Matthews v. Stovall

1950 OK 133, 216 P.2d 975, 203 Okla. 108, 1950 Okla. LEXIS 420
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedMay 16, 1950
DocketNo. 33700
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 1950 OK 133 (Matthews v. Stovall) 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
Matthews v. Stovall, 1950 OK 133, 216 P.2d 975, 203 Okla. 108, 1950 Okla. LEXIS 420 (Okla. 1950).

Opinion

LUTTRELL, J.

This is an appeal by defendants, Maggie Matthews and Alfred J. Matthews, from a judgment of the district court of Alfalfa county in favor of plaintiff, W. J. Stovall, decreeing specific performance of a contract to convey real estate.

It appears that on and prior to July 11, 1946, defendant Maggie Matthews was the owner of 40 acres of land located in Alfalfa county. On that day, joined by her husband Alfred J. Matthews, she entered into a written contract for the sale of the land to plaintiff.

The contract provided that plaintiff was to pay $3,500 for the land, $100 of which was to be paid upon the execution of the contract. A warranty deed was to be executed by defendants and the deed and the contract together with a further check of $500 were to be deposited in escrow in the bank at Jet, Oklahoma, to be held by the bank until certain conditions were performed by defendants. They were to procure an abstract of the land and deliver same to plaintiff for examination and upon approval of the title and upon payment of the balance of the purchase price the deed was to be delivered to plaintiff. The $500 deposited, less abstract fees, was to be delivered to defendants as part of the purchase price.

The trial court found the issues generally in favor of plaintiff and entered judgment requiring defendants to specifically perform the contract.

Defendants alleged in their answer, and by their evidence sought to prove, that at the time the contract was executed it was agreed between the parties that plaintiff was to interview Carl Wells, the brother-in-law of Maggie Matthews, who was in possession of the property at that time, and that if Wells wanted the property at the price agreed upon between the plaintiff and defendants in the contract, the contract was not to be in force and effect, but was to be destroyed, and the rights of the parties thereunder cease and determine, and that this condition was a condition precedent to the validity and binding force of the contract.

[109]*109The sole issue presented by defendants on this appeal is, that the judgment rendered is clearly against the weight of the evidence.

The evidence is conflicting. Plaintiff, in substance, testified as follows: He is living on a farm near the town of Nash, Oklahoma. The land in question is located near his farm. Essie Wells, who is a sister of defendant, Mrs. Matthews, was the owner of a 40-acre tract adjoining this land. Both parties inherited their respective tracts from their father. Carl Wells, husband of Essie Wells, was then renting the 40-acre tract here under consideration from Mrs. Matthews.

The defendants at the time lived, and are still living, near the city of Woodward, Oklahoma. On July 10, 1946, while in Woodward on other business, plaintiff ascertained that defendant Maggie Matthews might sell the 40 acres in question. He contacted Mrs. Matthews and after some negotiations offered to give her $3,500 for the tract. Mrs. Matthews informed plaintiff that she had agreed that in the event she should ever decide to sell the land, she would give her brother George, who resided in California, first chance to buy it at the price for which she was willing to sell and in the event he refused to buy, Carl Wells, her brother-in-law, was to have the. option to purchase it at that price. Mrs. Matthews then communicated with her brother in California and received a reply from him that he did not desire to purchase the land at that price. She then tried to reach Carl Wells by telephone to submit an option to him to purchase the land, but Mr. Wells was then in Oklahoma City and could not be reached. The next morning plaintiff again saw Mrs. Matthews at her home and was informed by her that her brother in California did not wish to buy the land and that she was trying to communicate with her brother-in-law, Carl Wells, but had not yet succeeded in reaching him, but that she did talk with her sister Essie, the wife of Carl, who informed Mrs. Matthews that if she, Essie, did not call her back by 2:00 o’clock that day to go ahead and do as she pleased about selling the land.

Plaintiff again returned to the home of Mrs. Matthews in the afternoon of that day at about 4:00 o’clock and she then informed him that she had heard nothing from her sister Essie and that she was ready to close the deal.

Plaintiff, accompanied by his son Charles Stovall, and defendants, then went to the office of W. H. Boatman, an attorney in the city of Woodward, who drafted the contract and deed. The checks heretofore mentioned were then signed by plaintiff and delivered to Mr. Boatman, who thereafter transmitted the contract and deed, together with the $500 check heretofore mentioned to the bank at Jet, Oklahoma, with a letter stating that the papers should be held in escrow in accordance with the terms of the contract.

Plaintiff further testified while in the office of Mr'. Boatman and while the papers were being drafted, and before they were signed, he stated to defendant Mrs. Matthews that if she did not then feel free to sign the papers that he would take her and the papers back to Nash, Oklahoma, where Carl Wells lived, and that she could then present the matter to him before signing. Mrs. Matthews replied that she did not care to go to Nash to 'consult with Mr. Wells; that her sister Essie told her to go ahead and do as she pleased about the land, and that she was willing and ready to sell, and she thereupon signed the papers. Mrs. Matthews in her testimony admitted that this conversation took place. Plaintiff’s testimony in most respects is corroborated by his son Charles, who was present at the time.

Defendants do not dispute the testimony offered by plaintiff in so far as the witnesses have testified; however, they insist that their testimony does not include the entire conversation which took place between the parties prior to the execution of the various instruments. They testified that there was-[110]*110an oral agreement entered into between the parties that after the signing of the contract and deed they were to be delivered to plaintiff; that he was then to call upon Carl Wells at Nash, and ascertain as to whether he was willing to exercise his option and purchase the land at the price agreed upon, and if so that the deed and contract should be ineffective and be returned to defendants and destroyed; but in the event he refused to purchase plaintiff should deposit the papers in the bank at Jet, there to be held in escrow in accordance with the terms of the contract. This plaintiff denies. Both defendants in their testimony admitted that it was agreed that upon the execution of the papers they should be delivered to Mr. Boatman and that he was to transmit them to the bank at Jet, and that he did thereafter so transmit them. Mrs. Matthews further testified that after the contract and deed were executed she received the $100 check from plaintiff as a down payment; that she immediately cashed the check and deposited the same to her credit in the bank.

Mr. Boatman testified by deposition. His recollection as to what actually transpired between the parties is rather hazy. In some respects he corroborated the plaintiff’s testimony and in others he corroborated defendants.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1950 OK 133, 216 P.2d 975, 203 Okla. 108, 1950 Okla. LEXIS 420, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/matthews-v-stovall-okla-1950.