Axtel v. Chase

83 Ind. 546
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1882
DocketNo. 8622
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 83 Ind. 546 (Axtel v. Chase) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Axtel v. Chase, 83 Ind. 546 (Ind. 1882).

Opinions

Morris, C.

This action was brought by appellee against the appellants to foreclose a mortgage.

The complaint states that, on the 1st day of October, 1873, the appellants Andrew J. Axtel and Susan M. Axtel executed a mortgage conveying to the appellee in-lot 323, in the town of Bloomington, to secure the payment of a note for $1,225, with seven per cent, interest and attorney’s fees; that on said day the appellee sold to the said Andrew J. Axtel, in-lot 323, in said town of Bloomington, and that the said note, executed by said Andrew J. Axtel, was given for the balance of the purchase-money on said lot; that, by the mutual mistake of the parties, the said lot was described in the mortgage executed by the said Axtels to the appellee to secure said note, as “ in-lot 328, in the town of Bloomington,” instead of “in-lot 323, in the town of Bloomington, Monroe county, Indiana;” that, on the 7th day of January, 1879, the First [548]*548National Bank of Bloomington, Indiana, recovered a judgment against the said Andrew J. Axtel for $712.60, which is still unpaid. The bank is made a party. It is averred that Axtel was put in possession of in-lot 323, at the time the mortgage was made by him, and that he has been in possession of it ever since. Copies of the note and mortgage are filed with the complaint.

The prayer of the complaint is that the mortgage may be reformed, and foreclosed as reformed, and judgment against Andrew J. on the note.

The appellants Andrew J. and Susan M. Axtel joined in a demurrer to the complaint, in which they say they demur separately to the complaint, because it does not contain facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against them or either of them. This demurrer must be regarded as a joint demurrer. The parties can not thus demur separately. Eichbredt v. Angerman, 80 Ind. 208.

The complaint confessedly states a good cause of action against the appellant Andrew J. Axtel. There was no error, therefore, in overruling the demurrer to the complaint.

Andrew J. Axtel filed a cross complaint in two paragraphs. In the first paragraph he states in substance the following facts: That on the — day of-, 1873, the appellee and he entered into a contract whereby the appellee, in consideration of $2,225, to be paid to her by the‘appellant Andrew J., agreed to convey to him immediately, by a good and sufficient warranty deed,'in-lot No. 323, in Bloomington, Indiana; that, in pursuance of said contract, the said Andrew J. paid the appellee $200, and executed to her his notes for the residue of said sum of $2,225, which notes the appellee accepted, and thereupon placed the appellant in possession of said lot; that since the execution of said notes the appellant has paid thereon, at the dates and in the amounts following, the sum of $1,450. It is also stated that the rents and profits of the lot, during the time the appellants have been in possession of the same, are worth $500; that they have paid the appellee $-of [549]*549taxes on said lot, and $30 for insurance on the buildings on the same; that the appellee failed and refused to convey said lot to appellant; that the appellee has no good and sufficient title to the lot and can not make such conveyance, though she' represented to him at the time of making said agreement that she had such title to said lot and could make such deed; that he was ignorant of the want of title in the appellee until after he had paid her said sums of money, and that, in making the payments, he relied upon the promise of the appellee to make said conveyance, and that, immediately after the discovery of the appellee’s want of title, and before the bringing of this suit, he offered to redeliver possession of said lot, and demanded the repayment to him of said sums, so paid to the appellee and paid out and expended for her benefit as aforesaid, and for the surrender and cancellation of said notes. Wherefore the appellant prayed judgment.

The second paragraph of the cross complaint of the appellant Andrew J. Axtel states the agreement between the parties, the payment of the $200, his possession of lot 323, and the execution of the notes and mortgage as the same are alleged in the first paragraph of the cross complaint, and avers, in addition thereto, that, at the time of the payment of the $200 and the execution of said notes and mortgage, the appellee executed to the said Andrew J. Axtel a deed for said lot, with the proper covenants of warranty, but, by the mutual mistake and inadvertence of the parties, the said lot was described in the deed so executed and in the said mortgage as lot 328, in said town of Bloomington, instead of lot 323. It is then alleged that the appellee delivered said deed to appellant, put him in possession of said lot and accepted said notes and mortgage; that she had not at the time, nor has she since had, any title to lot 323 or 328; that, since the execution of said notes and mortgage, the appellant has paid the appellee, “ at the dates and in the manner following; the sum of $1,450.” There is a blank left here that was intended to [550]*550be, but is not, filled. The cross complaint then proceeds as follows:

“ That plaintiff represented to him, at the time of the making of said deed and the paying of said money, that she had such title to said property, and could legally make to him such deed to said lot 323. And the defendant avers that he was ignorant of the want of title in plaintiff to said lot 323, until after the payment of said sums, and in making said agreement and accepting said deed and paying said sums, he relied upon said representations ■ of title; that, immediately upon learning of plaintiff’s want of title to said lot 323, defendant offered to surrender the possession of the same to the plaintiff, and demanded the repayment to him of said sums of money paid to and expended for the plaintiff, and the surrender and cancellation of said notes and mortgage.”

The prayer is that the deed be so reformed as correctly to describe said lot 323, and that the appellant have judgment for $3,000 damages, and the surrender and cancellation of said note and mortgage, and for other proper relief.

The appellants filed a joint answer, setting up the agreement between the parties, the execution of the deed by the appellee, and the execution of the notes by Andrew J.,.and the mortgage by the appellants; the mistake in the description of the lot, as stated in the second paragraph of the cross complaint of Andrew J. Axtel; that all of the purchase-money except the note in suit had been paid, and that the appellee had not, at any time, any title to either lot 328 or lot 323.

Andrew J. also filed a separate answer to so much of the complaint as seeks a personal judgment against him on said note, alleging the sale of the lot, the execution of the deed, notes and mortgage, the mistake in the description of the lot, the appellee’s want of title, and the amount of purchase-money paid, substantially as the same facts are stated in his cross complaint.

The appellants also filed a joint cross complaint, in which they stated that on the — day of —, 18 — , the said An[551]*551•drew J. Axtel filed in the office of the clerk of the Monroe Circuit Court, his complaint against the appellee, “averring therein the same facts which are alleged in the first and second paragraphs of Andrew J.

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Bluebook (online)
83 Ind. 546, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/axtel-v-chase-ind-1882.