Garrison v. Newton

165 P. 90, 96 Wash. 284
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedMay 16, 1917
DocketNo. 13679
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 165 P. 90 (Garrison v. Newton) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Garrison v. Newton, 165 P. 90, 96 Wash. 284 (Wash. 1917).

Opinion

Fullerton, J.

— On November 29, 1912, William Newton and Katherine S. Newton, his wife, as vendors, entered into an executory contract with Harry B. Garrison and Katherine S. Garrison, his wife, as purchasers, for the sale of “the following described lands and premises, situated in Wasco county, state of Oregon, to wit: The east 25 acres of the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 21, in township 1 north, range 13 east.” The terms and conditions agreed upon were as follows:

“The consideration therefor is the sum of $2,000, of which $500 has been paid in cash, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, $500 shall be paid on or before one year after the date hereof, $500 shall be paid on or before two years after the date hereof and $500 shall be paid on or before three years after the date hereof, said deferred payments to bear interest at the rate of seven per cent per annum, payable annually, principal and interest to be paid at the bank of French & Co. in Dalles City, Oregon.
“In addition to the conveyance of said property from the first parties to the second parties, the first parties further agree to sell and convey, and do hereby sell and convey unto said second parties for said consideration above mentioned, a right of way for a road from the northeast corner of said premises across property belonging to the first parties and described as the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 15, township 1 north, range 13 east, which said right of way shall be along the west line of said land last described, and shall be 16 feet in width, and the first parties shall put the same in passable condition for traffic without expense to the second parties, provided, always, that in case the right of way along the west line of said land should not be practical or satisfactory to the second parties, then said right of way shall be located across said premises along a practical and satisfactory route to be determined by said parties. Otherwise the third man to be selected.
“The first parties hereby covenant and agree to and with the second parties that, upon payment of the sums of money [286]*286hereinbefore mentioned, that they will execute and deliver to said second parties, their heirs or assigns, or any one designated by them, a good and sufficient warranty deed for said premises above mentioned, and a deed for a right of way for a road as above provided, which said deed shall warrant the said premises free and clear from all incumbrances whatsoever, and the first parties agree to furnish to said second parties without additional compensation an abstract of title for said premises, showing the same to be the property of the first party free and clear from incumbrances thereon.
“The second parties, for themselves, their heirs and assigns, agree to and with the first parties to pay the sums of money above mentioned at the times and places hereinbefore stated.”

The plaintiffs promptly met all payments falling due until final payment of $500, with interest, falling due November 29, 1915, which sum they deposited in escrow on that date in the banking house of French & Company, and made demand for their deed and abstract of title. A deed from plaintiffs to defendants and an abstract of title were transmitted by plaintiffs to the bank. Examination of the deed showed that it had been drawn upon a form used in the state of Washington, and was inadequate under the Oregon laws. An examination of the abstract disclosed that there was outstanding against-the property a mortgage for $1,000, that the land had been sold for the delinquent taxes of 1912, and of the subsequent taxes, none except those for the year 1913 had been paid. The vendors were notified of the defects in the title, and demand was made that the title be cleared and a quitclaim deed executed for the right of way for a road provided for by the contract. At the same time, a proper form of deed for the state of Oregon and a quitclaim deed for the right of way were prepared and forwarded to the defendants for execution. The deeds were executed by defendants and returned to the bank, but defendants insisted the mortgage was only a technical matter and they would have it removed just as soon as they were in a position to do so. Finally, plaintiffs, on January 18, 1916, about fifty days after they had deposited [287]*287their final payment in escrow, notified defendants that, in view of their failure to perform, plaintiffs had determined to rescind the contract, and this action for rescission was instituted on February 10, 1916. The court found that plaintiffs were not entitled to a rescission, and gave judgment against them for the final payment due under the contract. The plaintiffs appeal.

Appellants assign as error the action of the court in permitting respondents to amend their answer on the trial by setting up an allegation that respondents had, from November 29, 1915, to February 16, 1916, with the full knowledge and consent of appellants, been busily engaged in perfecting title to the land in controversy, and that they had been delayed by reason of the dilatoriness of the attorney who represented both the mortgagee and the appellants; and by way of cross-complaint, asked judgment against' appellants for the sum of $535. The amendment was objected to on the ground of surprise, and that it involved a new issue after the issues had been fully settled. The court offered to grant a continuance, on terms, to abide the final outcome. The appellants, in view of the ruling as to terms, preferred to go to trial. We think there was no prejudicial error committed. The amendment was germane to the issues in the case, and its allowance does not show any abuse of the discretion reposed in trial judges in such matters. Moreover, the plaintiffs proceeded with the trial without taking advantage of a continuance offered them by the court.

The only other error assigned is the granting of a nonsuit against appellants. This involves a consideration of the evidence, which is made up in large part of the correspondence passing between the parties and their attorneys, and necessitates a frequent recurrence to dates. The evidence shows that, at the time of entering into the contract in 1912, respondents were the owners of some sixty-eight acres of land in Wasco county, Oregon, upon which there was a mortgage of $1,000 to the Oregon State Land Board. In selling ap[288]*288pellants twenty-five acres of this land, the contract provided for a right of way sixteen feet wide across the remaining forty, since otherwise appellants would have no outlet to the public highway. In June, 1915, respondents conveyed the forty-acre tract to one Payne, subject to the mortgage to the Oregon State Land Board and subject to his agreement with the appellants for a right of way across this tract. Payne gave respondents a purchase-money mortgage for $4,200 on the land thus conveyed to him. Some time in November, 1915, prior to the maturity of the contract between appellants and respondents, the latter, by letter, began efforts to secure the release of the twenty-five acre tract from the State Land Board mortgage. On November 30, 1915, the board responded as follows:

“Replying to yours of the 27th inst., in order to secure release of 25 acres from your mortgage, it will be necessary for you to take the matter up with W. H. Wilson, of The Dalles, attorney for the board in Wasco county, and when his recommendation is received as to the amount necessary to be paid, the matter will be submitted to the board for consideration.”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
165 P. 90, 96 Wash. 284, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/garrison-v-newton-wash-1917.