McGarry v. McGarry
McGarry v. McGarry
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
By his will probated in January, 1876, Patrick McGarry devised the house and lot in suit to his widow for life, and directed that after her death, the property should be sold and
It seems to us almost too plain for argument, that the second section of the act of 1893 applies to such cases as the present. There is nothing in the language of the section to indicate that the legislature intended to confine the jurisdiction of the court to cases where the person out of possession claims merely an easement in the land. The language is most comprehensive, and includes all cases where the facts of the petitioner’s possession, and the adversary’s denial of his title, are established. “ /It common law, the adversary might lie by, concealed or quiet, and choose his own time for the contest, subject only to the risk that the statute of limitations might shut him out. The party in possession could do nothing but await the attack.
Granting that the direction in the will of Patrick McGarry worked an equitable conversion of the land into personalty, the legal effect of the conveyance by three of the legatees to the fourth worked a reconversion by means of the election of all the other parties to take the land instead of the money. There was no evidence to repel the conclusion of law which resulted from this fact. Therefore, the court correctly refused
The plaintiff’s counsel candidly admits that Mr. Adelman the assignee is a mere volunteer and took only the rights and interests that James McGarryhadin the land at the time of the assignment; also that the creditors of James McGarry were not protected by the recording act of March 18, 1775, 1 Sm. L. 422: Ludwig v. Highley, 5 Pa. 132. He argues, however, that the recording of the deed of assignment gave them rights superior to those of the defendant, whose deed is unrecorded. He relies upon the Act of May 19, 1893, P. L. 108. We deem it unnecessary to enter into an extended discussion of this question. After a very thorough consideration of this act with the evident intention to lay down a rule which could not be misunderstood, the Supreme Court reached this conclusion: “ It results from this examination of the act of 1893, that it is effective to change the law as it stood before, in only one particular, viz, it reduces the time within which a purchaser must record his deed from six months to ninety days. In all other respects the law remains as it was before : ” Davey v. Ruffell, 162 Pa. 443. This construction of the law prevents the conclusion that the failure to record the deed to the defendant made it void as to the assignee for the benefit of creditors.
It is argued that the letter of the defendant’s counsel embraced in the first assignment of error contains expressions which are inconsistent with her present contention that the deed had been delivered. Let this be granted, for the sake of the argument, yet it is plain that these admissions could not be given in evidence against her, unless they were made by her express, or implied, authority. It would be an intolerable rule if it were to be held that the rights of clients could be divested by loose expressions of their attorneys made under the circumstances disclosed in the evidence in this case.
These circumstances were that the defendant consulted counsel with regard to her title and possession, and he being unable to understand clearly from her statement what the facts with regard to the deed were, and desiring to see it, wrote the letter in question. He had no authority either express or implied to admit away her title, or to bind her by a promise to give a note. The attorney testified that the letter was not written at her die
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Jas S. McGarry and George V. Adelman, his assignee v. Anna F. McGarry
- Cited By
- 11 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Practice, C. P. — Award of issue when title is denied — Act of 1893. Under the Act of June 10, 1893, P. L. 415, a party in possession is no longer bound to await an attack on his title but may act on the offensive and bring on the battle at once. The court is bound to award an issue when the petition specified by the act sets forth the facts of the claim and right of possession and denial thereof and the verdict on such issue has the force and effect of a verdict in ejectment on an equitable title. Will — Equitable conversion — Reconversion by election. Where equitable conversion of land into personalty is effected by the terms of a will the legal effect of a conveyance to one legatee by the others is to work a reconversion by means of the election of all the other parties to take land instead of money. Attorney and client — Client's rights as affected by attorney's letters. The rights of clients cannot be divested by loose expressions of an attorney where in the nature of things the attorney was not authorized to prejudice the client by such expressions. Title — Recording of deeds — Act of 1893 — Assignment for creditors — Constitutional law. The Act of May 19, 1893, P. L. 108, is constitutional and is effective to change the law, as it stood before, in the matter of recording deeds only in that it reduces the time in which a purchaser must record his deed from six months to ninety days. The failure to record a deed executed and delivered in 1882, does not make it void as to the assignee lor creditors of grantor under a deed of assignment made and recorded in 1893.