Hershman v. Hershman

63 Ind. 451
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 15, 1878
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 63 Ind. 451 (Hershman v. Hershman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hershman v. Hershman, 63 Ind. 451 (Ind. 1878).

Opinion

Pekkins, J.

Susannah Hershman executed to Charles Hershman a deed, of which the following is a copy:

“ This indenture witnesseth, that Susannah Hershman, [453]*453of Hamilton county, in the State of Indiana, convey and warrant to Charles Hershman all my interest in and to the real estate helow described, of Hamilton county, in the State of Indiana, for the sum of one dollar, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, the following real estate in Hamilton county; State of Indiana, to wit: The west half of the north-east quarter, and the east half of the north-west quarter, of section No. thirty-three (33), in township Ho. twenty (20) north, of range four (4) east, one hundred and sixty acres ; also, beginning at the south-west corner of the south-east quarter of section Ho. twenty-eight (28), township Ho. twenty (20) north, of range Ho. four (4) east, thence east forty-two (42) rods, to a stone marked C. Ho. 1, witnessed by a stone marked W. south 14 links; thence north 38 rods and 2 links to a stone marked C. 2, witnessed by a stone marked W. west 14 links, thence west forty-two (42) rods to a stone marked C. 3, witnessed by a stone marked ~W. H. 2 links, thence south to the place of beginning; containing in all one hundred and seventy acres. This deed is upon this condition, that the grantor, Susannah Hershman, agrees to make her. home with the said Charles Hershman, and*the said Charles Hershman agrees to provide for, and take care of, the grantor during her natural life, and to be at all expense that may necessarily accrue for the maintenance of the said Susannah.”

Hated the 14th day of June, 1870.

This deed was duly executed and recorded.

The complaint in this suit alleges in its first paragraph, that said Susannah, on the day of the date of said deed, put said Charles Hershman in possession of the land described in it, and commenced to reside with him, and continued so to reside till the 1st day of August-, 1874, but that he failed to provide for and support her, as required by the deed, and she prays that it may be can-celled, etc.

[454]*454In a second paragraph, the same general facts ai'e alleged, and the paragraph closes with a prayer, that the said. Charles Hershman be decreed a trustee of said land, and required to give bond, and account, etc.

A common count for services, etc., is added, as a third paragraph.

Demurrers to these paragraphs, for want of facts, were overruled, and exceptions entered.

Answer in two paragraphs :

1. General denial;

2. In confession and avoidance.

Reply in general denial to the second paragraph.

Trial by jury. Verdicts for plaintiff, as follows:

“ We, the jury, find for the plaintiff, and assess her damages at three hundred and eighty-six dollars.
“ J. E. Whistler, Foreman.
“And we, the jury, find the following special verdict, in addition to our general verdict:
“ 1. We find, that the plaintiff conveyed to the defendant the lands described in the complaint, for the sole and only consideration that the defendant agreed, in consideration of said conveyance to him, to provide for and take care of her, during her natural life, at the defendant’s home, and be at all expenses-that might necessarily accrue for the maintenance of the plaintiff;
“2. We find that the plaintiff fully performed all the conditions of said contract on her ¡Dart;
“ 8. That the defendant has failed, ever since the 23d of December, 1870, to perform said contract on his part;
“ 4. We find that the consideration of said conveyance has wholly failed;
“ 5. We find, that, on the 26th day of August, 1874, the plaintiff, in order to be provided with a comfortable home, was compelled to leave and did leave the house of the defendant, and has ever since remained away;
[455]*455“ 6. We find that the rents and profits of said land, since the date of said deed, are worth, in gross, nine hundred dollars, and that the defendant has had the full benefit of the same;
“ 7. That the services rendered and goods furnished by the defendant to the plaintiff, under said contract, are of the reasonable value .of two hundred and eighty dollars ;
“ 8. That the plaintiff is entitled to have said contract rescinded, and to have the title to said land restored and reinvested in her ;
9. We, the jury, find for the defendant $284 for improvements. J. E. Whistler, Foreman.”

This was on the 1st day of October, 1875.

On the next day, October 2d, the defendant moved for a venire de novo, which motion was overruled, and exception reserved.

A motion for a new trial followed, was overruled, and exception reserved.

At this point the plaintiff moved for a judgment in her favor on the special findings, but it was overruled, and exception saved.

The defendant then moved for a judgment in his favor for two hundred and thirty-four dollars on the special findings, but it was overruled, and he excepted.

The court thereupon rendered the following judgment and decree:

“ And now, on plaintiff’s motion, it is ordered, adjudged and decreed by the court, that the plaintiff recover of the defendant the sum of three hundred and eighty-six dollars, being the amount of damage assessed by the jury herein. And it is further ordered and decreed by the court, that all the defendant’s estate and interest to and in the following described land, situate in Hamilton county, Indiana, be declared forfeited from him, and the title thereto reinvested in the plaintiff, to wit, ‘ the undivided one-third [456]*456part of the west half,' ” etc. [Here follows the description in the deed.] “ It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed by the court, that the deed of conveyance to said lands, made by the plaintiff to the defendant, on the 14th of June, 1870, be set aside and held for naught, as fully as if the same were never made; and the plaintiff’s title to the lands hereinbefore described, which were conveyed by said deed, be forever quieted as to all claims or interest held therein by the defendant, and the cloud cast thereby on the title thereon by said deed be removed.”

And it is further ordered that the plaintiff recover costs, etc.

An appeal was taken to the Supreme Court.

The errors assigned in this.court are :

1. Overruling each of the several demurrers to the paragraphs of complaint;

2. Overruling the motion for a venire de novo ;

3. Overruling the motion for a new trial;

4. Overruling appellants’ motion for judgment on the special findings, notwithstanding the general verdict; and,

5. Rendering judgment for the appellee on the general verdict of the jury.

The appellee has assigned as cross errors:

1.

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Bluebook (online)
63 Ind. 451, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hershman-v-hershman-ind-1878.