Fitzgerald v. Cummings
Fitzgerald v. Cummings
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
The questions to be decided in this case arises on the following state of facts: D. H. Cummings bought, in 1862, ■ a tract of land of one hundred acres from Samuel Morrow, for which he gave three notes, each for $666-|. He took a title bond for said land. Defendant Armstrong was a witness attesting this title bond. Before this purchase by Cummings, Morrow had mortgaged a tract of one hundred and forty-five acres to Armstrong, and the mortgage regularly registered, to secure $2,500. This mortgage included the one hundred acre tract sold by Morrow to Cummings, it being part of the one hundred acre tract. Morrow in May, 1865, sold the one hundred acres to Samuel McCarthy, for $1,800, paid $812 cash, gave his note for $987, payable when Cummings could make him a good title. Cummings transferred his title bond to McCarthy. In 1867, McCarthy filed his bill against Cummings et cris., charging that Cummings could not make him a title, asking for an account of money paid, and cancellation of his note for $987 — in a word, to rescind. This suit was compromised, and for satisfactory consideration McCarthy dismissed his bill, and surrendered to the heirs of Morrow, (who was then dead), the title bond of their ancestor given to Cummings.
D. H. Cummings filed his bill in 1867, against McCarthy aud the administrator of Morrow, together with his heirs, charging these facts, and the additional fact, that he had paid most of the two last notes for $666|
Complainant files this bill to enjoin the sale, and have the same reviewed and reversed, or enjoined, and declared a cloud on his title, on the following state of facts. The estate of Morrow was declared insolvent, and a bill filed to sell the land in that proceeding, the debt due by mortgage to Armstrong being one of the debts. In July, 1867, a sale was ordered, and in January, 1869, it was sold, he becoming purchaser, at $3,600, out of which Armstrong’s debt was paid;
A demurrer is filed by Medaris and Anna Cummings, representatives of D. H. Cummings, deceased, containing ten specifications. We give the point made, or sought to be raised in each.
1st. That the land was purchased under insolvent proceedings in the matter of Morrow’s estate, to which respondents were not parties — remedy of complainant, (if any), therefore against administrator of Morrow or heirs. This has no bearing on the case whatever, as far as we can see.
2d. Purchased under proceedings commenced after pending suit by Cummings, therefore proceedings under which' he bought void, and could not affect their right to lien for purchase money. We do not see that this raises any question on the allegations of the bill, as it is not claimed that the insolvent proceedings affected the suit of Cummings in any way. We add, the third ground has nothing in it, simply averring the insolvent suit was not to enforce Morrow’s lien on the land. Nor has the 4th ground anything to reach the
The 5th specification is substantially an averment of Us pendens, by the suit of Cummings, commenced July 5th, 1867, while the insolvent suit of Morrow’s representative was commenced the 15th of July after, and that complainant had notice in law of this suit and failed to make himself party to it; that the decree in the case was final, and has not been appealed from or in any way sought to be vacated by the parties to it; therefore complainant is barred by it, and cannot attack said decree either directly or collaterally.
The sixth and seventh specifications need not be noticed. The eighth goes on the idea, that no discovery of new matter is shown, nor due diligence used to discover such, if it existed, nor leave of court obtained to file bill for this cause. Nothing material in this — no discovery of new matter being alleged in the bill as ground of relief in the sense of the law.
The ninth is substantially, that complainant bought after filing bill, and is guilty of laches, in not making himself party to Cummings’ bill, and having so purchased, is entitled to no relief as against the representatives of Cummings.
The tenth and last specification is a summary of the facts of the case, a claim that they show that Cummings was entitled to enforce a vendor’s lien against the one hundred acres of land, and complainant not having paid or tendered the amount due, can have no relief by reason of such failure. We do not under
By section 2934 of the Code, it is enacted that “Demurrers for formal defects are abolished, and those only for substantial defects allowed. All demurrers shall state the objections relied on.” In Kirkman & Ellis v. Snodgrass, 3 Head, 372, it was settled the rule applies to pleadings in a court of equity as well as at law. All demurrers being required to state the objection relied on, as we have held, no others can be looked to, under such a demurrer, or as arising under it, except what is stated. Under this view we held, that at law, a demurrer did not search the record, and go back to the first error in pleading in a case at law, as was the rule at common law.
In this view of this demurrer, there is nothing in any of the causes stated, unless it be the fifth, which go to any equity claimed or asserted in the bill, and this only need be noticed. The bill goes on the idea, that complainant is a purchaser who has paid his money for the land, has obtained a deed from the clerk and master in- the insolvent proceedings; and as such has the right, in the first place, to file a bill of review for errors on face of the decree, or at auy rate, one in the nature of a bill of review, to have the decree in the Cummings case reviewed or vacated for errors on the face of the decree.
In the second place, if this cannot be done, he is entitled to have the proceedings declared a cloud on
As a bill of review, this' is a direct attack on the decree, and we hold it clear that in no aspect of the case, can the party file such a bill to impeach the decree. The rule is thus laid down by Mr. Justice Story, Eq. Pl., sec. 409: “No person, except the parties and privies in representation, such as heirs, executors and administrators, can have a bill of review, strictly so called.” So that in this aspect of the case, the demurrer is well taken, and should have been sustained ; and this not upon the ground of Us pendens, but because the party is not entitled to attack the decree directly by such a bill.
But on the other aspects of the bill, that is, a bill to remove a cloud from title and to be substituted to Armstrong’s rights under the mortgage, or to get the benefit of his payment of said mortgage by force of
In dismissing the bill as a bill of review, we may also dismiss it as to Graham, administrator de bonis non of M. L. Philips, who is clearly not a necessary party to any relief to be had in the other aspects of the bill, and was a proper party only for conformity, treating the bill as a bill of review. Relief is sought against the enforcement of the decree giving a lien on the land in favor of Cummings’ administrator, and ordering a sale. We do not think proper to dismiss
The result is, with the modifications herein indicated, the decree will be affirmed. Costs of this court will be paid one-half by each party, that is the complainant and administrators of Cummings, and of the court below by complainant, as to Graham administrator of M. L. Philips. The case is remanded for further proceedings.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.