Eversole v. Theimer

256 S.W.2d 927, 1953 Tex. App. LEXIS 2299
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 26, 1953
DocketNo. 12517
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 256 S.W.2d 927 (Eversole v. Theimer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Eversole v. Theimer, 256 S.W.2d 927, 1953 Tex. App. LEXIS 2299 (Tex. Ct. App. 1953).

Opinion

MONTEITH, Chief Justice.

This action was brought in the District •Court of Washington County in regular form of trespass to try title by E. M. Peters .as next friend of Ben Theimer, for recovery of title and possession of 250.96 acres of land, more or less, described in ap-pellee’s pleadings as being partly in the William Munson, Dan Miller and Gibson Kuykendall Surveys in Washington County, Texas, and for damages. He alleged that on January 10,1950, Ben Theimer was a person of impaired mental condition and that he was without sufficient mental capacity to enter into any contractual relations or to understand the legal effects of Ris own acts and deeds in caring for his estate. That on that date L. A. Eversole had, as a part of a fraudulent design, represented to Ben Theimer that if he would place the title to the land in controversy in his name, he would pay to Ben Theimer $6,500 in cash and provide a home for him; that Ben Theimer relied upon said representations and executed and delivered a conveyance of said land to Eversole, but that the Eversoles refused to carry out their arrangements made with him in reference to the consideration for said land.

That Ben Theimer on said date had deeded said lands to L. A. Eversole and wife, the deed reciting a consideration of $10 cash and $6,500 evidenced by a vendor’s lien note payable to the Slavonic Mutual Fire Insurance Association, and secured by a deed of trust; and that said deed should be set aside and held for naught for the reason that at the time of its execution Ben Theimer was mentally incompetent to understand the nature and legal effect of such instrument and the consideration to be paid therefor; that the appellants named had personal contact with Ben Theimer prior to the execution of the deed and had actual knowledge of such mental incompetency on the part of Ben Theimer and that L. A. Eversole and his wife had set out to overreach and defraud Ben Theimer. That they had represented to him that they would buy his farm for $13,000, paying therefor $6,500 in monthly payments of $100 per month and that they would borrow from the Slavonic Mutual Fire Insurance Association the remaining $6,500. That when the deed was prepared, instead of providing for the $6,500 that was to be paid by them in $100 monthly installments with a lien, no such lien was provided for and that the only payment Ben Theimer had received for said land was $6,321.10 of the $6,500 note provided for in favor of Slavonic Mutual Fire Insurance Association. They alleged in the alternative and plead that Ben Theimer was a person of unsound mind. That L. A. Eversole and wife had promised to find Theimer a wife, and that he was induced to execute said deed by the assurance from Eversole and wife that he would 'be thoroughly protected in the $13,-000 for his land.

Appellants L. A. Eversole and wife denied plaintiff’s allegations and alleged that they had no. knowledge of any mental impairment on the part of Ben Theimer and that they had acted in good faith. By cross-action appellants sought judgment as cross-plaintiffs, removing the cloud on their [929]*929title to the land in controversy, and for affirmative relief.

In answer to special issues submitted, the jury found that at the time of the execution by Ben Theimer of the deed in question, Ben Theimer did not then have sufficient mental capacity to understand the nature and effect of such deed. They found that on January 9, 1950, L. A. Eversole had notice of the fact that Ben Theimer did not have sufficient mental capacity to understand the nature and effect of such deed. They found that $325 would he a fair, reasonable, annual rental for the land in question. They found that Ben Theimer and the defendants Eversole and wife had agreed that the defendants Eversole and wife were to pay to plaintiff Ben Theimer at the rate of $100 per month the unpaid balance of the purchase price for the property conveyed by said deed over and above the amount of the loan made by the Slavonic Mutual Fire Insurance Association. They found that L. A. Eversole represented to Ben Theimer that it was not necessary to incorporate in the deed any mention of the manner and method of payment of that portion of the purchase consideration over and above the amount advanced by the defendant Slavonic Mutual Fire Insurance Association. That Ben Theimer was induced to execute the deed in question in reliance upon the representations of appellant L. A. Eversole that it was not necessary to incorporate in such deed any mention of the manner and method of payment. They found that L. A. Eversole in good faith, prior to the institution of this suit, had made valuable improvements on said land and that the sum of $650 would compensate him for the money expended by him in making permanent improvements on the land, and that Eversole had paid $189 in taxes on the property for the year 1950-1951.

Judgment was rendered by the trial court that the deed in controversy did not recite the entire purchase consideration for said land and that payment had not been made to Ben Theimer of any part of said portion of the purchase consideration agreed to over and above the amount of $6,321.10 advanced by defendant Slavonic Mutual Fire Insurance Association. That Ben Theimer had acknowledged that he received in cash money, at the time of the execution of said deed, the sum of $6,321 as part of the purchase consideration for said land. The court decreed that precedent to the benefits and relief granted to the plaintiff Ben Theimer that restoration in the sum of $6,321.10 be made by appellee Ben Theimer by payment of said amount into the registry of the court for payment and distribution to the defendants and cross-plaintiff L. A. Eversole and wife in the amount of $1,121.10 and to the defendant and cross-plaintiff Slavonic Mutual Fire Insurance Association the sum of $5,-200. The Court found in the order entered that Ben Theimer was without a legal guardian and without cash funds sufficient to make any restoration therein, and that E. M. Peters as next friend of Ben Theimer had advanced from his own funds and tendered into the registry of the court the sum of $6,321.10 for restoration and distibution when this decree became final. That the sum of $6,321.10 having been tendered into the registry of the court by E. M. Peters for the purposes aforesaid, the court decreed and found that repayment of said funds to the said E. M. Peters should be secured by an equitable lien on said land. The court decreed that Ben Theimer have and recover of and from appellants L. A. Eversole and wife the title to and possession of said 250.96 acres of land; and that the deed from plaintiff Ben Theimer to defendants L. A. Eversole and wife be held to be without further force and effect and that the said deed of trust lien recorded as aforesaid should be held to be without further force and effect as a lien on said land and that any cloud cast upon the title to said land by either of said instruments of record be removed and that the title to said lands be divested out of said defendants and vested in plaintiff Ben Theimer. That the sum of $650 representing reasonable rental value of said lands for the years 1950 and 1951 be offset against the sum of $839 (representing the aggregate sum of the value of permanent improvements placed upon said land, and the amount of taxes paid for the years [930]*9301950-1951 by Eversole and wife,) and that said appellants Eversole and wife have and recover judgment against the plaintiff Ben Theimer for the sum of $189. The court decreed that an equitable lien be decreed by the court upon and against said lands in the sum of $6,321.10 to secure repayment of said sum to the said E. M. Peters.

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Bluebook (online)
256 S.W.2d 927, 1953 Tex. App. LEXIS 2299, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/eversole-v-theimer-texapp-1953.