Cahill v. Bassett

33 N.W. 722, 66 Mich. 407, 1887 Mich. LEXIS 500
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJune 23, 1887
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 33 N.W. 722 (Cahill v. Bassett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cahill v. Bassett, 33 N.W. 722, 66 Mich. 407, 1887 Mich. LEXIS 500 (Mich. 1887).

Opinion

Sherwood, J.

The plaintiffs bring ejectment to recover [409]*409the northerly half of lot number six, in block number twelve, in Crane and Wesson’s subdivision of the Forsyth farm, in the city of Detroit. The plea was the general issue.

The cause was tried in the superior court of Detroit by the judge thereof, without a jury, who, at the request of the parties, found the facts, and upon such findings entered judgment for the defendants.

It appears from these findings that William Cahill died intestate in 1876, and was at that time a resident of Marquette ; that the plaintiffs named in the declaration are his only heirs at law; that administration was had upon the estate of William in the probate court of Marquette county, and that Edward D. Nelson was duly appointed administrator of his estate; that on the tenth day of January, 1878, the administrator filed his petition for leave to sell the real ■estate, which comprises the land in question, for the payment of the debts of the estate, and that such subsequent proceedings were had thereon that afterwards, on the twentieth day of August, 1879, the lands in question were sold to Homer A. Flint, and the sale on the twenty-sixth day of September following was duly confirmed by the probate court; that on the ninth day of October 1879, the premises were duly conveyed by the administrator to Mr. Flint, the purchaser, who immediately took possession of the same, and that he and his grantees have been in possession ever since; that Bassett claims title through mense conveyances from Flint, and that he purchased the premises in good faith, and claims to own the land in fee simple. The other defendant claims only as tenant of Bassett.

Bassett also holds three city tax titles for taxes of 1877, 1878, and 1881, and one title for the State and county tax of 1878.

The court further found—

“ That in 1880, Mary P. Burt held a mortgage upon said [410]*410premises, executed by Henry S. Thomas, who was in possession thereof, claiming to own the same as a grantee of said Flint.”

The court further found as follows :

“8. That said premises were sold for the non-payment of the city taxes assessed thereon for the years 1877 and 1878, on June 1, 1878, and June 1, 1879, respectively, and were bid in at such sales by the city “of Detroit; that on November 9, 1880, one Bryant Walker, acting for said Mary P. Burt, paid to the treasurer of the city of Detroit the amount for which said land was sold to the city, and received from said city treasurer an assignment of the city’s bid therefor in due form, in which assignment said Walker was named as assignee; that by reason of said payment and assignment, in February, 1884, the controller of the city of Detroit executed in due form of law, and delivered to said Bryant Walker leases for said premises, in accordance with the terms of said respective sales, to wit, for the term of ninety-nine years from the several dates thereof.
“9. That in October, 1879, said premises were sold for the non-payment of the State and county taxes assessed thereon for the year 1878, and were bid in at such sale by the State of Michigan; that on the ninth day of December, 1880, said Bryant Walker, acting for said Mary P. Burt, paid the State Treasurer the amount for which said laud had been sold, together with the charges and interest to that date, and received a deed thereof from the Auditor General of the State of Michigan, in due form of law, in which deed said Bryant Walker was nam'td as grantee; that said several purchases were made by said Walker for the benefit of said Mary P. Burt, who held said mortgage on said premises.
“10. That subsequently, on January 21, 1881, said Mary P. Burt commenced proceedings in chancery to foreclose said mortgage, on the ground that default had been made in the payment of the taxes above named, and obtained a decree ordering said premises to be sold to pay said mortgage and taxes, and the interest thereon; that the amount paid by said Walker for said city and State and county tax- titles was included in the amount decreed to be due to said Burt; that subsequently said premises were sold under said decree for an amount sufficient to pay said decree; that said Bassett became the purchaser at said sale, which was made March 11, 1882, and said decree was satisfied by the payment of said [411]*411purchase money to said Mary P. Burt; that said Walker now holds said tax titles for the use and benefit of said defendant Bassett.
11. That in June, 1882, said premises were sold for the nonpayment of the city taxes assessed thereon for the year 1881, and were bid in at such sale by the city of Detroit; that on May 26, 1883, said Bryant Walker, acting for said defendant Bassett, paid to the city treasurer the amount for which said land was sold, together with interest and charges to that date, and received from him an assignment of the city’s bid thereior in due form, in which assignment said Walker was named assignee; that on the ninth day of February, 1884, the controller of the city of Detroit, by reason of said payment and assignment, executed in due form of law, and delivered to said Walker, a lease of said premises for the term of ninety-nine years from the date of said sale, in accordance with the terms of said sale; that said purchase was made by said Walker for the benefit of said defendant Bassett.
12. That in 1877, 1878, and 1881 said land was assessed to plaintiff’s ancestor, William Cahill; that there was included in the amount for which said land was sold for city taxes in 1877, 1878, and 1881 the interest on the taxes computed as authorized by the charter, in force at that time, and there was included in the amount for which said land was sold for State and county taxes the interest on the taxes computed as authorized by the statute (section 1071, How. Comp.); that the amount received by the city treasurer for the purchase of the several bids hereinbefore mentioned was included by him in his monthly statement to the common council; that said monthly statement was in each case formally approved by the common council and the board of councilmen of the city of Detroit; that subsequently in each instance the amount received by the city treasurer, in selling these city tax bids, was included in the annual report of the city treasurer, which annual report was made to the common' council in accordance with the charter, and was accepted, adopted, and approved by the common council and board of councilmen of the city of Detroit.
13. That the assessor’s certificate to the assessment roll for 1878, for State and county taxes on the land in question, was as follows:
“ T do hereby certify that I have set down, in the above assessment roll the real estate in the Eighth ward in the city of Detroit liable to be taxed, according to my best information, and that I have estimated the same at what I believe to be the true cash value; that the [412]*412said assessment roll contains a true statement of the aggregate valuation of the taxable personal estate of each any every person named in said roll; and that I have estimated the same at the true cash value, as’aforesaid, according to my best information and belief.’
“14.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
33 N.W. 722, 66 Mich. 407, 1887 Mich. LEXIS 500, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cahill-v-bassett-mich-1887.