Barton v. Rushton
Barton v. Rushton
Opinion of the Court
differing from his brethren, delivered the following opinion:
In this case there are two points upon which there is a difference of opinion :
First, — Whether the execution of Hall mentioned in the decree below would attach upon the lands in the possession of John Rusbton, under the conditional bond ?
Second, — Whether there was such fraud as would vitiate the second contract made between Hutto and Sherwood Rusbton.
O11 the first question I stand alone. On the second, I am supported by one of my brethren.
As to the first point, it appears that the bill was filed for an injunction and frsem cry. The disooverymade, was that there existed a conditional bond to make titles to lire land between Hutto, the vendor, an..' J-hn -lusiii:i n the tendee. This was the first contractjmiuic, which was
From the scope of the evidence, it appears that the sheriff got possession of the grant and title deeds, either from Hutto or John Rushton, and that he afterwards sold the land at sheriff’s sale, and Hail became the purchaser. Hall sold to Kelly, and Kelly to Barton, the complainant. Now, both in an equitable and legal point of view, the execution will attach upon the lands, as those of J. Rushton, under the conditional bond. Both these positions are'capable of demonstration. I grant that the parties to this conditional contract had a right to rescind it while it remained executory; but by the possession and payment by John Rushton of a material sum, and not of mere earnest money, the contract became executed by part performance, and upon an offer of the balance, this court would decree specific performance. Hagood vs. Neal g Pre. Chan. 561. 1 Pow. 30.9.
At this time the right of Hall commenced under his execution; he stepped at > nee into the shoes of John Rushton, and offered toj>ay thebalance. This was doing all that equity required; and the liberty of the contracting -parties to rescind the contract, was now at an end, The-y both had notice of Hall’s right; and if they annulled the contract without his consent,' if was an in-
Thus wo find that executions in England were not issued against the whole estate in lands, tenements or hereditaments. But by the statute of 5 George XL for the moro easy recovery of the debts In the colonies, and Whisk is made of force in this state, feudal principles are
Judge Blackstone says, that hereditaments, to use the largest expression, are of two kinds, corporeal and incorporeal. Corporeal consist of such as affect lh« senses, such as may be seen ami handled by the body. Incorporeal arc not of sensation; can neither be seea nor handled, are creatures of the mind, and can only exist in contemplation. This definition alone would «aery us to an extent, which those confining themselves to common law principles, and not recollecting that we are governed by statute law on this subject, are but little aware of. But farther, lord Coke says, that a hereditament is anything which may be inherited ; and so a condition, the benefit of which may descend to a man from his an-, cestors, is also a hereditament, which last decision completely proves my position, that the execution at law will attach upon the condition of this bond, to make titles ; for the benefit of such condition as is contained therein, will descend to a man from his ancestor. The extent of this doctrine cannot possibly be an objection to it, since in justice every part of a man’s property ought to be liable for his debts. It is easy too to distinguish between the liability of a vendor or a vendee, if part performance be made to constitute the line of distinction. The good policy of extending the lien of executions is also well worthy of serious consideration. In tlie state of New-York, this policy has been adopted to a great extent, and that too by the bench of Common Pleas judges, where it has been solemnly decreed, “ that a resulting trust capa--ble of proof, is vendible under execution. And by the converse of the proposition stated in another case, that an equity of redemption is also liable to execution at law.”1
On the impolicy of confining the lien of the execution in this case, I will barely observe, that in this lately settled country, slight evidences establish a good title to
We come next to the second question of fraud ; — I think it more plain than the first, because it does not rest upon abstruse principles.
1 mean to confine myself to statutory, which is peculiarly within the province of equity : and to shew, firsr,- — . that Joseph and John Rushton were the original contrivers of the fraud, and therefore ought not tobe benehthd by it. Second, — That Shenvood Jiushton was. connu-sant of the claim of Hall, and of the fraud, and therefore his title is vitiated — and the claim of all the defendants being derived from it is void.
. John llimhton was called upon for a discovery, and to purge his conscience of the fraud. A simple discovery or a direct denial of the charge was ail that was necessary for his defence, and all that was required by the bill. Ho makes the discovery and denies the fraud ; bin; he afterwards goes on to state that the contract was rescinded and the bond cancelled, and his intentions were upright in ail matters regarding the rerision and cancel-ling. 0 u£ it was his business to state facts, and for! he court
a spoliation íl-imiton, which wujhi oe enough for This evidence is s nleient to establish on the part of J, mv present purpose 3 but the fraudulent motive can ais® be brought home to U.iU'o_Roberts on Frauds, 85-ti.
