Adams v. Lambard

22 P. 180, 80 Cal. 426, 1889 Cal. LEXIS 934
California Supreme Court·Decided September 5, 1889·No. No. 12234·Published·Cited by 15 cases

Opinion

Paterson, J.

This action was commenced by Horace Adams, plaintiff's testator, on September 2, 1880, for an accounting, and to compel the defendant to convey to him an undivided one-third interest in the Mount Pleasant mine. When the plaintiff learned, from the answer to his complaint, that the defendant had conveyed the property to innocent purchasers, and that a specific performance of the contract to reconvey was impossible, he filed an amended complaint, alleging the value of the mine, and praying that if it should appear from the evidence that a specific performance could not be enforced, a judgment be entered against the defendant for the value of the property. The history of the transactions involved is clearly and fully set forth in the findings of the court. These findings show substantially the following facts:—

[428] In 1868 the defendant and one Goss were engaged in carrying on a manufacturing and foundry business in the city of Sacramento; until the dissolution of the co-partnership of Goss & Lambard, Horace Adams continued to be an employee in their foundry, and his relations to the members of the firm were, and for a long time had been, and until after the dissolution of the partnership continued to be, of a close and confidential nature; Adams and Grissim were at that time, and for some time prior thereto had been, the owners of and in possession of the Mount Pleasant mine, and a twenty-stamp mill, hoisting-works, machinery, etc., situated thereon, holding the same under title acquired by valid locations duly made under the mining laws of the United States and of the district in which the mine was situate, but the mining claim had not then been patented; Adams was the owner of an undivided two thirds and Grissim the owner of an undivided one third thereof; Adams and Grissim were indebted to Goss & Lam-bard to a very large amount for milling and mining machinery, tools, etc., furnished for the use of the mining claims, and the firm held a lien under the mechanic’s lien law upon the mine and mill for about sixteen thousand dollars of the indebtedness, and had commenced a suit for the foreclosure thereof; on June 27, 1868, and while the foreclosure suit was pending, Grissim conveyed his interest in the mine to one Waters; on July 23d, in pursuance of a parol agreement theretofore made between the parties, Adams, Grissim, and Waters executed and delivered to Goss & Lambard a deed of conveyance of the whole of the mine, and put them in possession thereof; at the time of this conveyance the indebtedness of Adams and Grissim to the firm amounted to the sum of $31,148.88; Goss & Lambard agreed, in consideration of the conveyance, and the conveyance was made, delivered, and accepted upon the condition, that in consideration thereof they should cancel the in[429] debtedness of Adams and Grissim to them, and should pay, in addition thereto, other indebtedness of Adams and Grissim to an amount not exceeding five thousand dollars, and should also pay Waters for his interest in the mine the sum of ten thousand dollars cash, which like sum they then and there did pay; afterward, they paid, on account of the indebtedness of Adams and Grissim, to others such claims as were presented, not amounting in the aggregate to more than five thousand dollars; it was also agreed between the parties, and the deed and possession of the property were delivered upon the further condition, that Goss & Lambard should work and develop the mine according to their judgment and discretion, and without any unnecessary expense, and without any charge for their own services in the premises, and upon the further condition that whenever they had realized sufficient from the mine to reimburse themselves for the amount of the indebtedness of Adams and Grissim, together with the costs and expenses of caring for, operating, and working the same, they should reconvey to said Adams the undivided one third of the mining claim and property; on the eighteenth day of September, 1868, in pursuance of said agreement, and in completion of the transaction of which the delivery of the deed and the possession of the property under it was a part, the defendant Lambard and said Goss executed and delivered to Adams an agreement, in the following language:—

“Whereas, Leonard Goss and O. D. Lambard, on the 26th of July, A. D. 1868, purchased of Horace Adams, -Waters, and W. T. Grissim, the Mount Pleasant mine, situated in Grizzly Flat, El Dorado County, and are now the sole owners of said property,—
“Now, this agreement witnesseth, that, in consideration of one dollar to them, the said Goss & Lambard, paid by H. Adams, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, they hereby bind themselves, their heirs [430] and executors, to convey to the said Adams the title they now possess to one undivided one third of said property whenever the said property shall have canceled its indebtedness to them, and no indebtedness shall be incurred that is not strictly required, and neither the said Goss-Lambard shall receive any salary for attention to the business till the indebtedness is canceled.
“Witness our hands and seals this the 18th of September, A. D. 1868. “ O. D. Lambaed.
“Leonaed Goss.”

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Adams v. Lambard, 22 P. 180, 80 Cal. 426, 1889 Cal. LEXIS 934 (Cal. 1889).

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