Burney v. Burney
Burney v. Burney
Opinion of the Court
W. D. C. Burney, as plaintiff below, brought suit against J. G. Burney on March 14, 1917, in the district court of Travis county, to establish his interest in certain blocks of land situated in the city of Austin, for rents, and for partition of the land or sale thereof in case partition were found impracticable. The case was submitted to a jury on special issues, and based on their findings the court rendered judgment for the plaintiff, and appointed a receiver to sell the property. Before trial, however, W. D. C. Burney died, and his wife, Mrs. Martha Bur-ney, independent executrix of his will, was substituted as plaintiff. Defendant duly made a motion for a new trial, which was overruled, and he appeals, making the grounds urged for a new trial his assignments of error.
The following facts appear: In October, 1909, W. D. C. Burney turned, over to his nephew, J. G. Burney, for sale by him, 15 shares of capital stock in the Union Trust Company of San Antonio, Tex., of the par value of $100 each. On November 8, 1909, Hetta K. Haynie and husband conveyed to J. G. Burney the lands involved in this suit at an agreed consideration of $3,500, paid as follows: The transfer to Haynie of said 15 shares of stock at a value of $1,725, payment by J. G. Burney individually of $625, and his assumption of a note for $1,150 secured by a mechanic’s lien on the property. Title to the property was taken in the name of J. G. Bur-ney, who then rented the property to his vendors. On January 10, 1910, the Union Trust Company went into the hands of a receiver, and on January 12, 1910, the Haynies sued J. G. Burney to cancel their deed, alleging fraud in that the stock was worthless. The parties to this suit agreed upon a compromise to place each other in statu quo, but the Haynies had hypothecated this stock, and could neither return it nor repay Burney the $625 in money, so that suit remained on the-docket until June 8, 1912. Meantime the holder of the $1,150 note assumed by Burney intervened and sought a foreclosure of his lien. On June 8, 1912, judgment was rendered in that cause that the Haynies take nothing and that Burney recover his costs against them. Judgment was also given the intervener against Burney on his assumption of the outstanding note and lien, foreclosing the lien and ordering the property sold. The property was sold by the sheriff under this order of sale, and J. G. Burney, on August 6, 1912, bought it in at $1,500, again taking title in his own name. Some time in 1915 the Haynies returned to J. G. Burney the Union Trust Company stock, which was then admittedly worthless, and in a letter dated July 19, 1915, J. G. Burney mailed same to W. D. C. Burney, advising him that he had been compelled to foreclose on the Austin property and sell it to get his money out of it. W. D. C. Burney lived in Kerr county, knew little about what was being done, was more than 80 years old, nearly blind, and *184 seems to have intrusted the handling of the matter to his nephew, J. G. Burney, who then resided in Austin. J. G. Burney paid all taxes, insurance, repairs, etc., on the property at all times after Í909, and collected and kept all rents. Defendant pleaded a willingness to turn over to plaintiff the property involved, if plaintiff would repay to him all moneys he had expended, with interest thereon; and also pleaded the 3, 4, 5 and 10-year statutes of limitation. The issues raised are disclosed by the questions submitted to the jury, which, with the jury’s answers thereto, are as follows:
“Question No. 1: What date did the defendant, J. G. Burney, inform the plaintiff, W. D. G. Burney, of the fact that he had traded stock of the Union Trust Company as part consideration for the property described in plaintiff’s petition?” To which the jury answered: “About 1910.”
“Question No. 2: Did the defendant, J. G. Burney, after he had traded plaintiff’s stock as a part of the purchase price of the land described in plaintiff’s petition, report to the plaintiff that he, the defendant, had been sued to rescind said trade for said land, and had been forced to compromise said suit; that he had incurred great expense, and had lost plaintiff’s stock by reason of said suit?” To which the jury answered: “Yes.”
“If you have answered the above question in the affirmative, then you will answer this question:
“Question No. 3; Were said facts true?” To which the jury answered: “No.”
“Question No. 4: Was the plaintiff, W. D. 0. Burney, misled and deceived by the report made to him by the defendant, J. G. Burney?” To which the jury answered: “Yes.”
