Stauffer v. Eaton
Stauffer v. Eaton
Opinion of the Court
In the count under consideration, it is recited, in substance, that certain premises, embracing three acres and a quarter of ground, with a steam saw and grist-mill, and two dwelling-houses thereon, with the appurtenances, situate, etc., were in the possession and occupancy of the said Bowen Eaton under a contract lor the sale and conveyance of the same to Isaac Eaton, which contract was executed by the said Bowen Eaton, and the
We have thus spread out the declaration nearly in its words, 'and we think it requires more than ordinary legal astuteness to discover any merits in the plaintiff’s case.
*The count in the case at bar was, probably, intended to redress what the plaintiff supposed was, and what he denominates, an injury to a reversionary interest. If such wore the injury, and such the action, whether the estate be realty or personalty, numerous authorities may be cited to sustain the position. But what is the case made?
On August 21,1839, the plaintiff contracted with the defendant, Bowen Eaton, to convey to Isaac Eaton tho premises, or locus in quo. Tho deed was to be executed in thirty days. Under this contract Bowen Eaton went into possession.
By the same contract the defendant, Bowen Eaton, agreed to convey to the plaintiff fifteen acres of land, with a furnace, etc., and to execute the deed in thirty days from tho date of the contract. The plaintiff to have immediate possession, and when Eaton should tender the deed of the furnace property, the plaintiff to deliver the deed of the mill property, and pay to Eaton 81,000, and 81,500 more in twelve months, and give to Bowen Eaton immediate possession of the mill property. It will thus bo seen this was an exchange of land, and each party acquired the immediate and lawful possession under the contract. The covenants are, throughout, mutual, to be performed at the same time.
It follows that neither party could abandon, rescind, or put an end to this contract without the consent of the other ; or, without doing some positive act, on his part, by which to put the other in the wrong. Before the plaintiff could forfeit the defendant Eaton’s contract, it was necessary for him to tender the deed of the mill property, offer to pay the 81,000, and demand performance by the defendant, Eaton.
This was not done, and, from anything that appears, the contract is still a valid, binding, and obligatory contract, and either party, by performance, or an offer to perform, on his part, may comjjol the other to execute it. The defendant, Bowen Eaton, being in possession as vendee, though ho has not the legal title, is, while such contract continues open, tho solo owner of the estate in equity. I say as vendee, because *he bought tho property,
A purchaser thus in possession may control the property, build up, or tear down-, and use it in any way conducive to his own feelings, or interest, provided he do not injure another by such use.
The plaintiff avers that the defendant intends to abandon the property, and not perform the contract, and that these acts are an injury to his reversionary interest; but the fact is, he has no such reversionary interest at present — ho had none when the suit was brought, and it may at least be doubtful whether he ever will have any to injure.
Such contingencies as these, so remote, so uncertain, can be neither seen, felt, nor'handlod by the law. Supposed injuries to such contingencies can not, at law, be measured, and the law is incompetent to mete out redress.
In cases somewhat analogous to this, courts of equity will interfere by injunction, to stay waste, or groat injury to property, by a vendee who is insolvent, until he performs, or gives security to perform, his contract; but I know of no ease in equity, sustained against a solvent vendee, who can be made to respond in damages, or by a comjilianco with his contract.
In the case at bar it is clear to us the action, so far as this first Count in the declaration is concerned, can not bo sustained for an ■injury to a reversionary interest.
Can it bo viewed in any more favorable light for the plaintiff? Suppose wo call it an action of waste, as suggested by one of the ■learned counsel? At common law, waste would lie against tenants in dower, tenants by the courtesy, guardians in socage or chivalry, etc.; but it would not lie against a lessee for life, or ■years, and the reason was, these estates were created by grant, -,and the grantors might have secured themselves against waste by -special provision in the grant.
'It was only when the estate was enacted by law, that the action ■of waste was maintainable, until the 6 Eliz. 1, when it was given by the statute of Gloucester, against tenants for life, or years, or per autre vie. 4 Kent, 79.
^-'Chancellor Kent supposes the provisions of this statute were imported by our ancestors, and ingrafted, with the- whole body of the common law, into our system of jurisprudence, as ap
Between vendor and vendee, the latter is not a tenant of the former. The vendor, after sale, has no interest in the estate, unless it be an equitable lien for the purchase money, and so far as this lien is concerned, the vendee holds the land as trustee to the vendor, and not as tenant, lessee, guardian in socage or chivalry — ■ terms that are strangers to our system.
Waste is an incident to certain classes of estates, but not to such an estate as the vendor holds in the land, after sale, or conveyance. Rights resulting from a certain relation can only be claimed when such relation exists, and no relation exists here to authorize such action.
We are of opinion the first count is bad, and that the demurrer should be sustained. Case remanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Abraham Stauffer v. Bowen Eaton, and others
- Status
- Published