Fewell v. Kinsella

144 S.W. 1174, 1912 Tex. App. LEXIS 995
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 17, 1912
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 144 S.W. 1174 (Fewell v. Kinsella) 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
Fewell v. Kinsella, 144 S.W. 1174, 1912 Tex. App. LEXIS 995 (Tex. Ct. App. 1912).

Opinions

JAMES, C. J.

The amended petition of W. J. Fewell set forth, first, the ordinary allegation in trespass to try title, claiming a strip of ground beginning at a point on the northerly line of San Antonio street, in the city of El Paso, 31 feet easterly from the corner of San Antonio and El Paso streets; thence running northerly 86% feet to the south line of lot 34 in block 6, according to Anson Mills’ map of El Paso, said point on the south line of said lot 34 being 31 feet from the east line of El Paso street; thence running easterly with the south line of said lot 341/32 feet; and thence running southerly 86% feet in a direct line to a point on the north line of San Antonio street and on the south line of lot 35 in block 6, 31.845 feet easterly from the southwest corner of said lot 35; and thence running westerly with the north line of San Antonio street .845 of a 'foot to the place of beginning; said strip having an average width of 1.005 feet. And by a second count he alleged that he owned said lot of 31 feet (describing same) and has been in possession of same more than 28 years, and in addition thereto he is the owner of the adjoining strip above described; that Kinsella owns adjoining said strip on the east; that for more than 28 years, and until within a short time prior to filing of the original petition herein, there has existed an adobe wall, about two feet thick, one half thereof being on plaintiff’s land described in the first count, and the other half of said adobe wall being on Kin-sella’s land immediately east of said strip; that plaintiff has had upon his land a storehouse, and has been using as a part of his building and property the westerly half of said wall and the land upon which it was erected for more than 28 years; that a short time before filing his original petition he tore down his building, with the knowledge and consent of defendant, in order to erect another, and said wall becoming dangerous it was, under the orders of the city, or at its request, by defendant, or with his knowledge and consent, torn down; that it was plaintiff’s purpose to erect another party wall, run the line where the old wall stood, but that Kinsella refused to allow him to do 'so, but, over plaintiff’s protest, and within a few weeks prior to the filing of plaintiff’s petition, erected a brick wall, about 12 inches in thickness, beginning on San Antonio street and running back for the depth of plaintiff’s property, and instead of putting said brick wall on his own ground, or on the line of said adobe wall, erected it entirely on the ground of plaintiff, over plaintiff’s protest, and at the time of filing the original petition said brick wall was finished and standing entirely on plaintiff’s ground, and belongs to plaintiff; that when his petition was filed plaintiff was about through erecting a building on his ground, and was preparing to connect his building with said brick wall, and Kinsella objected, and still objects, to his so using the wall, and notified plaintiff’s agents, contractors, and employes not to connect any portion of the building to said wall, and not to plaster the wall, and to make no use of same, and has prevented, and is threatening to prevent by force, any such use of the wall, etc., to plaintiff’s irreparable injury, etc., and prayed that the temporary injunction granted in this cause be made perpetual; and that on final hearing he have judgment, recovering from defendant the title and possession of said strip lying immediately east of said lot of 31 feet by 86% feet described in the second count, and for general relief.

In addition to the above, plaintiff claimed title to the said strip .845 of a foot on San Antonio street and 1.32 feet in width at the northerly end, and lying east of said 31 feet, by the 10-year statute of limitations, and finally prayed for judgment for said strip, as well as for the 31 feet. • '

Kinsella pleaded not guilty, add, in substance, that he had been in possession and exclusive use of said adobe wall, the same constituting part of his building and the ground upon which it was located, for more than 20 years before the institution of this suit, and set up the 3, 5, and 10 year statutes as to the strip sued for, and disclaiming as to the 31 feet west of the strip; that the adobe wall was situated upon the strip sued for, and was a part of and constituted the east wall of a store building owned by defendant; that he was required by the city of El Paso to tear it down as unsafe, and in legal compliance therewith he tore it down and immediately erected in its stead a new brick wall, situated on the strip sued for, in the use and enjoyment of which plaintiff was interfering with defendant; that said strip was a part of the land belonging to him, and that plaintiff had no title or interest therein, nor in the new wall erected by defendant, which was entirely on defendant’s land; and defendant, after setting up that after plaintiff had procured an injunction against him plaintiff tore away defendant’s roof and connected his building with said brick wall, prayed that the injunction be dissolved, and plaintiff be restrained from interfering with defendant’s use of the same, and he asked also 'for damages.

After hearing the testimony, the court directed the jury to find for plaintiff practically all the land sued for lying west of the old wall as it stood between the two build[1176]*1176ings, describing same as follows: Beginning at the southwest corner of lot 35 in block 6, according to the Anson Mills’ map of El Paso, at the intersection of the north line of San Antonio street and east line of El Paso street; thence northerly along the east line of El Paso street 86% feet to the south line of lot 34 in said block; thence at right angles easterly along said south line of lot 34, 31.3 feet; thence southerly in direct line 80% feet to a point in. north line of San Antonio street, which point is 31 feet east from the beginning point; and thence westerly along the north line of San Antonio street 31 feet to the place of beginning. And directed the jury to find for defendant the balance of the land in controversy and sued for in the petition, and to find that plaintiff had no easement in the brick wall, and that plaintiff take nothing by this claim for damages, and to find against defendant on his claim for damages. The verdict was returned accordingly.

[1] The first assignment of error is that the court erred in instructing a verdict against plaintiff for the balance of the land described in .the petition, after they should find for plaintiff for the 31 feet fronting on San Antonio street by 82% on the east line of El Paso street, and extending on the north 31.3 feet.

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Bluebook (online)
144 S.W. 1174, 1912 Tex. App. LEXIS 995, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fewell-v-kinsella-texapp-1912.