“Question No. 5: Did the plaintiff, W. D. C. Burney, authorize the defendant, after the purchase of said property, to handle said property as he saw fit, to use his best judgment and dispose of it, repay himself everything that he, the defendant, had paid out on it, and give him, the plaintiff, the balance?” To which the jury answered: “No.”
“Question No. 6: Did the plaintiff, W. D. C. Burney, know at the time he received a letter from J. G. Burney, in July, 1915, in which the stock certificates were sent him, that the legal title to the land in controversy was still in J. G. Burney?” To which the jury answered: “No.”
“Question No. 7: Did J. G. Burney, after he secured the sheriff’s deed to the property involved in this suit introduced in evidence, attempt to induce W. D. O. Burney to believe that said property had been lost by both of them with the intent to deprive W. D. C. Burney of his interest in said property?” To which the jury answered: “Yes.”
Opinion.
Appellant asserts eight propositions of law on which he claims error of the trial court in rendering judgment against him. 1-Iis first and second propositions are addressed to the questions of limitation of 4 and 5 years. He claims that the trial court should have rendered judgment in his favor on these issues regardless of the findings'of the jury.
“It is * * * well settled upon authority in this state that the test whether an action be one to recover real estate, within the express exception to this article [R. S. 5690], is whether the title asserted by plaintiff, whether legal or equitable, will support an action in trespass to try title. In determining this question mere form in which the action is brought is not material. * * * On the other hand, it has been repeatedly jield that, where plaintiff’s action rests upon an equitable title, to assert which does not require the aid of a court of equity to remove the impediment to such title caused by some written instrqment or judgment, the action is one for the recovery of real estate, and the four-year statute of limitations does not apply.”
*185 In the instant ease the plaintiff did not seek to remove any impediment, cancel any deed or judgment, but asserted an equitable title or interest in the land to the extent that his stock had paid for it. It is well settled in this state that an equitable title will support an action in trespass to try title. We think that the instant case can almost be summed up and the rule announced in practically the same language as that used in Bell County v Felts (Tex. Civ. App.) 120 S. W. 1065, by Judge Fisher, as follows:
“This is not a case, like those referred to, where the purpose was, to cancel or remove the legal title as an impediment to the right of the plaintiff to recover, but it is an action for the recovery of the land in controversy, based really upon a right growing out of a title asserted by the defendant. In this case the defendant is asserting the legal title to the property in controversy under a deed executed to him by the sheriff of Bell county. The plaintiff is not repudiating that deed, but it is merely seeking to subordinate the legal title therein conveyed to the defendant to the superior equitable title it holds on account of the fiduciary relationship existing between the two, and the circumstances under which the land was purchased and paid for.”
It is true that the Felts Case was reversed by the Supreme Court (103 Tex. 616, 132 S. W. 123), but on another question, and the holding of Judge Fisher on the point discussed has been subsequently cited with approval in the case of Home Investment Co. v. Strange, 109 Tex. 342, 195 S. W. 849, 204 S. W. 314, 207 S. W. 307. Clearly we think the 4-year statute of limitation had no application in this case.
This brings us then to the question of the 5-year statute of limitation. We think no discussion necessary on this point. As stated above, if limitation can apply at all, it could not have begun to run in favor of appellant before the recording of his sheriff’s deed. This deed is not shown in the record. It could not have been executed prior to August 6, 1912, and this suit was filed: March 14, 1917, hence it is apparent that the 5-year statute cannot -apply.
“As to whether, after having paid $1,502.70 at the sheriff’s sale, I then claimed to own all the property I have regarded Capt. W. D. O. Burney as still having an interest in it; it has always stood in the same attitude. So far as the title is concerned, it has always stood in my name. I always claimed he had an equity in it if th,ere is anything more than what I have been out to beep it.”
The eighth proposition of appellant asserts error in trial court in refusing to instruct a Verdict in his favor. There was no error in this, and discussion of it is unnecessary.
Finding no error, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
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