Brownell & Co. v. Stoddard

60 N.W. 380, 42 Neb. 177, 1894 Neb. LEXIS 400
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 3, 1894
DocketNo. 5394
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 60 N.W. 380 (Brownell & Co. v. Stoddard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brownell & Co. v. Stoddard, 60 N.W. 380, 42 Neb. 177, 1894 Neb. LEXIS 400 (Neb. 1894).

Opinion

Irvine, C.

This was an action in the nature of a creditor’s bill by Brownell & Co., who had a judgment against Elijah Stoddard, seeking to subject to .the payment of that judgment certain land in Douglas county, which it was alleged had been conveyed by Stoddard through a third person to Stoddard’s wife in fraud of creditors. The Wood River Bank intervened, setting up a judgment in its favor against Stoddard and seeking the same relief. Stoddard and his wife, Mary D. Stoddard, were the defendants. The defendants answered jointly, denying the allegations of fraud and alleging that the conveyances were made for a valuable [180]*180consideration and without intent to defraud. It appeared that prior to August, 1887, the title to the land in question was in Elijah Stoddard; that on August 10, 1887, Stoddard and wife joined in a conveyance of the land to Joseph H. Gue; that on November 19, 1887, Gue conveyed to Mrs. Stoddard. The consideration stated in each deed was nominal. It also appeared that at the time of the conveyance to Gue there was a mortgage on the premises, owned by Gue,and that the land was otherwise incumbered. The conveyance to Gue was for the purpose of enabling Gue to obtain satisfaction of his claim, apparently by placing a new loan on the land to cover all the claims; but because of some cloud on the title it was impossible to effect this loan. Mrs. Stoddard was, however, possessed of means with which she then discharged the incumbrances, including that of Gue, and paid out some money for the purpose of removing the cloud from the title. Gue then conveyed the land to her. The court found substantially these facts, and held that by reason thereof Mrs. Stoddard was entitled only to be subrogated to the liens so by her discharged, together with certain taxes since paid by her, and the sum paid to remove the cloud from the title. The court also found that the land had been purchased by Stoddard in October, 1871, at which time Mrs. Stoddard paid $1,000 of the original purchase price. This $1,000, with interest from the time of payment, was added to the amount of Mrs. Stoddard’s lien. The whole sum thus found due her amounts to $9,936.51. The land was decreed to be sold to satisfy the judgments of the plaintiff and intervenor, subject to Mrs. Stoddard’s lien for this amount-.' The creditors appeal. No complaint is made of that portion of the decree subrogating Mrs. Stoddard to the rights of those creditors whose liens she paid. Complaint is restricted to the allowance of the $1,000 and interest, and of the taxes, and to a reservation in the decree of the homestead rights, if any, of the Stoddards.

[181]*1811. The evidence in regard to Mrs. Stoddard’s claim for $1,000 is very meager and will be quoted entire. Mrs. Stoddard is the only witness on the subject. She testifies as follows:

Q,. State when the land was originally purchased by your husband, Mr. Stoddard, whether you furnished any of the original purchase money.
A. I did.
Q. How much of it did you furnish?
A. $1,000.
Q. And do you remember what the original cost of it was ?
A. I think it was about $4,000.
Q,. And this $1,000 that you put into the original purchase price, you may state from what that money came.
A. From the sale of a house that I owned in North Brookville, Massachusetts.

Cross-examination by Mr. Adams:

Q. Mrs. Stoddard, when were you- married ?
A. I was married in 1868.
Q,. When did you move to Omaha?
A. I think it was in 1870.
Q,. How long before this land was purchased?
A. After we came.
Q. How long did you live here before it was purchased?
A. About two years, I think.
Q. This $1,000, did you have it when you first came out here, or was it sent to you?
A. Sent to me.
Q,. How long was it sent to you before the land was purchased ?
A. It was sent about the time the land was purchased.
Q,. At the time ?
A. Yes, sir; first payment.
Q,. In what form did it come ?■
A. I do not think I remember.
[182]*182Q. When it arrived did you receive it? Did you have it in your possession?
A. I don’t remember whether I did or not.
Q,. To whom was the money paid ? Do you know ?
A. To the party the place was purchased from, Mr. Mason.
Q,. Paid by your husband to Mr. Mason ?
A. Probably.
Q. You don’t know?
A. I don’t remember.
Q. Your husband never gave you any note to represent this?
A. No, sir.

We are very clearly of the opinion that an error was committed in allowing this sum of $1,000, with interest, as a lien upon the land. It will be observed that in this evidence it-does not appear that any evidence of indebtedness was taken; that it was not claimed that even a parol agreement existed whereby Mrs. Stoddard was to have a lien for the amount advanced. If A lend B $1,000, we do not understand that he acquires a specific lien on the land which B purchases with the money so borrowed merely because the money was so used. But the evidence also fails to establish a loan. Mrs. Stoddard says she “furnished” a portion of the purchase money. This word “furnished” is the only word used either by her or her counsel in describing the transaction. It is not pretended that there was any agreement for repayment, much less any lien by contract upon the land. It would seem that if Mrs. Stoddard be entitled to any relief ón account of this item, it would be upon the theory that a trust resulted to her to the extent of a quarter interest in the land, it appearing that the whole purchase price was $4,000. In such event the decree would, under the evidence as to value, be without prejudice to appellants. Can a resulting trust be established on such evidence? We think not. The doctrine of [183]*183resulting trusts is founded upon the presumed intention of the parties. “A trust is never presumed or implied as intended by the parties unless, taking all the circumstances together, that is the fair and reasonable interpretation of their acts a<nd transactions.” (2 Story, Equity Jurisprudence, sec. 1195.) The doctrine of a resulting trust from payment of the consideration money “has its origin in the natural presumption, in the absence of all rebutting circumstances, that he who supplies the money means the purchase to be for his own benefit rather than for that of another.” (2 Story, Equity Jurisprudence, sec.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
60 N.W. 380, 42 Neb. 177, 1894 Neb. LEXIS 400, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brownell-co-v-stoddard-neb-1894.