Kennison v. Lundy

146 P. 552, 45 Utah 495, 1915 Utah LEXIS 67
CourtUtah Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 29, 1915
DocketNo. 2652
StatusPublished

This text of 146 P. 552 (Kennison v. Lundy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Utah Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kennison v. Lundy, 146 P. 552, 45 Utah 495, 1915 Utah LEXIS 67 (Utah 1915).

Opinion

FRICK, J.

On the 23rd day of April, 1913, the plaintiff commenced this action against Granville E. Lundy and D. McMillan for [499]*499specific performance of an alleged parol agreement, in which, it was alleged, said Lnndy had agreed to convey to the plaintiff a part of lot 5, block 118, plat Á, Salt Lake City, being a parcel of ground 3x10 rods lying in North Salt Lake. Upon a hearing in November, 1913, plaintiff amended his complaint and prayer for relief, and then, in addition to his prayer for specific performance, also asked that the court decree that said Lundy be declared a trustee and' was holding the title to said parcel of land in trust for the plaintiff. The court, on the 24th day of January, 1914, made findings of fact and conclusions of law in favor of the plaintiff, and entered judgment against the defendant Lundy only, requiring him to convey said parcel of ground to the plaintiff, subject to an incumbrance of $1,000. Nothing was claimed against defendant McMillan, and why he was made a party to the action is not made apparent. We shall treat him as out of the ease, and hereafter Mr. Lundy will be called defendant. Pie alone appeals from the judgment aforesaid and assigns numerous errors, among others, that the court erred in its findings of fact, conclusions of law, and judgment. Both parties have filed printed abstracts, in neither of which are contained any findings or judgment. Indeed, the printed abstracts in many respects are so incomplete that our conclusions are based entirely upon the proceedings and evidence as the same are found in the transcript and bill cf exceptions.

The facts upon which the findings and judgment are based, briefly stated, are these: On the 26th day of October, 1912, the plaintiff entered into a written contract with the Co-operative Investment Association, whereby he agreed to buy from it a certain parcel of land in section 28, township 2, range 1 east, containing about ten acres, for the sum of $2,400, payable as follows: $100 in cash, and the remainder in monthly installments of $25 each, including seven per cent interest. A deed of conveyance was to be delivered to the plaintiff when the whole purchase price was paid, and in the meantime he was given and took possession of said parcel of land, which was improved and had two small dwelling houses upon it. The contract contained a forfeiture clause, in which, in case of default in payment of any of the principal or interest, the plain[500]*500tiff forfeited bis equity. Some time in December, 1912, the plaintiff took said contract to Mr. McMillan, who was a real estate agent in Salt Lake City, for the purpose of having him find some one who might be willing to exchange a house and lot in Salt Lake City for plaintiff’s equity in said land. Early in January, 1913, Mr. McMillan introduced plaintiff to the defendant, who, McMillan said, had expressed a willingness to trade or exchange a certain house and lot (that is, the 3x10 rods in block 118 aforesaid), which he said he owned in North Salt Lake, for plaintiff’s equity in the land aforesaid. The parties met, and, as McMillan and plaintiff testified, talked over the contract and agreed upon the following terms: That the defendant would accept plaintiff’s equity in the land aforesaid at the valuation of $2,000, and that he would sell the house and lot in North Salt Lake to1 the plaintiff for $3,000; the plaintiff to raise the difference, namely, $1,000 (the defendant says $1,300), by mortgaging said house and lot. Plaintiff made an assignment of his contract to Helena M. Kinney on January 17, 1913, who, it seems, on that day still held the title to the house and lot in question. The contract and assignment was by plaintiff left with McMillan. Things ran along- for a few days, during which time McMillan says he sought to obtain the $1,000. Within a few days, however, as he and the plaintiff both testified, the defendant said that he would not make the trade or exchange of the house and lot for plaintiff’s equity in the ten-acre tract, and he, as they put it, “called the deal off,” or said “the deal is off.”

It appears that on the 17th day of January, 1913, and about the time of the negotiations, Helena M. Kinney aforesaid executed a deed conveying the house and lot in North Salt Lake to the defendant for $3,000. The defendant, it seems, thus obtained the title to the house and lot from Mrs. Kinney on the same day that plaintiff had assigned his equity to her, but which assignment he left with Mr. McMillan. Plaintiff, it seems, never delivered the assignment of his equity to any one, except Mr. McMillan, who testified that he gave it to the defendant upon his request. After the defendant had declared the trade off on the North Salt Lake house and lot plaintiff [501]*501and be met and, as plaintiff testified, entered into a new agreement in writing, signed by both of them. This agreement was called a “bond for a deed,” and was dated February 3, 1913. In that agreement the defendant agreed to sell to the plaintiff two lots, namely, lots -45 and 46 in block 6 of Central Park, a suburb of Salt Lake City, and to build “one four-roomed frame house according to 'drawings and signed specifications” thereon for the sum of $2,000, $1,000 of which was to be paid on the signing of the contract, and the remainder in monthly payments of seven dollars each, including eight per cent interest. This deal also fell through, and the plaintiff and the defendant entered into another agreement in writing, dated March 24, 1913, in which the defendant agreed to sell, and plaintiff agreed to buy, four lots in said Central Park. Two of the four lots were the same described in the contract, called a bond for a deed, and two others were added. The consideration for the four lots and ‘ ‘ two frame houses, ’ ’ which the defendant agreed to erect thereon according to specifications attached to the agreement, was $4,000, $2,000 of which was acknowledged paid by plaintiff’s equity aforesaid, and the remaining $2,000, with eight per cent interest, was to be paid in monthly installments of twenty-four dollars each. These houses were erected, and plaintiff some time in 1913 took possession thereof, and still was in possession when this action was tried. "When the houses were completed, however, it developed that a Mr. Fox, who was a partner of the defendant, held the legal title to the four lots, and he refused to recognize the agreement entered into between plaintiff and defendant. This disagreement resulted in the dissolution of the partnership. This again left the whole matter respecting the assignment of said contract unsettled. The defendant then informed plaintiff that he would sell him a house and lot in Sugar House ward of Salt Lake City, and they on the 9th day of April, 1913, entered into a new agreement, in which the defendant agreed to sell, and plaintiff agreed to- buy, a part of lot 18, block A, etc., which was a strip of ground 11.5x4.35 rods with a brick house thereon, for $3,900, $2,000 of which was acknowledged paid by plaintiff’s equity in said contract, and the remaining $1,900 [502]*502was to be paid in monthly payments of twenty-two dollars each, including eight per cent interest. When this agreement was entered into, plaintiff and defendant canceled the agreement respecting the four lots in Central Park by writing across the face thereof, “Void, replaced by contract date April 9, 1913,” and both signed the cancellation.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
146 P. 552, 45 Utah 495, 1915 Utah LEXIS 67, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kennison-v-lundy-utah-1915.