Coughanour v. Grayson

113 P. 724, 19 Idaho 255, 1911 Ida. LEXIS 17
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 31, 1911
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 113 P. 724 (Coughanour v. Grayson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Coughanour v. Grayson, 113 P. 724, 19 Idaho 255, 1911 Ida. LEXIS 17 (Idaho 1911).

Opinion

SULLIVAN, J.

This action was originally commenced in the district court of Boise county, and the mining claims referred to herein are situated near Quartzburg in said county. By stipulation of parties the cause was transferred to the Ada county district court for trial. After the transfer, plaintiff, without objection, filed his amended complaint.

The complaint shows, among other things, that on June 12, 1896, the plaintiff, together with Thomas Mootry, Jr., and David B. Coughanour, were, and for more than five years prior thereto had been, the owners of the Pioneer, Gold Hill, Dunlap and the Confederate lode mining claims situated in Granite creek mining district, Boise county; that by reason of trouble between the owners of said mining, claims, suit [258]*258had been commenced in the district court of said Boise county for the division or sale of said mining claims and a decree had been entered therein directing such sale, which sale was made by the sheriff of that county; that Robert R. Grayson, son of the respondent, prior to the sale, had informed himself with reference to said mining claims and had resolved to purchase them in behalf of himself and the respondent; that plaintiff had for a number of years been the manager in the operation of said mining claims, and prior to the said sheriff’s sale said Robert R. Grayson proposed to appellant that he would at said sheriff’s sale purchase said mining claims and pay for them and make such expenditures as were necessary for the future development thereof, and in consideration of plaintiff’s giving him certain information and advising him as to the proper course of procedure and best method of working them, and assisting him in the working or disposing of said claims, and aiding him to prevent future litigation in regard thereto, he would pay the plaintiff one-seventh of all the profits in the workings of said claims, in the event they were worked, and one-seventh of all moneys or other matters of value derived from the sale thereof, less the expenditures made thereon, and that plaintiff agreed to said proposition and said contract was entered into between him and said Robert R. Grayson who represented himself and the defendant in said matter; that such proceedings were had at such sale that the said Robert R. Grayson bought in said claims for the sum of $4,500 and took a deed therefor; that under such sale the respondent and the said Robert R. Grayson, who is now deceased, frequently advised with the plaintiff in regard to the best procedure and method of working the claims and disposing of them, and in reference to legal complications surrounding them under the terms of said agreement; that afterward, and in the year 1899, the respondent succeeded to the entire interest of said Robert R. Grayson in said mining claims, and since that time and up to the time of selling them to other parties, was the sole owner thereof; that at all times prior to acquiring title to said mining claims in his own name, the respondent was aware of the contract [259]*259■between plaintiff and his son Robert, and assented thereto,, both orally and in writing, and in 1897, at Boise City, Idaho, renewed the contract and agreement made between Robert R. Grayson and the plaintiff with reference to the interest of plaintiff in said mining property; that in August, 1906,, the defendant sold and disposed of the property in question,, receiving a large sum therefor; that appellant thereafter-demanded a settlement or accounting with the respondent,, which was refused, and the plaintiff therefore asks as his relief in the action “that the defendant be adjudged to account and pay to plaintiff one-seventh of all amounts received' by him from any source in and about said mining claims over and above the amount paid out by him for said claims, or on account thereof.”

The respondent answered the amended complaint and denied upon information and belief the ownership of the property in litigation upon the part of plaintiff and his. associates and the troubles between them, but admits that a suit was brought for a division or sale of the property; also-that prior to the sale of the property, Robert' R. Grayson (defendant’s son) made examination of the property and avers that he made such, examination as defendant’s agent, but denies that he was agent in all matters affecting said property; denies on information and belief that the alleged agreement between plaintiff and Robert R. Grayson had ever been made or'that plaintiff had ever been superintendent or manager of the mining claims in question or in charge thereof; and all other allegations of a similar nature in the amended complaint; admits that Robert R. Grayson bought said mining claims at sheriff’s sale, but alleges that in buying these claims he did so as the agent of defendant and for defendant,, and that the defendant was the real owner of said claims, and that said Robert R. Grayson was not an owner therein; denies on information and belief that defendant rendered, assistance in regard to the working of said claims, attending to lawsuits, etc.; admits that in 1899 the said Robert R. Gray-son deeded the property in question to the defendant, but denies that up to that time said Robert R. Grayson had any • [260]*260interest in the claims and alleges he had been holding them in trust for the plaintiff; denies any knowledge of the agreement between his said son and the appellant with reference to said claims and a renewal on the part of respondent of the agreement between his said son and appellant, and denies generally any right or interest of the plaintiff in or to the claims or the proceeds of them; admits the sale of the mining claims in question as alleged in the complaint, and also demand by plaintiff for an accounting.

The defendant then sets up as a defense new matter to the effect that in 1896 he employed his said son to act as his agent to purchase the property described in the complaint, and that in accordance with said employment, said Robert R. Grayson proceeded to Idaho and bought the property in question; that said Robert had no power to make any contract or agreement of any kind with reference to the property except to purchase the same; that afterward and in 1899, Robert deeded the property to the defendant, and that defendant had never at any time had any knowledge of any agreement between his son and the plaintiff with reference to the property, and never agreed in his own behalf with plaintiff that plaintiff should be interested in said property.

Answering further, the defendant pleads that the pretended agreement set forth in plaintiff’s complaint was an agreement creating an interest in real estate, and that the agreement was not in writing and no memorandum or note thereof in writing was signed by the defendant; also alleges that he never made any agreement at any time with plaintiff in regard to said mining claims.

Upon the issues thus made the cause came on for trial before the court without a jury. During the trial the defendant interposed objections to the introduction of any testimony tending to-show any estate or interest in said mining claims unless it was first shown that said interest was created, granted or declared by an instrument in writing and subscribed by the parties. The court, under said objection and a number of other similar objections, made a tentative ruling [261]*261overruling the objections with the understanding that such objections should be further considered on final argument.

At the conclusion of the evidence, the defendant moved for a nonsuit, which was denied, and thereupon proceeded to put in his testimony.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
113 P. 724, 19 Idaho 255, 1911 Ida. LEXIS 17, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/coughanour-v-grayson-idaho-1911.