Rine v. Hall
Rine v. Hall
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
We will consider the assignments of error in the same order as they are discussed in the paper-books.
We think there is no merit in the first and second assignments. They both relate to the competency of J. B. Hall as a witness. The case was tried on the answers of the garnishees, the process being an attachment in execution by Fine against Hall, and the garnishees being Uriah Shuman, Admr., etc., of Lavinia S. Hall, the deceased wife of the defendant, J. B. Hall, and Uriah Shuma.n, in his own right. The plaintiff claimed that the garnishee, Shuman, was indebted to J. B. Hall, both in his representative and his individual character. All such indebtedness was denied by the answers, and so far as the estate of Mrs. Hall was concerned it -was claimed that an indebtedness arose in this way. Over a year before the attachment was issued J. B. Hall confessed a judgment to Shuman as administrator,
Third, fifth, tenth, sixteenth, eighteenth, twentieth and twenty-first assignments. The matters arising upon these assignments call in question the consideration of the judgment confessed by J. B. Hall to Shuman as administrator of Mrs. Hall. It is somewhat remarkable that the validity of this judgment was tried upon answers to interrogatories filed by the plaintiff in the judgment, upon an attachment in execution issued by another judgment creditor of Hall. It is a purely collateral proceeding, and it is highly questionable whether this can be done
The fourth assignment is without merit. Mr. Hall did not testify that he kept a regular account of the farm products. Such a partial and incomplete account as he did keep he lost and was unable to find. This was no reason for striking out his testimony.
Sixth, ninth and fourteenth assignments. It was proved and not contradicted that the heirs of Mrs. Hall directed the money-realized on the judgment of Shuman as administrator v. J. B. Hall to be paid out to the creditors of their father. As they liad a perfect right to do this, it was competent for the administrator to prove this fact, and, as it occurred nearly a year before the present proceeding was instituted, and without any
Seventh, eighth, fifteenth, twenty-fifth and twenty-eighth assignments. These relate to the question whether Shuman could set off against the money he did receive any debt that Hall owed him. He held a judgment against Hall in his individual capacity, and he received, as one of Hall’s creditors, a portion of the proceeds derived from the sales under his judgment as administrator. The money he received was paid him by direction of the heirs of Mrs. Hall, as a creditor of J. B. Hall. That money he had the right to keep as his own, and he was therefore not responsible to account for it as if he had received it in his capacity as administrator. These assignments are not sustained.
Eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth and seventeenth assignments. The matters covered by these assignments present the question whether Mrs. Hall did not give her share of the crops to her husband to assist in supporting the family. Of course it was competent for her to do so if she chose. There is no evidence that she ever made such a gift, but the appellant contends that from their mode of living and from the fact that she never demanded any share of the-crops, an inference of a gift of her share should or might be drawn. The learned court charged the jury that where a husband lives upon the real estate of his wife, or by her consent takes the income of her estate, and she makes no demand upon him for an account, and the money is spent in support of the family, the law presumes a gift of the income to the husband, and no.liability on his part to account for it arises, but that where the husband contracts with his wife to pay her the income, or a part of it, he becomes her debtor to that extent. The court then left it to the jury to say how it was in this case and directed them that if they found there was a contract the husband could lawfully give judgment for the amount he owed under the contract. We see no error in this. The cases cited for the appellant are cases in which there was no contract affecting the question, and of course in all of them there would be no liability. But the jury has found that there was a contract
Nineteenth assignment. The court below affirmed the tenth point of the plaintiff, but qualified it by saying that if Shuman paid out tbe money witli no knowledge of tlie fraud in the judgment, be would not be affected by tbe fraud. This, as we have already said, is correct, and the assignment is dismissed.
The twenty-second assignment lias been already considered and is dismissed.
Tbe twenty-third assignment cannot be sustained because the fourteenth point of the plaintiff required a binding instruction to find for the plaintiff which of course could not he done. The matters of fact were disputed and were necessarily submitted to the jury.
The twenty-fourth and twenty-sixth assignments have already been considered. They are without merit and must be dismissed.
Tlie twenty-seventli, twenty-ninth and thirtieth assignments have been incidentally considered heretofore and cannot he sustained. When the judgment note was handed to Slmman there Ayas no presumption of its invalidity attaching to it. The contrary would he the case. If the plaintiff allowed a whole year to go by without impugning it in any way, we cannot see Iioav Slmman is to be affected by an allegation of fraud then made for tbe first time.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John M. Rine v. J. B. Hall, with notice to Uriah Shuman, Administrator of Lavina S. Hall, and Uriah Shuman, Garnishee
- Cited By
- 8 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Evidence, — Competency of witness — Party dead — Husband and wife — Act of May 23, 1887, sec. 5, clause e. A widower is a competent witness to testify that he was indebted to his wife’s estate; that a judgment which he had confessed to his wife’s administrator was for that indebtedness, and that it was fair and honest. The only interest which will disqualify a witness, under the Act of May 23, 1887, P. L. 158, sec. 5, clause e, is an interest adverse to the right of the decedent. Contract — Husband and wife — Working wife's farm on shares. There is no fraud or illegality in a contract between a husband and wife .by which the husband undertakes to work his wife’s farm on shares, and, as tenant, to account to her, as owner, for one half of the crops raised on the land. Husband and wife — Contract—Evidence. The rule which requires proof in support of a wife’s claim to be clear, convincing and indubitable applies to cases in which the title to specific property claimed is involved in doubt. When indebtedness only is alleged, it is sufficient if the proof be clear and satisfactory. Where a husband lives upon the real estate of his wife, or by her consent takes the income of her estate, and she makes no demand upon him for an account, and the money is spent in support of the family, the law presumes a gift of the income to the husband, and no liability on his part to account for it arises; but where the husband contracts with his wife to pay her the income or a part of it he becomes her debtor to that extent. A husband confessed judgment to ids wife’s administrator. In a proceeding by the husband’s creditors attacking the validity of the judgment, the husband testified that he had made a contract with his wife by which he was to work her farm on shares and account to her for one half, of the proceeds. He stated that he had never accounted to his wife or paid to her any of the proceeds of the farm. He testified as to the annual quantity of the crops produced, the average price for different years as shown by the books of the dealer who had bought them, and, adopting as the standard value of each crop a price several cents a bushel less than the average, fixed the values thus determined as the measure of his liability. He was supported in his testimony by a number of farmers of the vicinity. After deducting his wife’s share of the taxes, the costs of repairs and certain other costs, he, together with his counsel, ascertained a balance due, and for that amount the judgment was given without the administrator in any way participating in the matter. The husband testified that he did not keep a regular account of the farm products, and that such a partial and incomplete account as lie did keep was lost. Tlie heirs of the wife directed that the money realized on the judgment by the administrator should be paid out to the creditors of the husband, among whom was the administrator himself. Held, (1) that the husband was a competent witness; (2) that the evidence of tlie husband as to the amount due under the contract was for the jury; (8) that it was not error for the court to refuse to strike out the husband’s testimony because he stated that he had kept no regular accounts ; (4) that the heirs of the wife had a right to direct that the money realized from the judgment should be paid to the husband’s creditors; (5) that, as the money which the administrator had applied to the payment of his personal debt had been so applied by the direction of the wife’s heirs, he was entitled to retain it; (6) that when the judgment note was handed to the administrator there was no presumption of its invalidity attaching to it; (7) that on the whole case the question of the existence of the contract and the fairness of the amount of the judgment was for the jury, and a verdict in favor of the validity of the judgment should be sustained.