitute a lien prior to such mortgages? I am clearly of the opinion that the plaintiff is entitled in equity to a lien prior to the Tallmadge mortgages. It is not a question of the priority, of plaintiff’s making payment to the clerk of court as a redemptioner. A status must be given plaintiff’s payment in accordance with the recognition accorded thereto by the Tallmadges. The son was the full agent of his father in negotiating the $2,500 mortgage and in making payment of the loan to Mrs. Bernauer. Their statement of the disposition of this
The judgment of the trial court accordingly should be affirmed.
Concurring Opinion
(specially concurring). .1 concur in the principles of law enunciated in the syllabus and in the result arrived at in the principal opinion.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- McCAULL WEBSTER ELEVATOR COMPANY, a corporation v. ELIZABETH HOFFMAN
- Status
- Published