Ginther v. Rochester Improvement Co.

92 N.E. 698, 46 Ind. App. 378, 1910 Ind. App. LEXIS 104
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 11, 1910
DocketNo. 6,870
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 92 N.E. 698 (Ginther v. Rochester Improvement Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ginther v. Rochester Improvement Co., 92 N.E. 698, 46 Ind. App. 378, 1910 Ind. App. LEXIS 104 (Ind. Ct. App. 1910).

Opinion

Myers, J.

This was an action by appellee against appellant, seeking to recover a money judgment growing out of a transaction between appellant and appellee, wherein appellant and a number of other persons purchased from appellee certain lots in the latter’s addition to the town of Rochester, Indiana. The price of each lot was $200, to be paid for as follows: $10 cash and $1 each week until the balance of $190 was fully paid. Appellant defaulted in making his de[380]*380ferred payments. A certain written instrument designated a “Warranty Deed Bond,” dated August 17, 1895, issued by appellee to appellant, stipulated that, upon payment by appellant of $190, in weekly payments of $1 a week, appellee would execute to appellant a warranty deed for lot No. 131, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances.

The complaint alleges that at the time of the commencement of this action appellant was in default in the sum of $141, which was due and unpaid.

1. The second, third, and fourth assignments of error relate to the sustaining of a demurrer for want of facts to the first paragraph, and to the amended second and fourth paragraphs of answer. The same objection is urged to each of these paragraphs. Appellant contends (1) that the demurrer to each of these answers should have been carried back and sustained to the complaint, since if the complaint was not good, it was error to sustain a demurrer to an answer thereto; (2) that the form of the demurrer was insufficient, in that.it stated “for the reason that neither [paragraph of answer] states facts sufficient to constitute a- cause of action.” It is true, as claimed by appellant, that a demurrer to an answer tests the sufficiency of the complaint, as well as the answer to which it is addressed. But in order to have the ruling of the court reviewed by an appellate tribunal, the complaining party must present the question by a proper assignment of error. McAfee v. Bending (1905), 36 Ind. App. 628, and cases cited. Appellant’s assignment of error does not raise any question on the complaint.

2. [381]*3813. [380]*380As to the form of the demurrer, it must be conceded that the contention of appellant is well sustained by authority. School City of Noblesville v. Heinzman (1895), 13 Ind. App. 195; Wintrode v. Renbarger (1898), 150 Ind. 556; Oglebay v. Tippecanoe Loan, etc., Co. (1908), 41 Ind. App. 481. Had the court overruled the de[381]*381murrer, no error would have been committed, for as was said by this court in the case of Bell v. Hiner (1896), 16 Ind. App. 184: “Earlier cases held that it was reversible error to sustain a defective demurrer to an answer without reference to its sufficiency. Gordon v. Swift [1872], 39 Ind. 212; Dugdale v. Culbertson [1856], 7 Ind. 664. Later and better considered decisions, however, declare the law to be that although the demurrer be insufficient to test the pleading and might be overruled without error, yet if it is in fact sustained and the pleading is really bad, then no harmful error occurs.” We find no reason for changing the present rule covering the question of the action of the trial court on a defective demurrer.

4. A demurrer was sustained to each of the answers, but appellant has not, either in his points and authorities or in his argument, attempted to sustain either of the answers, except in the manner and form to which we have called attention. Any other question touching either of said answers must be regarded as waived. Town of Windfall City v. First Nat. Bank (1909), 172 Ind. 679; Theobald v. Clapp (1909), 43 Ind. App. 191.

5. The fifth assignment is that the court erred in sustaining the demurrer of appellee to the seventh paragraph of appellant’s'answer. Prom the record it appears that appellant filed a seventh paragraph, of answer, to which a demurrer was sustained. By leave of court this paragraph was amended, and a demurrer thereto, as amended, filed. No ruling seems to have been made on the last demurrer, therefore no question thereon is presented by this assignment.

The next error relied on by appellant is that the court erred in its conclusions of law. Under this assignment it is insisted that if the evidentiary facts are eliminated, and the ultimate facts only, as found by the court, are considered, the findings are insufficient to sustain the conclusions of law.

[382]*382The findings cover nearly sixteen pages of appellant’s printed brief, and we will attempt to give only a brief synopsis of them.

The court found that appellee was incorporated under the laws of this State, and was authorized to purchase, hold, improve, sell and convey real estate for -the purpose of promoting the interests of the town of Rochester, Indiana^ by encouraging existing manufacturing concerns and the locating of others; that appellee became the owner of a certain tract of land in Fulton county,• Indiana, particularly described; that it caused said land to be platted and laid out in 'lots to the number of 173; that said lots were of unequal value; that on July 17, 1895, appellee and William PI. Ogan entered into a written contract, whereby it was provided that Ogan, should sell 150 of said lots at $200 each, the purchaser to pay $10 cash and $190 in payments of $1 a week. In ease Ogan was successful in selling said lots, W. PI. Stoddard agreed to erect on one of three certain lots in appellee’s addition to the town of Rochester a two-story brick building and an engine-room of certain dimensions, and on or before August 1, .1895, to equip said building with the necessary machines and power for the manufacture of women’s and children’s shoes, and commence therein the manufacture of shoes on or before October 1, 1895, and to maintain and run said factory, employing therein 100 persons, on an average, for each working day in the year, for a period of at least five years, except for interruptions caused by fire, cyclone's, strikes or acts of God.

In consideration of the location of said factory in Rochester, appellee agreed to donate to said Stoddard certain lots in said addition and to pay him the sum of $10,000. On July 18, 1895, subscription papers were prepared and circulated by said Ogan, in which it was stated that the undersigned subscribed for the number of lots in said addition set opposite the subscriber’s name, at the sum of $200 a lot, to [383]*383be paid for according to the terms stated, said subscription to be void unless 150 lots were subscribed for. The lots were to be distributed “the same as college lots.” On payment of $10, the purchaser was to receive a bond for a deed. The sale nf the lots was for the. purpose of raising funds with which to locate a shoe factory, employing a certain number of persons every working day for a period of not less than five years. Appellant subscribed for one of said lots, and agreed to purchase and pay for it. There were 150 of said lots subscribed for. The distribution of the lots “the same •as college lots, ’ ’ meant that when all the lots had been taken by subscription they were to be distributed by placing the numbers of the lots to be drawn.in a receptacle, and a person blindfolded was to draw simultaneously the number of a lot and the name of a subscriber.

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Bluebook (online)
92 N.E. 698, 46 Ind. App. 378, 1910 Ind. App. LEXIS 104, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ginther-v-rochester-improvement-co-indctapp-1910.