Howell v. Rye

35 Ark. 470
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedMay 15, 1880
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 35 Ark. 470 (Howell v. Rye) 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
Howell v. Rye, 35 Ark. 470 (Ark. 1880).

Opinion

English, C. J.

On the twenty-seventh of February, 1878, Turner Howell commenced an action of unlawful detainer in the circuit court of Pope, county against John C. Rye. There were two counts in the complaint, the first alleging, in substance, that plaintiff was the owner and entitled to the possession of the following described premises, situated in Pope county, to-wit: The south part of the south half of section 28, in township 9, north range 20 west, containing 150 acres; about 60 acres of which were inclosed and prepared for cultivation; and that in January, 1877, he leased, by parol, the inclosed land to defendant for that year, and that he unlawfully detained possession thereof after the expiration *of his term, etc.

The second count alleged, in substance, that plaintiff, being the owner and entitled to immediate possession, of the above described premises, defendant, on the first of January, 1878, obtained peaceable possession thereof, by permission of plaintiff, to take fire-wood therefrom, and pasture the stalk land, and unlawfully held over after the expiration of his right to such possession, etc.

Under the writ issued upon the filing of the complaint, plaintiff having executed bond as required by the statute, the sheriff put him in possession of the premises.

At the return.term, March, 1878, J. A. McDowell and W. E. Snood, under the firm name of J. A. McDowell & Co., and G-. Drabelle and J. Y. Gardner, under the firm name of Drabelle & Gardner, claiming an interest in the land, yvere, upon their application, made defendants, and joined with defendant Rye in an answer.

The answer, in substance, denied that plaintiff was the owner of the land and rented it to Rye, and averred that Rye rented the land for the year 1877 of one B. A. Howell, and that the land was sold under special executions against him in favor of McDowell & Co. and Drabelle & Gardner, on the fourteenth of July of that year, and purchased by them, and that they obtained certificates of purchase from the officer who made the sale, and afterwards, on the first of February, 1878, rented the land to defendant Rye, for that year, who went into possession of it as their tenant, etc.

The plaintiff demurred to the answer on the ground, .in substance, that it denied his title to the land, and set up adverse title, which could not be adjudicated io the action of unlawful detainer; and the court sustained the demurrer.

Thereupon the parties entered into an agreement of record, in substance as follows:

¿L. That the cause be continued until the next term.

2. That defendant Rye be restoi’ed to possession of the land as tenant of defendants J. A. McDowell & Co., and Drabelle & Gardner.

3. That defendants waived all damages they may have sustained in consequence of having been dispossessed of the land by the sheriff at the instance of plaintiff in the suit, and that he be released from all liability on his bond.

4. That plaintiff, in lieu of his complaint in unlawful detainer, file in the clerk’s office within twenty days after the adjournment of the court a complaint in ejectment.

5. That accrued costs, and the rents of the land, abide the result of the action in ejectment.

6. That defendants waive notice of the filing of the complaint in ejectment, and answer thereto at the next term.

Under this agreement the cause was continued; and plaintiff filed, in substitution of the original complaint, a complaint in ejectment, which, as afterwards amended, made, in substance, the following averments:

That plaintiff is seized in fee. and entitled to the immediate possession of the following described land, lying in Pope county, etc., to-wit, the south part of the south .half of section 28 in township 9 north, range 20 west, containing in the aggregate 150 acres.

That on the nineteenth day of December, 1874, he bought the above-described land absolutely and unconditionally from B. A. Howell and wife Lou. J. Howell, and was put In possession thereof, paying them therefor the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars, good and lawful 'money of the United States, for which they executed to him their deed to said land, conveying to him title in fee simple under the following description, to-wit: “ The following lands lying in the county of Pope and state of Arkansas, to wit: All of the south half of section 28 that I now own, containing 150 acres, more or less.”

That said B. A. Howell was lawfully seized, held, occupied and possessed said land, under a deed from "W. E. Jamison and wife Prances 'J. Jamison, containing a like description thereof, as will more fully appear from a certified copy of said deed, herewith filed, marked exhibit “ 0.”

That said deed (from B. A. Howell and wife to plaintiff) was actually executed to plaintiff1 on the nineteenth day of December, 1874, but by mistake the date of said deed was erroneously written December 20, 1874; all of which will more fully appear from a certified copy of said deed ; also, their supplemental deed to said land executed to plaintiff at his instance and request on the eighteenth day of December, 1877, marked exhibits “A” and “B,” herewith filed and asked to be made part of this complaint.

That on the first day of January, 1878, plaintiff was lawfully seized and possessed of the above-described land, as owner in fee simple, and being so possessed thereof, after-wards, on the second day of January, 1878, defendant John C. Rye, without the consent and against the will of the plaintiff, unlawfully entered into said premises, and ousted plaintiff of the possession thereof, and unlawfully withholds the same, etc., etc.

That defendants J. A. McDowell, W. E. Snood, T. Drabelle and J. Y. Gardner, as plaintiff is informed, claim to be owners in fee of said land, and defendant Rye claims to hold under them as their tenant, but plaintiff denies that they have any claim or ownership thereto.

Wherefore plaintiff prays judgment for possession of said premises, and for damages, etc., etc.

The deed from Jamison and wife to B. A. Howell, made exhibit “C” to the complaint, bears date thirtieth of January, 1874, was acknowledged on the same day, and filed in the recorder’s office of Pope county, fourth of November, 1874, and recorded. In it the land is described thus:

“ Know all men, etc., that we, William E. Jamison and Frances J. Jamison, his wife, for and in consideration of the sum of $2,500, to me in hand paid by B. A. Howell, do hereby grant, bargain and sell, unto said B. A. Howell and to his heirs and assigns forever, the following lands, lying in the county of Pope, and state of Arkansas, to wit: All the south half of section 28 that I now own, except forty feet square on College Hill, covering the graves of J. R. Jamison and J. H. Jamison, containing 150 acres more or less. Also all of blocks C and D, as shown by plat of West Dover, as recorded in clerk’s office in Pope county,” etc. Then follow the habendum clause, and l’elinquishment of dower by the wife, etc.

The deed from B. A. Howell and wife to plaintiff', made exhibit “A” to the complaint, follows :

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Bluebook (online)
35 Ark. 470, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/howell-v-rye-ark-1880.