McSorley v. Coyle
McSorley v. Coyle
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
There were three stages in the development of this case from the judgment in each of which the defendants appealed.
The second and third assignments relate to the subsequent stages of the proceeding and may be considered together. There was a demurrer to the plaintiff’s statement which was overruled and a judgment for want of a sufficient affidavit of defense. It was objected in the demurrer and in the affidavit of defense that the defendants were not liable to the plaintiff because their undertaking was without consideration and that their agreement was not to pay to the plaintiff but to the city treasurer if any obligation was imposed and that the contract with the plaintiff did not impose a contractual obligation on the defendants. The plaintiff’s claim introduced two grounds of liability: first, because of the contract already referred to, and, second, because of the receipt of money by the defendants to be applied in a particular way for the latter’s use. The defendants agreed to accept and actually did receive the money contracted about and promised to pay according to the terms stipulated. This undertaking was an inducement to the plaintiff to accept the title charged with the lien and this was a good consideration between the plaintiff and defendants. The risk to the plaintiff because of the incumbrance was a sufficient consideration: Smith v. McKenna, 53 Pa. 151; Harlan v. Harlan, 20 Pa. 303; McNish v. Reynolds, 95 Pa. 483. If the plaintiff took the title, moved in part as he evidently was by the promise of the defendants to relieve the property if the grantors failed to do so within the time fixed, there was a good consideration.
The defendants’ liability was not one of indemnity merely. The contract did not relate to the title and that the land was or should continue to be free from incumbrances, but was an agreement to discharge the lien at a particular time. If the obligation were one of indemnity no right of action would accrue unless damage was shown to be inflicted, but where the agreement is to do a particular thing a right of action is complete as soon as there is a failure to perform: Oil Co. v. Oil & Mining
The exceptions are overruled and the judgment affirmed.
Reference
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- Interpleader — Petitioner for issue — IndeperuLent liability. 1. The petitioner for an interpleader and an issue thereon must be free from any independent liability to either of the parties claiming the fund. If he has expressly acknowledged the title and right of one of them and agreed to hold the property for him, he is not an indifferent stakeholder. 2. In an action upon a written contract it appeared that the plaintiff was the vendee of certain real estate, and that the defendants were the agents of the vendors for the management of real estate. On the real estate sold there was a municipal lien which could not be satisfied. The plaintiff, the vendors and the defendants entered into the contract in suit by which the vendors bound themselves to pay the lien in question when it became possible to pay it. It was also agreed that the defendants should hold funds of the vendors to satisfy the lien, and that when it became payable the defendants were forthwith to apply so much of the funds of the vendors in their hands as might be necessary to fully pay and satisfy the lien. The agreement was under seal. After the lien became due and payable the vendors notified the defendants that they had a counterclaim against the plaintiff growing out of a transaction in regard to another piece of real estate. The defendants applied for an interpleader which was refused, filed a demurrer which was overruled, and a judgment was entered against them for want of a sufficient affidavit of defense. Held, (1) that the application for the interpleader was properly refused, as there was a direct obligation by the defendants to pay the plaintiff if the lien was not satisfied; (2) that there was sufficient consideration to support the agreement as the plaintiff took the title relying upon the promise of the defendants to satisfy the lien; (3) that the set up of the counterclaim of the vendors in the affidavit of defense was insufficient to prevent judgment against the defendants.