Gage v. Downey

19 P. 113, 3 Cal. Unrep. 7, 1888 Cal. LEXIS 978
CourtCalifornia Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 20, 1888
DocketNo. 12,377
StatusPublished

This text of 19 P. 113 (Gage v. Downey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gage v. Downey, 19 P. 113, 3 Cal. Unrep. 7, 1888 Cal. LEXIS 978 (Cal. 1888).

Opinion

THORNTON, J.

We see no ground to dismiss the appeals herein or either of them. Admitting that the notice of intention to move for a new trial is no part of the record, because not made such by bill of exceptions or statement, still it is evidence that the motion was submitted and denied by the court, at which time the respondents (defendants in the court below) were represented by their attorney, Levi Chase, Esq. This is shown by the order denying the motion for a new trial, entered in the minutes of the court on the 29th of August, 1887, which is as follows: “The defendants being present by L. Chase, Esq., their attorney, the plaintiff’s motion for a new trial being now submitted is at this time denied by the court.” The record shows no objection to the submission of this motion on the ground that no notice so to move was served and filed in time. Under these circumstances, it would be manifestly unjust to hold that the court below did not acquire jurisdiction of the motion, or to dismiss the appeal from the order denying the motion for a new trial. Every intendment sustains the action of the court. The failure to object, and the action of the court in passing on the motion and not dismissing it, afford an irresistible presumption that all things were regularly done; that the proper notice of intention had been given, and the statement regularly prepared. It follows from the foregoing that the motion to dismiss either appeal must be denied.

The plaintiffs in this cause are Henry T. Gage and Cornelia Rains de Foley, and the defendants are John G. Downey and the Merchants’ Exchange Bank of San Francisco. The [9]*9action is ejectment to recover possession of an undivided one-half of a tract of land situate in San Diego county, known as the “Rancho Valle de San Jose,” for which a patent was issued by the United States on the 10th of January, 1880, to Sylvestre de la Portilla, and also an undivided twelve twenty-fifths of a tract of land situate in the same county, known as the “Rancho Valle de San Jose,” for which a patent was, on January 16, 1880, issued by the United States to J. J. Warner. Judgment was rendered for the defendants. The plaintiffs moved for a new trial, which was denied. The latter prosecute the appeals herein from the judgment and order denying a new trial.

On the 16th of April, 1836, a grant was made to Sylvestre de la Portilla by N. Guiterrez, political chief, of the place called “Valle de San Jose,” containing four square leagues. On the eighth day of June, 1840, a grant was made to Jose Antonio Pico by Juan B. Alvarado, governor of California, of the place called “Agua Caliente,” to the extent mentioned in the plan accompanying the expediente. On the twenty-eighth day of November, 1841, a grant was made to J. J. Warner by Manuel Micheltorena, governor of California, of the place called “Valle de San Jose,” containing six square leagues, more or less. The grants to Portilla and Warner were confirmed, and patents were issued to them severally, as above set forth. The grant to Pico was rejected. On the 6th of November, 1858, Portilla conveyed all his interest in the rancho to one Vicente S. de Carillo. Some time prior to 1856, say in 1854, J. J. Warner mortgaged his rancho Valley of San Jose to J. Mora Moss. Suit was brought to foreclose this mortgage in the district court for San Diego county. In this action a homestead was set apart by the court to Warner and wife. This homestead tract is described in the decree, and is a portion of the southwestern part of the ranch, a tract said to be a league, and was directed to be sold under this decree to satisfy Moss’ mortgage. This latter tract is described in the decree. It does not appear that the league was ever sold. This decree seems to have been entered in 1856. Surely, in the absence of proof, it may be conclusively presumed that Moss’ debt was paid to Warner, and that this league was never sold. The homestead set apart included the whole of Warner’s ranch except the league above mentioned. This is manifest [10]*10from the report of the commissioners who set apart the homestead, and the order of the court confirming it. Surely, if the homestead did not include the whole ranch except the Moss league,, the part ordered to be sold would have exceeded one league. On the 20th of November, 1858, the above-named Warner and his wife, Anita Warner, executed a mortgage to John Rains of all their interest in the land granted to him. The description of the land included in this mortgage is as follows: “All the right, title, and interest of the parties of the first part of, in, and to that certain tract of land lying, being, and situate in the county of San Diego, Cal., known as the ‘Valley of San Jose and Agua Caliente,’ and being the lands granted to Jose Antonio Pico by Juan B. Alvarado, governor of the department of the Californias, by deed of grant of date of June 8, 1840, and to Juan J. Warner by Manuel Micheltorena, governor as aforesaid, by deed of grant of date of November 28, 1844, reference being had for a more particular description to the several grants, expedientes, maps, and other papers on file in the office of the surveyor general of the United States for California, in the city of San Francisco, and in the office of the clerk of the district court of the United States for the Southern district of California, in the city of Los Angeles, forming the record of case No. 254 on the docket of the United States land commission, and of case No. 218 on the land docket of said district court; together with all and singular the tenements, hereditaments, and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining.” On the 5th of July, 1861, the above-named Carillo conveyed to John Rains the undivided one-half of the (Portilla) rancho, previously conveyed to him by Portilla. The mortgage of Warner and wife to Rains was subsequently foreclosed, and the mortgaged premises sold under the decree of foreclosure by George Lyons, sheriff of the county of San Diego, to Rains; and on the 18th of November, 1861, the sheriff aforesaid, in pursuance of the decree and sale to Rains, executed to him a deed of the mortgaged premises above mentioned. The description in the sheriff’s deed of the property conveyed is as follows: “All the right, title, and interest of said defendants of, in, and to that certain tract of land lying and being situate in the county of San Diego, state of California, known as the ‘Valle de San Jose and Agua Caliente,’ and being the land [11]*11granted to Jose Antonio Pico by Juan B. Alvarado, governor of department of the Californias, by deed of grant of date January 8, 1840, and to John J. Warner by Manuel Micheltorena, governor as aforesaid, by deed of grant of date November 28, 1844; reference being had for a more particular description to the several grants, expedientes, maps, and other papers on file in the office of the surveyor general of the United States for California, in the city of San Francisco, and in the office of the clerk of the district court of the United States for the Southern district of California, in the city of Los Angeles, forming the record of case No. 254 on the docket of the late United States land commission, and of case No. 218 on the land docket of said district court; together with all and singular the tenements, hereditaments, and appurtenances thereunto belonging.....” The mortgage of Warner and wife to Rains included the whole ranch granted to Warner; and Rains, under the decree of foreclosure, acquired title to the whole of it, and of this we have no doubt. The decree directs the whole to be sold and conveyed by the sheriff. The description in the mortgage and sheriff’s deed are given above.

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Bluebook (online)
19 P. 113, 3 Cal. Unrep. 7, 1888 Cal. LEXIS 978, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gage-v-downey-cal-1888.