Security Building & Loan Ass'n v. Ambrose
Security Building & Loan Ass'n v. Ambrose
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
The fund for distribution was raised by the sale of certain real estate belonging to Ambrose, the debtor, situated on Willow avenue and First street in city of Altoona. The property was sold for $3,650, and an auditor was appointed to distribute. At the date of the sale there were upon this property four mortgages in the following order: first, Security Building and Loan Association, liquidated at $1,229.16, recorded November 25, 1891; second, Mutual Building and Loan Association, liquidated at $836.65, recorded June 21, 1891; third, Provident Building and Loan Association, in sum of $2,000, liquidated at $1,545.60, recorded June 22, 1894; fourth, Security Building and Loan Association, liquidated at sum of $1,303.41, recorded July 23,1894.
It was conceded that the first two were entitled to distribution in their order. The contest was between the last two as to balance of the fund. The auditor finds these facts : the borrower, Ambrose, was solicitor for all four associations, and when the loans were made to him he examined the record for himself, and certified the liens; on his own certificate, the association officers acted in dealing with him. Although the mortgage of the Provident Association was recorded on June 22, and the Security on July 23, following, a month after-wards, yet no money was paid Ambrose on the Provident mortgage until July 30, seven days after record of the Security Association mortgage, on which last the money was paid over the day the mortgage was executed. In the body of this mortgage Ambrose, who drew it as solicitor, writes: “ This mortgage given in place of one given erroneously to Provident Building and Loan Association on June , 1894, and of record
It is not worth while discussing whether as between the parties themselves they could have thus given life to a dead paper, as a pledge for a new loan. Before they attempted to do so, the right of a third party, the Security Association, intervened;
Tlie decree of the court below is affirmed, and the appeal dismissed at costs of appellant.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Security Building and Loan Association v. W. A. Ambrose. Appeal of Provident Building and Loan Association
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Building and loan associations — Mortgage—Priority of lien. An attorney at law was solicitor for two building and loan associations. He made application to the first association for a loan, and prepared and placed on record a mortgage to the association to secure the same, but the association was not authorized at the time to make the loan for the amount desired by the attorney. The matter was dropped by both parties, but the mortgage of record was not satisfied or canceled. Subsequently the attorney borrowed money from the second association and, as security therefor, placed on record a mortgage in the body of which it was written that it was “ given in place of one given erroneously to the first association.” After this mortgage was recorded the attorney resumed negotiations with the first association, and received a loan from it, for which the mortgage given erroneously was adopted as security. Held, that the mortgage given to the second association had priority of lien over the mortgage given to the first association.