Andrews v. Smithwick
Andrews v. Smithwick
Opinion of the Court
This suit was originally brought in the district court in 1855,. to recover a bounty land certificate, or its value, which was, proven to have been sold at one time for about twenty-five dollars* There appears- to- have been five different trials in the cause in the district court, and it is now in this court for the third time ; and we would therefore he inclined to- finally settle the whole matter, and stop further litigation, but for the manifest error and wrong in the judgment of the lower court as rendered on the last trial. The two former opinions delivered in this cause seem to-have settled nearly, if not quite all the questions raised, excepting the question of limitation, and both of these opinions diecided that question upon the facts then appearing in the record, Justice Wheeler, in- the first opinion (20 Texas, 111), declared that from the facts then before the court, the statute of' Imitation could not avail the- defendant; and in the second opinion of this court, delivered by Justice Bell (24 Texas, 494), it was decided that- the court below erred in refusing to. present the question af Hmita.ti.QEi
Reversed and remanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Reddin Andrews v. N. Smithwick
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. The rulings in the case of Hudson v. Wheeler, ante 356, on the subject of fraud in connection with the defense of limitation, referred to and approved in this case. 2. Defendant being entitled to a land certificate assigned it to the plaintiff, but afterwards fraudulently obtained possession of it and converted it to his own use, and being sued for it or its value pleaded the limitation of two years. Held, that defendant on obtaining possession of the certificate held it as trustee for the plaintiff, and will be presumed to have continued to hold it in that character, regardless of his claim of ownership, until the plaintiff either had actual notice of the fraud and adverse claim, or until, by the use of ordinary diligence, he might have discovered them; and the plaintiff’s action would not be barred until two years thereafter. 3. What lapse of time was a reasonable period for the owner to have discovered the fraud was a question for the jury, to be determined by them on all the circumstances proved and under proper instructions; but neither the records of the Adjutant General’s office, nor the registration in the county clerk’s office of a deed of the defendant, could operate as constructive notice to the owner, of the fraudulent claim adverse to him. 4. The registration of a deed in the proper office is made by law constructive notice of bona fide conveyances, but no such effect is attached by law to the registration of frauds, so as enable the fraudulent party to effectuate his fraud. 5. Registration of a deed is an act of notoriety, which might in the course of time create a presumption of notice of an adverse fraudulent claim ; but whether such presumption would arise within one or ten years after'.the registration, it would be for the jury to decide in view of all the facts in evidence.