Shelley v. Tuckerman
Shelley v. Tuckerman
Opinion of the Court
This is an action in equity brought by the plaintiff against the defendants Tuckerman to recover rent for a
The sole contention of the plaintiff is that the judgment is not sustained by the evidence. The only point in dispute between the parties is as to whether or not Barber & Sons had notice of the nature and extent of the claim of lien made by the plaintiff upon the crop. In the case of Sporer v. McDermott, 69 Neb. 533, it was held by a divided court that an agreement to execute, after they are growing, a mortgage upon crops may be enforced specifically in equity if the circumstances so justify, and that it is no objection to such an agreement that the crops referred to were not in being when it was made. In that case it appeared that one defendant sold the crop to the other with the fraudulent purpose of defeating the lien, arid not in good faith, and that the buyer before the purchase knew of the seller’s fraudulent intention and purpose, and knew that the plaintiff claimed a lien on
Mr. Stanisics, the plaintiff’s agent, testifies that on the 15th of June, 1904, after Tuckerman had refused through his attorney, E. W. Brown, to execute a chattel mortgage, he went to Barber & Sons; that he saw Ernest Barber, and showed him the papers he had asked to have signed and told him the circumstances. That the year before, when he leased the place to Tuckerman, he told him that the lease called for giving a mortgage of $1,500 on all the crops, that “we had a lease, and we expected them to see that we got our money; that we had really a chattel mortgage; that the lease was virtually a chattel mortgage on all the crops raised”; that he did not see him again after that until the next year; that after June 15, 1904, he had several conversations with Barber asking for a settlement; that in one of these talks Barber stated that if there was any controversy he would keep the money until settlement, and that this conversation was after the crop was delivered. On cross-examination he testifies that, although the lease was for the year 1903, as well as 1904, and the grain was sold to Barber & Sons in 1903, yet Barber never paid him any money for grain under the lease of that year; that the note was paid to him directly by Mr. Brown for the Tuckermans. He further testifies that after the 1904 corn was sold Mr. Barber told him he would turn the money over to Wilson & Brown, the attorneys, who had said they would protect him. Mr. A. S. Tibhets, one of the plaintiff’s attorneys, testified that before the suit was begun he went to the place of business of Barber & Sons, and saw one of the younger members
For the defendants Mr. Ernest Barber testified that he bought the 1901 corn and paid Tuckermans $1,075.10 for it; that he had never seen any lease betAveen Shelley and the Tuckermans; that prior to the time he bought the corn he had a feAV conversations with Stanisics, and that Stanisics asked him in a friendly Avay to help him collect his rent out there. He asked him to hold the money, and told him that he thought they Avould try to beat him out of his rent, and appealed to him on the ground that he had sold Barber lots of grain; that he had no knowledge that Stanisics claimed a lien upon the corn by virtue of a provision in the lease until after the money was paid, and that he, Barber, never had a clear idea about the Stanisics’ claim until he talked to Judge Tibbets about it. As to this he says that Tibbets explained to him the nature of the claim, and referred him to a case, and asked him to pay the money in order to avoid a lawsuit, and that this was the first time that he had definite notice so that he understood the claim. He testifies that he did not know the grain had been delivered to his elevator at Denton until Mr. Brown, Tuckermans’ attorney, called him up over the telephone and demanded the money, and stated that Stanisics or Shelley had no legal claim on the money in question, and that he then notified the agent at Denton to pay the check. He further denies that he had any conversation with Stanisics after the corn was delivered and before he paid the money. He says that he has no recollection of any conversation with Stanisics such as he describes on June 15, and never saw the papers he
It is incumbent upon the plaintiff to establish that when the defendants Barber & Sons bought the crop they had such notice and knowledge of the lien claimed by the plaintiff as to place them in the same position as the Tuckermans with respect thereto. The plaintiff’s claim rests almost entirely on the testimony of Mr. Stanisics. The main points are denied by Mr. Barber. While the testimony of Mr. Barber is not as positive and direct as it might have been, yet, not having the witness before us, it is impossible to tell what weight and effect as regards his credibility should be given to his manner of answering the questions. Experience has taught the writer that whether an answer is positive, direct and unequivocal, or not, often depends upon the temperament and mental habits of the witness. Some individuals will make a positive affirmation or denial, where another equally truthful, or perhaps more worthy of belief, will give his' tesiimony in a halting and hesitating manner, and perhaps will not seem to be sure of anything, yet the testimony of the careful, cautious and hesitating witness
Upon the .whole question as to whether or not the buyers had such notice or knowledge of the rights of the plaintiff as to charge them equally with the Tuckermans, we'believe the trial court, perhaps knowing the parties, and with the great advantage that actual presence of the witness gives, had a much better opportunity of forming a correct judgment as to their respective credibility than we have, and we think his conclusions are entitled to consideration. We are satisfied from the whole record that the complaint of appellant that the findings of the trial court are not sustained by the evidence is not well founded, and we are of opinion that this court would not be justified in reversing his findings upon that point.
For these reasons the judgment of the district court is
Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.