Dilworth v. Nicola
Dilworth v. Nicola
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
On August 2, 1901, the appellant entered into an agreement with Mary E. Schenley for the purchase of certain property located in the city of Pittsburg, for the sum of $2,000,000, payable $100,000 in cash on signing the agreement and the balance on April 1, 1902. The appellee paid one-tenth of the hand money and took from appellant a receipt in the following language :
“ Received of H. P. Dilworth $10,000 being the tenth of hand money stipulated in agreement with Mary E. Schenley dated August 2, 1901 and being in payment of one tenth interest in said agreement.”
Upon a hearing of the case, the court below held that he was entitled to the relief prayed for, and entered a decree requiring the assignment to be made. If it is the subject-matter of equitable jurisdiction, and of this there seems to be no doubt, the decree was properly entered. The appellant admits that the appellee is entitled to a one-tenth interest in the agreement, but contends that he cannot have it severed and set apart until the transaction is finally closed in 1927. We do not agree with this contention. If Dilworth has a tenth interest in the agreement he is entitled to have some evidence of that interest at the present time. It would be inequitable and unjust that he should be compelled to wait until the final payments are made, twenty-five years in the future, before he has anything but the receipt to show his interest therein.
It is argued that the provisions of the agreement with Frick are such as to make it impossible that there should be a severance of interests. This contention is without merit. The interest of Mr. Frick in the agreement is not affected by the rights and liabilities of the parties to this suit. Under the agreement, Mr. Frick is authorized to collect the annual ren
How, then, can Nicola be heard to say that Dilworth is nob entitled to have a decree by a court of equity directing an assignment to be made of the interest which it is admitted he has in the transaction ?
Decree affirmed at the cost of the appellant.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.