In 1802, lie bad waived all claim to the land ; and in 180(5 he -ad. the second title to Sherwood IL;sM;m in, the face of his w aiver; and three witnesses have testified that he said he did so t.o save the lands for the poor young fellow, naming John Rushton; for his expected loss was tho subject of conversation at that timo. But in saving Itushton, his motive also was to defeat the claim of flail. Now this brings back the intention of Hutto to the same-point with that of John Rushton, namely, to a deceit prac-tised upon one who was not a party to the contract: — . But particular persons in their contracts shall not only contract bona fide among themselves, but shall not contract mala fide in respect to other persons, who stand in such a relation as to be either affected by the contract or the consequences of it. — Lord Hardwicke- in Chesterfield vs. Janssen.
Hutto might have been led into this weakness in favor of a neighbor, by mistaken motives of humanity, or by his imposition ; bat still, this will not alter the case; it may acquit him of gr-»ss immorality, hut still the legal fraud will remain. For equity will construe even silence,'
Some doubt was raised here as to the ev ideare — not as to Hutto’s admission, for that point was ceded ; but as to there being loose and vague- declarations.
Now I answer, that it was the evidence of three witnesses-uuirapeaclieiL Admit the doubt here, — then it must apply generally ;■ — -and where will it lead ? YV ill it not be to the entire exclusion of parol testimony ? Certainly it will: arid are those who doubt prepared to meet the objection to this extent. The doubt tlieu must be as to the credibility of the witnesses. But Í have already observed, that their credit stands unimpeached : Besides, I have always thought that tbe court into which witnesses are introduced, and which inspects their manner and attends to their matter, can form as good an opinion of their credibility and accuracy as need be required. — * No other court can have the same opportunity.
What I have said only goes to establish the fraud oa the part .of John Rushton and Hutto ,* but Joseph Rushton is also implicated.
He states in bis answer, that he believes there was no fraud in Sherwood Rushton’s obtaining the. title to the land; but says nothing of the part which he took in the business. Now Kelly has proved that he tampered with him to get possession of the grant and title-deeds. His son, Sherwood, then lived under his roof, subject to his control; and the presumption of collusion becomes in these points of view strong against him; but to place parties under a disability to commit fraud, certain transactions of an equivocal or ambiguous nature, are construed to be fraudulent in judgment of law — Roberts on the Statute of Elizabeth, 189, At present by the death of Sherwood Rushton, both Joseph the father and John Rushton his son have become interested in thasurt. Now it has been a long established rule, that' what is good at the beginning cannot become fraudulent by matter, ex post facto. 9 Roberts on tbe Statutes 189, 517, 521, 2. To which rule however, there are exceptions in favor of creditors and purchasers ; then in favor'
That a transaction fraudulent at the beginning cannot become good by matter ex post facto, more especially when the original contrivers and actors in the fraud are to be be-nefitted. At lav fraud must be proved — in equity it may be presumed, and inferred from suspicious circumstances and equivocal‘dealings,-which is the constructive fraud of the- statutes ;,bnt if it can neither be presumed nor inferred from a case under the circumstances of this kind? then Í am clearly of opinion there is an end of the equitable distinction in this country.
The second point under the last general question,next offers itself for consideration — -that is, whether Sherwood ilnshtou had sufficient notice of the right of Hall, or of the fraud to vitiate his title.
This would again divide itself into two different branches of considerable extent; but I shall consider it bri ñy in ene. For with a knowledge of the rights of Hall, either direct or constructive, his title would be bad. If the validity of the judgment and execution to attach has been established, and l am clear it has, the judgment will operate as a sufficient notice. If it lias not, still there are other grounds of notice. Sherwood Hush-ton lived near to his brother John, and as is before observed, under the roof and subject to the control of his father: both of these defendants were perhaps enemies : the facts relative to Hall’s claim were proved to be noto-yious in the neighborhood : and Sherwood Itushton dealt with Hutto who í¡ad notice.
Under all these circumstances the presumption against him is violent. It is sufficient under the statutes. But further, the grant and other titles, as we have- seen, were in the possession of the opposite party, and when at the second sale they were not produced, this certainly was sufficient to put the. vendee upon enquiry, and he could immediately have resorted to the vendor, who was connusant, for information. Even a defective title, much less a total want of title, was a sufficient construe- - tive notice: it‘was crassa neeligentia, that he sough*
For the above reasons I am of opinion that the decree of the circuit court ought to be affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.