Lofton v. Moore

83 Ind. 112
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1882
DocketNo. 9015
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 83 Ind. 112 (Lofton v. Moore) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lofton v. Moore, 83 Ind. 112 (Ind. 1882).

Opinion

Howk, J.

In his complaint in this case, the appellee, Moore, by William Knowles, his next friend, alleged in substance, that he, William H. Moore, was the grandson of one Simeon Lofton, who died testate in April, 1877, in Washington county, Indiana; that he, the said Simeon Lofton, died the owner and seized in fee simple of certain real estate in said county, particularly described; that the said Simeon Lofton, by his last will, which was duly probated on the 28th [114]*114day of April, 1877, in the clerk’s office of said county, devised his said real estate to his wife, Matilda Lofton, for and during her natural life, without any encumbrance whatever, and, at her death, to the appellant, Alexander Lofton, in fee simple; that, by the terms of his will, a legacy of three hundred dollars was bequeathed by the testator to the appellee 'William H. Moore, payable to him when he became twenty years of age, and made by the will a lien upon all said real estate; that, after the testator’s death, the said Matilda Lofton took possession of said real estate and held the same during her life, that she departed this life, without having remarried, in March, 1880, and the said real estate became the property of the appellant, and he accepted the provisions of said will and took possession of said real estate as the owner thereof, subject to the legacy of the appellee, Moore; that the appellee became twenty years of age on the 15th day of January, 1880, and he had demanded payment of said sum of three hundred dollars from the appellant, who had refused to pay the same. Wherefore the appellee demanded judgment for $350, and for the foreclosure of said lien, etc.

The cause was put at issue and tried by the court; and. a finding was made for the appellee, and over the appellant’s motion for a new trial, and his exception saved, judgment was rendered for the appellee, as prayed for in his complaint.

In this court, the overruling of his motion for a new trial is the only error assigned by the appellant. The only causes for such new trial, assigned in the motion therefor, were, that the finding of the court was not sustained by sufficient evidence, and that it was contrary to law.

Before considering any of the questions arising under the error assigned by appellant, it is proper that we should dispose of a point made in argument by appellee’s counsel. It is earnestly insisted by appellee’s counsel, that the record of this cause shows that it was an agreed case, under the provisions of section 386 of the civil code of 1852. In an agreed case, no motion for a new trial is necessary, but the party ag[115]*115grieved must except to the decision of the trial court, upon the agreed statement of facts, and unless the record shows that an exception was taken to the decision at the proper time, it will present no question for the decision of this court. This point is settled by the decisions of this court. Fisher v. Purdue, 48 Ind. 323; Manchester v. Dodge, 57 Ind. 584.

The record of this cause fails to show that the appellant saved an exception to the decision of the court upon the agreed statement of facts, and if this case could be regarded as an agreed case, under the code, we would be bound to hold that the appellee’s point was well taken, and that no question had been properly saved in the record for the decision of this court; but we can not regard the case at bar as, in any proper sense, an agreed case, within the meaning of the code. The record shows that the case was put at issue in the ordinary mode, by answers to the complaint and by a reply to the special answer. These issues were, “ by consent of parties, set down for trial by the court, without the intervention of a jury.” The bill of exceptions shows, and it appears nowhere else in the record, that the cause was tried by the court upon an agreed statement of facts, to which was appended an affidavit of one of the attorneys in the case, to the effect that the controversy was real, and the proceedings in good faith to determine the rights of the partiés. It is very clear, however, as it seems to us, that this agreed statement of facts was not considered by either of the parties below, or by the trial court, as constituting an agreed case, within the meaning of the code. The agreed statement of facts was intended to be used, and was used, on the trial merely as the evidence in the case. So the court certified in the bill of exceptions, after setting out therein the agreed statement of facts, that “ this was all the evidence given in the cause.” It was competent for the parties, after issue joined, instead of introducing evidence on the trial, to agree in writing upon the facts which the evidence would establish, and this is all, we think, that the parties intended to do, or did, in the case at bar. In such a case, a [116]*116motion for a new trial is necessary, and the agreed statement of facts must be made a part of the record, either by a bill of exceptions or by an order of the court.

It is necessary to the proper presentation of the questions arising under the alleged error of the court, in overruling the appellant’s motion for a new trial, that we should give the substance, at least, of the agreed statement of facts, which we now do accordingly:

“The parties to this cause admit that the plaintiff, William H. Moore, is the grandson of Simeon Lofton, deceased, who died testate at Washington county, Indiana, in April, 1877, and was at the time of his death the owner-of the real estate described in the complaint in this action; that said Simeon Lofton left a will, which was duly probated on the 28th day of April, 1877, in the clerk’s office of said county, and was in the words and figures following, to wit:
‘I, Simeon Lofton, of Washington county and State of Indiana, being of sound mind and memory, do make and publish this, my last will and testament: Item 1. I will and bequeath to my grandchild, Anna L. Moore, the sum of three hundred dollars, to be paid to her when she may become eighteen years of age; and I further will and bequeath unto my grandchild, William H. Moore, three hundred dollars, to be paid to him when ho shall become twenty years old; to be paid to them by my widow, Matilda Lofton, out of the property that I herein will to her; and in case either one of said grandchildren should depart this life before they arrive at the age herein named to receive said legacy, then and in that case the -surviving grandchild shall receive the deceased child’s portion or legacy.’” (Item 2,has no bearing on this case, and is omitted.) “‘Item 3. I will and bequeath unto my wife, Matilda Lofton, all of my personal property of every description, not heretofore otherwise disposed of. And I further will and bequeath unto her, my said wife, all of the real estate that I may own at the time of my death, to hold, enjoy, have, control and use, without any encumbrance whatever, during [117]*117her natural life, or until she may marry, and that she shall pay all of my just debts and funeral expenses, and the legacies to Anna L. Moore and William H. Moore, of three hundred dollars each, as set forth in item 1st, of this will.
Item 4. I will and bequeath that, at the death of my wife, Matilda Lofton, or of her marrying, then and in that case, or in either of those cases, I will and bequeath that my son, Alexander Lofton, have all the real estate that I hold, of every description, to him and his heirs forever, in fee simple.
Item 5.

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Bluebook (online)
83 Ind. 112, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lofton-v-moore-ind-1882.