Lee v. Little

1921 OK 96, 197 P. 449, 81 Okla. 168, 1921 Okla. LEXIS 119
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedMarch 15, 1921
Docket9990
StatusPublished
Cited by32 cases

This text of 1921 OK 96 (Lee v. Little) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lee v. Little, 1921 OK 96, 197 P. 449, 81 Okla. 168, 1921 Okla. LEXIS 119 (Okla. 1921).

Opinion

NICHOLSON, J.

This suit was instituted by the plaintiff in error, as plaintiff below, against the defendant in error, defendant below, in the district court of Washington county, seeking the cancellation of a deed executed by plaintiff to defendant on the 18th day of December, 1914, purporting to convey the following described land lying and situate in Washington county, to wit: The north half of the northwest quarter and the north east quarter of the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter or section 8, township 23 north of range 13 east, containing 90 acres, more or less.

It appears that the plaintiff is a Cherokee Indian by blood and that the land involved is a portion of her allotment. The ground upon which cancellation of the deed is sought is that the same was procured by fraud and misrepresentation on the part of T. A. Foreman, who it is alleged was the agent of the defendant in purchasing said land, both as to the value of said land and as to the payment of the purchase price.

At the time of the transaction here involved, the plaintiff was 18 years of age, and resided with her aunt in Siloam Springs, Ark. In November, 1914, one T. A. Foreman went to the home of the plaintiff in Siloam Springs, Ark., stating that he desired to purchase said land for the defendant, Little, ana offered to pay therefor the sum of $809; Foreman stating that the land was of little value and advising her to take this sum for the land. It appears that Foreman was an old friend of plaintiff’s family, but she herself had not seen him since she was a small child, and had no correspondence with him; that he 'brought with him an instrument in writing already prepared, which plaintiff ‘signed, but as to the contents of which she had no knowledge except as represented to her by Foreman, that is was a deed conveying said land. At the time of the execution of this deed, no money was paid to the plantiff, but Foreman gave her a check payable to her order for the sum of $400, and gave Kate Ford, her aunt, with whom she resided, a check for $100, promising to pay the remainder of the consideration within a few days. Both checks were presented to the First National Bank of Westville, Okla., upon which they were drawn, and payment was refused on account of insufficient funds. Thereafter, and on December 18, 1914, Foreman returned to the plaintiff’s home and presented to her the deed sought to be canceled in this suit, which deed conveyed the land in controversy, together with 50 acres additional, to the defendant. At the time Foreman presented this second deed to plaintiff he stated to her that the conveyance formerly executed toy her was not satisfactory, and that this was the reason the consideration had not been paid. He further stated to her that if she would sign this second deed, the money would be paid to her or placed in the First National Bank of Siloam Springs the next morning, and, acting upon the faith of this representation, plaintiff signed and acknowledged said deed and delivered it to said Foreman. She thereupon attempted to collect the checks, but payment was again refused, and she was at all times unable to collect said checks; she received no consideration for the land conveyed to the defendant except the sum of $100, which Foreman paid her in cash on New Year’s night, 1915. It further appears that at the time of the execution of the deed sought to be canceled and long prior thereto, the defendant was in possession of the land and Continued in possession thereof, claiming title under said deed.

The defendant filed a verified answer, denying that Foreman was his agent and averring that he was the agent of the plaintiff *170 for the sale of said land. To this answer the plaintiff filed a reply duly verified, denying said agency.

The plaintiff requested the court to make findings of fact and conclusions of law, and the court made findings of fact by which he found, in substance, that the plaintiff is a member of the Cherokee Tribe' of Indians, and that the land described was allotted to her as a portion of her proportionate share of the lands of said tribe, and further found as follows:

“That on or about November 28, 1914, one T. A. Foreman came to the home of plaintiff’s aunt, with whom she was residing, at Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and thereupon produced a written instrument which he stated to plaintiff was a deed to the land described in the first paragraph hereof, and that he (Foreman) wanted the said land for the Littles.
“The plaintiff was at said time a little over eighteen years of age; that T. A. Foreman was a friend of plaintiff’s family and she had known him in her childhood, but had not seen him for five years prior to his coming to her home at Siloam Springs, Arkansas.
“That soon thereafter plaintiff and the said Kate Ford presented the cheeks given by, said Foreman for payment, and payment thereof was refused, said checks being returned by the First National Bank of West-ville, upon whom they were drawn, with notation ‘insufficient funds.’
“The court further finds that thereafter and on or about the 18th day of December, 1914, the said T. A. Foreman returned to plaintiff’s residence at. Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and presented another paper fior her signature, explaining that the first deed executed by her was no good and that it was necessary for her to execute this second paper.
. “That upon the representations of said Foreman, plaintiff executed the deed conveying the land above described to the defendant, Frank Little, and acknowledged said deed before J. N, Perry, a notary public, in and for Benton county, Arkansas.
“That the deed executed by said plaintiff on said 18th day of December, 1914, was the original deed introduced' in evidence as plaintiff’s Exhibit O. ■
“That said checks have never been paid.
“That later, and about January 1, 1915, said T. A. Foreman returned to the home of plaintiff’s aunt at Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and paid the plaintiff one hundred ($100) dollars in cash, which said payment was the only consideration ever received by her for the conveyance of the land described in the first paragraph of these findings.
“I find from all the evidence that plaintiff is not entitled to recover.”

Thereupon judgment was rendered in favor of the defendant. The court refused to make other findings of fact requested by the plaintiff which it is unnecessary here to consider, owing to the conclusions reached.

The princiqal inquiry in this case is whether Foreman, who procured the deed from the plaintiff, was the agent of the defendant in the transaction, and whether the defendant by accepting said deed and the benefits of said transaction ratified the acts of Foreman, including his misrepresentations and the breach of his promise to pay the plaintiff the consideration agreed to be paid for said conveyance.

The plaintiff in.her petition alleges that Foreman was the agent .of said defendant. In the answer of the defendant, which is verified, he specifically denies that Foreman was his agent and avers:

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Bluebook (online)
1921 OK 96, 197 P. 449, 81 Okla. 168, 1921 Okla. LEXIS 119, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lee-v-little-okla-1921.