Horn v. Price
Horn v. Price
Opinion of the Court
J. C. Horn, having a valid judgment against appellee Callison and' one Steen, caused alias execution to be issued to Ector county and served by the sheriff upon certain cattle, and Tommie Price-filed claimant’s bond, and this appeal is from, a judgment in her favor entered upon the verdict of a jury in answer to special issues, submitted.
The[ following written agreement as to facts is contained in the statement of facts:
“(1) That the cattle involved in this suit were purchased by Ben Callison from W. T. Whittenberg and Fount Armstrong, and that the same were paid for by the personal check, or checks, of Ben Callison, -drawn on the Midland National Bank of Midland Tex., given by Ben Callison and drawn by him on his individual account.
“(2) That Ben Callison never had but one account at said bank at any one time, and that said account was at all times in his individual name, and that said Callison drew checks on said account for his living and running expenses and for various and sundry expenses, and that said bank, nor no official thereof, was ever informed by said Callison, or any other person, that any part of said account was in any manner a trust fund, or that Tommie Price, or any other person, owned the same in whole or in part.
“(3) That Tommie Price has at no time had an account in said bank.
“(4) That during the fall of 1913 Ben Calli-son owed the Midland National Bank a note for about $400, secured by a chattel mortgage on certain cattle, other than those involved in this suit, and that he sold said cattle to J. R. Dublin, who paid off said note and delivered to Ben Callison the surplus after paying off said note, which surplus was placed to the -credit of the individual account of Ben Callison in the aforesaid bank, and subsequently the said Callison purchased the cattle involved in this suit and paid for the same in part or whole by check, or checks, drawn upon said fund.
“(5) That, when Ben Callison purchased the -cattle involved in this suit from Fount Armstrong and T. W. Whittenberg, he did not require or receive a bill of sale conveying said cattle, and that he, the said Ben Callison, has never made a bill of sale conveying said cattle to Tommie Price, or any other person.
“(6) That, when said cattle were levied upon by the sheriff of Ector county, they were in Ector county, Tex., and located upon the S'la-tor ranch, and that Ben Callison had control and possession of said ranch ánd all stock located thereon, and that Tommie Price is the stepdaughter of Ben Callison, and lives with him.”
The record further discloses that Tommie Price is the stepdaughter of defendant in attachment, Ben. Callison; that during the time from eight years of age until marriage, from time to time, certain cattle had been given to her by different parties; they were taken in -charge by said Callison and cared for with his cattle; that from time to time as he sold his cattle hers were sold also. It now being testified by said Callison that he had something over a thousand dollars which had come into his possession from such sales of her cattle, and that it was with this money these cattle in controversy were purchased for her. There is no evidence in the record that the stepdaughter knew of the purchase nor in any way consented to it or accepted the cattle as hers, she not having testified in the case. We also note that the claimant’s bond is signed, her name, Tommie Price, by F. A. Judkins, attorney, so the issue is: Who became the owner of the cattle levied upon by reason of the purchase?
The ninth, being to the same effect, is overruled for the same reason.
“If it [the property] was taken from the possession of the defendant in such writ or any other person than the claimant, the burden of proof shall be on the claimant.”
And it is admitted that the defendant in-execution had possession of the cattle. It was therefore error to place the burden of proof upon appellant, and the fact that appellant was permitted to open and close the case would not shift the burden.
*592 For the reasons assigned, the cause is reversed and remanded for a new trial.
<§=>For other oases see same topic and KEY-NUMBER in all Key-Numbered Digests and Indexes
Reference
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