Darnell v. Wilmoth

72 S.E. 1023, 69 W. Va. 704, 1911 W. Va. LEXIS 165
West Virginia Supreme Court·Decided November 14, 1911·Published·Cited by 12 cases

Opinion

Robinsoh, Judge:

In. this action seeking damages for cutting growing timber, plaintiff has judgment, by the verdict of a jury, and defendants challenge the regularity and propriety of the same by writ of error.

A preliminary question is raised: Are the papers and testimony submitted as evidence before the jury, and the instructions given and refused, made a part of the record by proper bills of exceptions? If they are not made a part of the record, we cannot consider the assignments of error, for the assignments all relate to these matters pertaining to the trial. We hold, however, that the evidence and instructions are properly before us as record of the court belonv. It is true that they have been made so by a method somewhat novel, but, we think, none the less substantial and effective. The trial judge has certified the stenographer's transcript by his signature and seal under a declaration that it contains all the evidence adduced at the trial. The vacation order which the judge has made pursuant to the statute, directed to the clerk for entry, perticularly identifies this transcript and recites the name of each witness whose testi-money it contains. It also points out the written papers offered in evidence and the instructions given and refused, by references which leave no uncertainty as to the identification of the very papers and instructions meant. Then that order, a veritable bill of exceptions itself, under the seal and signature of the judge, declares that all the evidence, papers and instructions referred to and identified therein are “made a part of the record as fully and completely and to have the same effect as if entered in term time.” This act of the trial judge, in vacation, within the time fixed bjr statute, clearly suffices to bring the papers, evidence and instructions into the record. The identification is as completely set out as it ordinarily is in separate and formal bills of exceptions. The documents referred to are so plainly pointed out that there can be no mistake in referring to them in connection with the vacation order of the trial judge. The mere fact that the judge malíes the vacation order to have the force of a bill of exceptions itself is no argument against the validity of the procedure. The judge has simply done by the one order what is generally done by separate bills of exceptions referred to, [706] and certified, by an order. The old method of formal bills of exceptions tends to more certainty, and we hope that there will be no general departure therefrom. It is at least more judicial. But where there is the substantiality for the purpose of making evidence and papers a part of the record that is disclosed in the order of the trial judge in this case, we cannot say .jhat it does not serve the purpose. Old forms, however, have' arguments in their favor.

The controversy arises from the terms of the deed by which plaintiff conveyed standing timber on his land to one Arbogast. The timber conveyed to Arbogast, by intermediate conveyances, became vested in defendants. Plaintiff claims that his deed did not convey the chestnut and maple timber. Defendants insist that it conveyed timber of all kinds, and that the timber for which plaintiff claims damages was their own. So the case turns on a construction of the deed.

The granting clause of the deed, omitting the statement of consideration, is as follows: “ * * * * the parties of the first part sell and convey with general warranty unto the said Arbogast all the oak timber of all kinds, all the spruce and hemlock, the ash and poplar, the hickory, except for farm use, and the white and yellow lynn, timber on a tract of 196 acres- lying on both sides of Deer Creek, a tributary of Brush run, adjoining the lands of Peter Yeager and others, and bounded as. follows, to wit”: The bounds of the tract are set forth by definite calls and distances. Following these there is a stipulation as to the time “said timber is to stand” on the land. Then comes the last paragraph of the deed- — a separate one: “It is the intention • of the parties of the first part to convey unto the said Arbogast all the timber included in said bounds and the parties of the first part give a free right of way for cutting and removing said timber or -any adjoining timber over their land by tram road or otherwise.”

Does the deed convey the maple and chestnut timber? It is not properly susceptible of a construction that makes it say that it does. There is a particular description of the timber meant to be conveyed, in the granting clause of the deed. Was that particularity, in the very clause that was intended to grant the estate, entered into for naught? Why particularize so [707] specifically as to certain kinds of timber, if all this was to be wiped out at the end of the deed ? Can we reasonably say that the grantor meant nothing by this definite and carefully stated enumeration of species of timber ? His words in this particular must be given effect if it is possible to do so. We cannot erase them from the deed lightly. There must be clear intent expressed by the deed as a whole that the particularization was for no purpose before we can ignore it. Because of the very particularity, and its position in the deed in connection with the words of grant, it is entitled to more consideration than to be lightly annihilated. For what purpose was this particularization entered into? The answer naturally is: To 'show what kinds of timber the grantor conveyed. Why name specific kinds of timber as carried by this conveyance if it was not to distinguish those named from those not named and not intended to pass by the deed?

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Darnell v. Wilmoth, 72 S.E. 1023, 69 W. Va. 704, 1911 W. Va. LEXIS 165 (W. Va. 1911).

72 S.E. 1023 (Darnell v. Wilmoth) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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