Addington v. Fulton

154 S.E. 565, 155 Va. 31, 1930 Va. LEXIS 143
CourtSupreme Court of Virginia
DecidedSeptember 12, 1930
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 154 S.E. 565 (Addington v. Fulton) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Addington v. Fulton, 154 S.E. 565, 155 Va. 31, 1930 Va. LEXIS 143 (Va. 1930).

Opinion

Gregory, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

[33]*33The appellants are complaining of a decree entered in the trial court in which their cross bill was dismissed and their set-offs and counterclaims denied and refused, and in which the appellee’s vendor’s lien was established and directed to be enforced by a sale of a tract of 59.75 acres of land.

In 1920, E. M. Fulton, the appellee, was the owner of 59.75 acres of land adjoining the town of Norton. This tract was composed of the “Gilliam tract” of 49.75 acres and a portion of the “Wells Commissioner” tract of about 10 acres. He granted the appellants an option to purchase the 59.75 acres, which contained this reservation: “But subject to the easement of roads and streets” * * *. Later, the parties exercised their right under the option and the transaction was closed by the execution and delivery of a deed, made on August 28, 1920, conveying the property to the appellants. The purchase price was $11,950.00, payable as follows: $7,500.00 cash, and the residue payable in equal annual installments of $1,112.50 each, with interest. The deferred payments were evidenced by negotiable notes and were secured in the deed by a vendor’s lien which was expressly retained for that purpose. The deed contained covenants of general warranty, but did not contain the usual Virginia statutory covenants. It also contained this restriction: “But this conveyance is subject to all easement rights in said street, avenue and road.” The tract was described particularly by metes and bounds and in both the option and the deed reference was made to the deed book and page where a plat was spread and recorded in the clerk’s office under the Virginia statute which provides how one may dedicate streets and alleys and the layout or plat may be recorded.

Only $495.00 was paid on the indebtedness and this amount was applied as a credit on the first note. All of the notes being long past due, Fulton, [the appellee, filed [34]*34his bill seeking to enforce his vendor’s lien by a sale of the property and he also asked for a deficiency judgment in the event the proceeds of the land failed to satisfy the debt. In the meantime a number of judgments were recovered and docketed against the appellants. The appellants filed an answer and cross bill, admitting the sale and the vendor’s lien, but denied that they owed the appellee the amount claimed. They set up claims for damages against the appellee and sought to recover these damages under principles relating to recoupment, set-off and counterclaim. They did not ask for a rescission. They charged Fulton with concealing the fact that an avenue extended far into the property and claimed damages for the land occupied by the avenue. They claimed that he failed to deliver to them four small parcels of land, aggregating 4.31 acres, which was to have been included in the conveyance to them, and by reason of this they claimed that they were entitled to damages of $2,150.00. It is also claimed by them that they did not know that the tract had been subdivided and streets and alleys had been dedicated on the tract, and for this item they claim damages of $3,000.00. Another claim made in the cross bill is that at the time of the sale they had an oral contract with Fulton, whereby it was agreed that the land could be sold off in lots and he would release the lots so sold from his vendor’s lien upon the payment to him of the proceeds of the sale, and that he refused to comply with this agreement. And still another claim is that Fulton agreed to obtain a charter for a coal corporation to take over the land and he was paid $50.00 for this service but he failed to obtain the charter.

All of these various claims and contentions were denied by Fulton in his answer to the cross bill and the cause was finally heard on the pleadings and evidence and the trial court decided adversely to every claim and contention of the appellants, and, among other things, dismissed the [35]*35cross bill and ordered the land sold to satisfy the vendor’s lien. A decree was entered carrying the decision into effect and allowing a $25.00 credit on the charge made by Fulton for obtaining the charter and an abatement in the purchase price for .30 of an acre. There was an error in the computation of the .30 of an acre. At the rate of $200.00 per acre, it is apparent that the amount should have in fact been computed to be $60.00 instead of $120.00.

The land contained valuable coal and was mined by the appellants when the price of coal was from $12.00 to $17.00 per ton, but when the price of coal descended they discontinued their mining operations and then attempted, in 1924, to dispose of the property through an auction lot sale, but owing to complications unnecessary to mention failed to dispose of the property in this way.

The appellee went over the land with the appellants before the purchase and they claim that the streets and alleys were not pointed out to them while appellee contends that he pointed out these things and informed them of all the facts about the dedication.

The record presented is obscure. It was prepared in such a manner that it is difficult to ascertain just what the appellants are relying on for a reversal of the decree. Reviewing the record studiously and as a whole, it appears, behind all of the various and numerous claims asserted by the appellants, that there are just three main and decisive questions.

First: Was there an oral agreement to release the lots, as they were sold, and if so, did Fulton violate it?

Second: Did the appellants, under their deed, receive title to all of the land which they bought, consisting of 59.75 acres?

Third: Did the appellants know, at the time of the sale to them, that within the boundary streets and alleys had been dedicated?

[36]*36It is not necessary to pass upon the question of whether the appellants had the right to set up counterclaims and set-offs in this suit, nor is it necessary to pass upon the many claims for damages which have been asserted, because there is no evidence in the record which is sufficient to sustain any of their claims under their counterclaims and set-offs. Nor is there sufficient evidence to sustain any of their claims for damages.

The appellants claim that Fulton agreed orally with them at the time of the sale that he would release his vendor’s lien as to any lots sold by them, provided they would turn over to him the proceeds of such sales.

The evidence discloses that this tract of land was bought in 1920 for mining purposes and when coal mining was a very profitable business, and that the tract contained very valuable coal deposits. It is further shown that not until 1924 did the appellants make any efforts to sell any lots and at that time numerous liens for taxes and judgments had attached to the land. It is not satisfactorily explained how, even if Fulton had released his vendor’s lien, the appellants could have delivered good title to any of the lots to any prospective purchaser. The existence of these liens was in no way brought about directly or indirectly by Fulton and he had no power or control over them. At least one lot was sold by the appellants and they never offered to turn the purchase price over to the appellee, but kept it for their own use. They voluntarily executed a deed of trust on the entire tract in 1922, to secure a loan of $4,000.00, which was inconsistent with any thought of selling the tract off in lots.

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Bluebook (online)
154 S.E. 565, 155 Va. 31, 1930 Va. LEXIS 143, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/addington-v-fulton-va-1930.