Bouvier v. Baltimore & New York Railway

60 L.R.A. 750, 51 A. 781, 67 N.J.L. 281, 1902 N.J. LEXIS 102
CourtSupreme Court of New Jersey
DecidedMarch 17, 1902
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 60 L.R.A. 750 (Bouvier v. Baltimore & New York Railway) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bouvier v. Baltimore & New York Railway, 60 L.R.A. 750, 51 A. 781, 67 N.J.L. 281, 1902 N.J. LEXIS 102 (N.J. 1902).

Opinion

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Collins, J.

It is unnecessary to state the various exceptions sealed at the trial on rulings assigned for error in this court. They are sufficient to present the questions argued, of which we will now dispose. It is conceded that, by the deed of March 22d, 1889, the grantee took an estate upon condition subsequent; and that, upon a breach, the grantors might reenter the land conveyed as of their former estate. I will take up, in order, the contentions of the plaintiff in error:

(1) Thai neither of the conditions imposed was in fact broken. It is plain that a failure to lay two railroad tracks for the whole length of the one-hundred-foot strip, within-a reasonable time after the conveyance, was a breach of the third condition. We are satisfied with what was said on this subject by Chief Justice Depue, in the Supreme Court, when the case was there on a special verdict held abortive because silent on essential matter. Bouvier v. Baltimore and New York Railway Co., 36 Vroom 313. Whether a double track over the whole route would not have been needful for performance of [286]*286such condition need not be decided. The verdict establishes that the time that had elapsed when the suit was brought was more than reasonable for the purpose. Without doubt a much shorter time would have been unreasonably long.

(2) That a tender bade of the consideration money was a prerequisite to re-entry. Ho authority is stated for this proposition, and it seems entirely unsound. The conditions of the conveyance must be presumed to have entered-into its consideration.

(3) That a breach of the third condition gave a right of re-entry on the one-hundred-foot strip alone. The contention is that the conveyance was of two separate parcels, and that a breach of the third condition could have no effect with respect to the triangle adjoining, on the northwest, the one-hundred-foot strip that lajr within the filed route of the railroad. We do not so interpret the instrument. The conveyance was of a single tract, describing it by metes and bounds. It was not even provided that the passenger station contemplated should be wholly within the northwest triangle. The conveyance was plainly an entirety.

(4) That performance of the conditions of the conveyance was waived. There was no evidence of any waiver. Mere delay in asserting the right of re-entry cannot prejudice that right where the question of performance itself is one of reasonable time. Indulgence in such a case is no waiver.

(5) That there was incidental error in the charge. An assumption of the trial judge of a purpose of the grantors, in imposing conditions on their conveirance, that their remaining land should be made more valuable and accessible, is criticised, The idea seems to be that no such purpose was expressed, and that the remarks to the jury on that subject bore unfairly on the question of reasonable time of constructing a double-track railway over the strip conveyed. We see no ground for criticism. The purpose suggested was inherent in the premises.

(6) That the plaintiff below showed no right in himself, (a) because a right of entry for condition broken is not transferable after breach, (b) or, if at all, not in partition proceedings.

[287]*287There seems to be no good reason why, even before June 28th, 1893, the date of the deed given by Reichard to Salter, a double-track railway might not have been constructed over the one-hundred-foot strip conveyed by the deed of March 22d, 1889, which was made on condition of such a construction. Consequently, if a right of entry for conditipn broken cannot, after breach, be legally assigned, the trial judge should’ have complied with some, or one, of the requests to charge, above recited, that were based on that doctrine.

I find nothing definite said by the old reporters or law writers on the subject of transfer of rights of entry for condition broken, until Littleton, treating of estates upon condition, after noting the requirement of the law as to the reserving of rent, wrote thus, as prefatory to a statement that the grant of the reversion of leased lands did not convey a right of entry for breach of condition to pay rent: “Le second chose est, que nul entrie ou re-entrie (que est tout un) peit etre reserve ne done a ascun person, forsque tanisolement al feoffor ou al donor, ou al lessor, ou a lour heiresj and liel re-enter ne poyi estre grant a un auter person.” The date of the publication of the Tenures is unknown, but Littleton died a. d. 1481. The statute of uses (27 Hen. VIII., c. 10), passed a. d. 1535, gave opportunity for much amelioration in the transfer of rights in land, but, beyond the introduction of conditional limitations, by which estates might be granted in remainder, on breach of condition of the first grantee’s title, there seems to have been no judicial modification of Littleton’s doctrine; and no legislative relief, except that, in 1540, by 32 Hen. VIII., c. 34, the benefit of conditions in leases, for life or 3years, reserving rent, were allowed to pass with the reversion.

On the other hand, in the same year, parliament enlarged the Pretended Titles act of a. d. 1377 (1 Rich. II., c. 9, by 32 Hen. VIII., c. 9), forbidding bargain, sale or purchase of rights or titles in land where the grantor was not in possession. Not long afterwards Chief Justice Montagu declared that this statute was largely affirmatory. Partridge v. Strange, Plowd. 77, 88.

[288]*288Coke, writing before a. d. 1638, in his comment on Little-ton’s declaration, gives the reason of the doctrine as follows:

“Que mil entrie, &c. Here Littleton reciteth one of the máximes of the common law; and the reason hereof is for the avoyding of maintenance, suppression of right and the stirring up of suites; and therefore nothing in action, entrie or re-entrie can be granted over: for so under colour thereof pretended titles might be granted to great men whereby right might be trodden downe and the weake oppressed which the common law forbiddoth as men to grant before they be in possession.’’ Co. Litt. 214 a. About the same time, in his remarks upon Lampet’s Case, 10 Rep. 46, 48, he wrote of “the great wisdom and policy of the sages and founders of our law, who have provided that no possibility, right, title nor thing iii action shall be granted to strangers, for that would be the occasion of multiplying of contentions and suits, of great oppression of the people and chiefly of terre-tenants and the subversion of the due and equal execution of justice.”

To the same effect is the declaration in Bacon's Abridgement, the foundation of which work is generally attributed to Chief Baron Gilbert:

“A possibility, right of entry, or thing in action, or cause of suit, or title for a condition broken, cannot be granted or assigned over by law; for, if this were permitted, it would promote maintenance and prove prejudicial to such as, being able to contend with those with whom the original contract was, might And themselves depressed by a powerful adversary.’’ Tit. "Assignment" A, and substantially the same statement, tit. “Grants" D. Mr. Hargrave, in note 313 on Coke's Littleton, expresses the same view.

It is'needless to quote other writers or judges.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
60 L.R.A. 750, 51 A. 781, 67 N.J.L. 281, 1902 N.J. LEXIS 102, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bouvier-v-baltimore-new-york-railway-nj-1902.