Holthoff v. Joyce

294 S.W. 1006, 174 Ark. 248, 1927 Ark. LEXIS 341
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedMay 30, 1927
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 294 S.W. 1006 (Holthoff v. Joyce) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Holthoff v. Joyce, 294 S.W. 1006, 174 Ark. 248, 1927 Ark. LEXIS 341 (Ark. 1927).

Opinion

Wood, J.

On November 8, 1916, G-. H. Joslyn and wife executed a warranty deed to T. W. Johnson, conveying to Johnson lot 3, block 5, in Joslyn’s Addition to the town of Gould, Arkansas, the said lot being shown on the plat duly recorded in Lincoln County, Arkansas. In addition to the usual-covenants, the instrument contained the following stipulation: “It is further agreed, as part consideration of this .contract, that the said Joslyn, before the sale of lot 4 of said addition, that he changed the location of the alley from the south side of lot 4 to the north side of lot 4, making alley between lots 3 and 4 as shown on said plat, and open and donate said alley to the town.” On May 10, 1922, T. W. Johnson and wife conveyed by warranty deed tlie lot above described to G. H. Holthoff and L. F. Johnson. In addition to the usual covenants the deed contained the following-: “It is further agreed as a part of this contract that the alley on south side of lot 4 of said block 5 be moved to the north side of lot 4, as shown on said plat.”

On February 9,1922, G. H. Joslyn and wife conveyed by warranty deed to Olive Yeid Joyce lot 4, block 5, in Joslyn’s Addition to the town of Gould, as the same appears on the plat of said addition above mentioned. In December, 1925, G. H. Holthoff and L. F. Johnson instituted this action against Joslyn and W. A. and Olive Veid Joyce, defendants, and later T. W. Johnson, W. E. Free -and O. W. Seifres, as mayor, were also named as defendants. The plaintiffs alleged that, by virtue of the above deeds from Joslyn to Johnson and from Johnson to plaintiff, they acquired title to lot 3 above mentioned and also a title to an opening and location for an alley ten feet wide between lots 3 and 4. ' They alleged that, when their grantor acquired title, an alley as above described was in fact located, opened and donated, and that they and their predecessor in title had been in the open, notorious and adverse possession of the alley since November 8,1916; that plaintiffs and the public generally had continuously so occupied the alley since that time with the knowledge of defendant, Joslyn, and all other parties, and plaintiffs therefore set up title by the seven-years statute of limitations. Plaintiffs alleged that they had constructed a store building to have an opening upon the alley as above described, and that they had no other means of entering the store building with freight except through this alley. They alleged that the defendants, W. A. Joyce and Olive Void Joyce, were attempting- to obstruct the above described alley by placing material thereon for the erection of a building, and would do so unless restrained. They also alleged that, if the court should find that the alley was not properly opened and donated by Joslyn, the plaintiffs had been damaged by his breach of contract in not opening and donating the same in the sum of $1,000. They prayed that defendant Joyce be permanently restrained from obstructing the alley, and that, if this relief were denied, they have alternative relief against Joslyn for damages for breach of his contract in the sum of $1,000.

The defendants Joyce, in a separate answer, admitted that they had purchased lot 4 and had placed material on the ground for the erection of a building, but denied that, in so doing, they will obstruct an alley between lots 3 and 4. They denied that any such alley had been donated and opened and occupied as alleged by the plaintiffs. They alleged that the plaintiffs were estopped from insisting upon any change in the location of the alley from the south side of lot 4 to the north side of lot 4. They set up that the plaintiffs, by their conduct and actions, were left to their remedy, if any, against the defendant Johnson for a failure of consideration. They prayed that the complaint be dismissed as against them for want of equity.

The defendant Joslyn,. in a separate answer, denied that the plaintiffs had acquired any title to the alley in controversy as claimed by them. He denied that, at the time of the execution of the deed from Johnson to plaintiffs, an alley had been in fact donated, opened and occupied as alleged by them, and denied that plaintiffs had built a store on this alley as alleged. He denied that plaintiffs had been damaged as alleged. He alleged that the stipulation in his deed to Johnson, under which plaintiffs claim, was not a covenant or agreement running with the land and did not pass to the plaintiffs under their deed from Johnson. He pleaded the statute of limitations of five and seven years in bar of plaintiffs’ right of action against him. He also embraced in his answer a general demurrer to the complaint.

The defendant Free, in his answer, alleged that he was the owner of block 5 of Joslyn’s Addition; that he had entered into possession of same and erected a brick store building on the north side of the lot immediately adjacent and parallel with the alley between lots 4 and 5 of Joslyn Js Addition to the town of Gould; that this addition was platted and an alley ten feet wide was shown upon the plat between lots 4 and 5; that the town of Gould accepted such plat, and streets and alleys had been laid out in conformity with such plat; that the said town of Gould and the public had used the streets and alleys thus platted continuously for more than seven years since the date of the dedication.of the said streets and alleys to the town. He alleged that at no time since such dedication had there been an effort on the part of any one to change the location of the alley between lots 4 and 5 as it was originally dedicated to the town. He alleged that he, having purchased lot 5 as a corner lot, according to the plat, was entitled to have the alley between lots 4 and 5 remain as originally established.

The testimony of T. W. Johnson was to the effect that he bought lot 3 on November 8, 1916, and also the alley. He went into actual possession, and built a store on lot 3 at that time, and had occupied the alley on the south side of his store since his purchase. He had been in actual possession of the alley six or seven years when he sold to the plaintiffs. He had occupied the lot and the alley all the time until lie sold to plaintiffs. There was no other alley across block 5 during that time. The alley next to his store was the only one used by the public. Witness knew nothing about the alley supposed to be between lots 4 and 5. Lot 3 was 43 feet wide, and witness constructed his store with an opening or door on the alley, which was the only way the witness could deliver and receive freight into his store building except through the front door on the main street. Witness further testified that, at the time he purchased the lot, the surveyor established the corners of the lot but did not mark off the alley. Before witness got his deed, however, he and Judge Joslyn measured off the lot and alley. After witness purchased the lot he did not let any building be put up in the ten-foot space set apart for the alley.

F. E. Grumbles testified that he was the clerk and recorder of Lincoln County. The plat of Joslyn’s Addition west of the railroad in the town of Gould shows an alley between lots 4 and 5 but does not show any alley between lots 3 and 4. The plat was duly recorded July 7, 1915, and was introduced in evidence.

Plaintiff, L. F. Johnson, testified, and his testimony is substantially the same as that of T. W. Johnson as to the purchase of the property in controversy; that he and Holthoff purchased lot 3 as described in the deed from T. W.

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Bluebook (online)
294 S.W. 1006, 174 Ark. 248, 1927 Ark. LEXIS 341, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holthoff-v-joyce-ark-1927.