Keys v. Tarrant County Building & Loan Ass'n

286 S.W. 593
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 13, 1926
DocketNo. 362
StatusPublished

This text of 286 S.W. 593 (Keys v. Tarrant County Building & Loan Ass'n) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Keys v. Tarrant County Building & Loan Ass'n, 286 S.W. 593 (Tex. Ct. App. 1926).

Opinion

GALLAGHER, C. J.

This appeal is prosecuted by Elmer A. Keys, Mrs. Lillie E. Keys, and her husband, J. E. Key's, who seek to reverse a judgment of the district court in favor of Tarrant County Building & Loan Association, awarding a recovery in favor of said association against Elmer A. .Keys for the sum of $2,349.80 and against all said appellants for a foreclosure of lien on a certain lot of land with the improvements thereon. The case was tried before the court. No findings of fact were filed and none requested. There is evidence that said Lillie E. Keys and said J. E. Keys are husband and wife, and that they are the parents of said Elmer A. Keys; that some 12 or more years ago said Keys abandoned his wife and family and has continuously since lived separate and apart from them. After such abandonment the family consisted of Mrs. Keys and five minor children, the oldest, a girl, being about 14 years of age at that time. Mrs. Keys assumed the responsibility of maintaining herself and children. She and such of her children as were old enough worked for wages. The wages of the children were turned over to her and used in supporting the family. There is some evidence that the husband made small contributions from time to time. His testimony concerning such contributions is in some things contradictory and in general extremely indefinite, and such that the trial court in his discretion was justified in according but little, if any, weight. Viewing his evidence in the most favorable light, such contributions were made on rare occasions only and in comparatively trivial amounts, and nearly always to his baby girl. The testimony was wholly insufficient to show an attempt on his part to make any material provision for the support of his children, much less the support of both them and his deserted wife, gome time in May, 1920, Mrs. Keys bought in her own name the lot of land involved in this suit. The consideration recited in the deed was $100 cash and a vendor’s lien note for $100, payable in monthly -installments of $5 each. Said deed further recited that Mrs.. Keys was a widow. She did not consult her husband about the purchase of said land, and he had nothing to do with the transaction, though he claims that he sent $30 to his baby girl from Abilene about that time, and that he knew that said money would be used in making the cash payment on said land; and that he was willing for it to be so applied. How be knew such fact was not disclosed.

The lot remained vacant until August, 1922. Mrs. Keys and three of her children still residing with her were then living in rented rooms. At that time a contractor named Middleton, who was a neighbor and friend of the family, discussed with Mrs. Keys and Elmer the matter of building a house on said lot. They agreed on the kind of a house to be built, and that Middleton should build it. It seems that Middleton [595]*595undertook to aid in securing a loan to finance suck building, and on August 25, 1922, Middleton and Elmer approaeked tke appellee witk reference to making a loan to enable tkem to build said kouse. Elmer at tkat time applied to appellee for a loan of $2,800 to be used for suck purpose. In tkis connection it was stated to appellee tkat the lot was owned by Mrs. Keys, but tkat Elmer and kis brother would pay for tke kouse, and tkat Elmer and kis mother would occupy it. Some one, probably appellee’s loan agent, suggested tkat inasmuch as Elmer was borrowing the money to build tke kouse, tkat Mrs. Keys ought to convey tke lot to him. Elmer made an affidavit before appellee’s loan agent as a notary public tkat he was a single man, tkat he had never been married, tkat Mrs. Keys was then a widow, and tkat she was a widow when said lot was purchased by her. Tkis affidavit was made several days before tke formal application and apparently at tke inception of tke negotiations for tke loan. On the next day after tke making of said application Mrs. Keys made a deed conveying, said lot to Elmer, and acknowledged tke same as a feme sole. Elmer’s application was accepted for tke sum of $1,800, and by common consent tke Exchange State Bank advanced the money to build tke kouse and took a deed of trust on tke lot from Elmer to secure tke same. Immediately on completion of tke house appel-lee, as was contemplated by all tke parties from tke beginning, took a note from Elmer for $1,800 and a deed of trust from him on said lot to secure suck note. Appellee then advanced said sum of money, and tke same was used to repay the money advanced by tke Exchange State Bank. There is nothing in the record tending to show tkat Mrs. Keys intended by said transaction. to defeat tke rights and interest of her husband in said property. The evidence is sharply conflicting, but the trial court would have been justified in finding therefrom tkat appellee had no notice of, tke'fact tkat Mrs. Keys was a married woman without a divorce from her husband, that it relied on tke recital in tke deed and tke Affidavit of Elmer and believed tkat she was a widow at tke time of the purchase of said lot and at tke time of said conveyance, and tkat it would not have made tke loan but for suck reliance and belief. Tke trial court would also have been justified in finding from tke evidence that Mrs. Keys and Elmer were acting together in tke matter of securing said loan and building said kouse, and tkat he was authorized to represent her and act for her in the premises. Elmer paid altogether tke sum of $80 on said loan. About a year after it was made appellee declared tke whole amount thereof due under tke terms of tke note and deed of trust.

Elmer Keys was at tke time of tke transaction a minor. No question concerning kis age seems to have been raised. He represented himself as a single man, employed as a conductor by tke traction company, and stated tkat he had been employed by said company for several years. Appellee’s loan agent, who conducted all negotiations, testified tkat there wa.s nothing reasonably calculated to raise any question as to Elmer’s being under age, and that he never suspected tkat he had not attained kis majority, but on tke other hand considered from all tke circumstances tkat he was of age and capable of transacting his own business. Elmer became of age during tke pendency of tkis suit. He was married, and kis wife was living in tke kouse at tke time of the' trial. He testified that on becoming of age he repudiated tke debt. He further declared in his testimony tkat he claimed no interest in said kouse or premises, but suck disclaimer seems to have been in tke interest of his mother, since he joined in tke prayer asking tkat the deed of trust be canceled and remdved as a cloud an'd tkat his parents be quieted in tke title to said property.

Opinion.

The finding in favor of appellee herein being general, every issuable fact must be considered as found in its favor if there is any evidence to support such finding. In passing upon tke sufficiency of tke evidence to sustain each suck finding we must view the same in tke light most favorable thereto, rejecting all evidence favorable to the opposite contention and considering only tke facts and circumstances which tend to sustain suck finding. Hines v. Kansas City Life Ins. Co. (Tex. Civ. App.) 260 S. W. 688, 690, and authorities there cited.

The lot in question in tkis case was acquired during tke existence of the marriage relation between Mrs. Lillie Keys and her husband, J. E. Keys, and for a valuable consideration paid and to be paid in tke future. It was not acquired by gift, devise, or descent, and was therefore by tke express terms of Article 4622, Complete Texas Statutes, 1920, community property. See, also, Routh v. Routh, 57 Tex. 589; Merrell v. Moore, 47 Tex. Civ. App.

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286 S.W. 593, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/keys-v-tarrant-county-building-loan-assn-texapp-1926.