McCollister v. Willey

52 Ind. 382
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1876
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 52 Ind. 382 (McCollister v. Willey) 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
McCollister v. Willey, 52 Ind. 382 (Ind. 1876).

Opinions

Downey, J.

Suit by the appellee against the appellant. The complaint is in three paragraphs. The first paragraph is for money had and received. The second alleges that, prior to the year 1865, the plaintiff purchased certain real estate, described in the complaint, near Thorntown, in Boone county, Indiana, and paid for the same with his own money; that subsequently he caused the legal title to said land to be conveyed to the defendant, Jesse B. McCollister, without any consideration, to hold in trust for the use and benefit of the plaintiff, and to convey the same to whomsoever might purchase the same from the plaintiff; that subsequently said land was sold to one Zachariah Morris, Sr., for the sum of three thousand dollars, and a deed made to the same by Jesse B. McCollister and his wife, Euth McCollister, the former of whom received.the consideration thereof, the said three thousand dollars, for the use and benefit of this plaintiff as his trustee; that plaintiff* has requested and demanded said money so received for said land of said Jesse B. McCollister, but that said McCollister refuses to pay the same to him, with the exception of one thousand dollars; wherefore he sues and demands judgment for three thousand dollars.

And for a third and further cause of action against the said defendant, said plaintiff says that, in the year 1865, he entered into a written contract with the defendant, as follows, to wit:

[384]*384The plaintiff was to cause the following lands to be conveyed to said defendant, to wit: A part of the west half of the southwest quarter of section thirty-five, in township twenty north, of range two west, beginning at the southwest corner of said tract above described, running thence north fifty-two rods, thence west thirty-one rods, thence south fifty-two rods, thence east to the place of beginning, containing ten acres, which said land said defendant, by the terms of said contract, was to hold in trust for the use and benefit of this plaintiff, and sell for him whenever he could find a purchaser therefor, at plaintiff’s price, to wit, three thousand dollars; that out of the proceeds of such sale defendant was to pay all the costs of such sale and transfer, including a reasonable compensation for his services in selling said land for the plaintiff, and that this was the only written contract ever made between the plaintiff and defendant concerning said land; that subsequently said defendant, pursuant to said written contract, sold and conveyed said tract of land to one Zachariah Morris, Sr., for the sum of three thousand dollars, which the said defendant has converted to his own use, and refuses to pay the same to plaintiff And plaintiff further says that said defendant, by false and fraudulent representations, obtained from the plaintiff the possession of said written contract, and destroyed or concealed, and yet conceals, from the plaintiff; Avherefore plaintiff cannot file a copy of the same Avith this complaint; and plaintiff demands judgment against defendant for three thousand dollars.

The defendant answered in ■ tour paragraphs. The first was to the first paragraph of the complaint, and avers that the defendant did not, at any time within six years next before the commencement of this action, undertake, promise, or agree to pay to the plaintiff the said sum of money, for which he prays judgment in his said complaint, or any part thereof.

The second paragraph is confined to the second paragraph of the complaint, and admits that the tract of land described [385]*385was purchased and paid for by the plaintiff", as he has alleged, but alleges that, subsequent to its conveyance to defendant, he sold the same to Zachariah Morris for the sum of three thousand dollars, and received the same; but he denies expressly that said land was conveyed to him without consideration, or in trust for said plaintiff, but avers the fact to be, that at the May term, 1865, of the Boone Common Pleas Court, defendant recovered judgment against plaintiff for a large sum of money, to wit, for about four thousand dollars, upon which said judgment he caused an execution to be issued; that at the time of the recovery of said judgment, the legal title to the land, as defendant was informed and believes, was in Elizabeth Willey, Avife of plaintiff, together with other valuable real estate, to Avit, a lot and brick business house thereon, situated in the toAvn of Thorntown, Boone county, Indiana, all of which he was informed and believes said plaintiff caused to be conveyed to his said wife for the purpose of defrauding his creditors; that although at the date of said judgment the legal title of all of said property was in said Elizabeth, the indebtedness of said plaintiff upon which judgment was recovered had accrued long prior to the conveyance of said property to his said wife, and said plaintiff was the equitable owner of all the property above mentioned, and the same Avas liable to be made subject to the payment of said defendant’s said judgment, and defendant was about enforcing the same; that a proposition was then made to this defendant on behalf of said Avife of plaintiff, Elizabeth, as he understood, that if this defendant would pay certain liabilities then owing by them, separately and together to Hamilton & Galvin and David E. Caldwell, and enter satisfaction of said judgment, she would convey said tract of land, or cause the same to be done, to defendant; that defendant accepted said proposition, and made the payment as agreed upon to the said Hamilt®n & Galvin and said Caldwell, and receipted said judgment in full, thereby releasing the remainder of said real [386]*386estate in the name of said Elizabeth Willey from all liability upon said judgment; that a deed was executed, in pursuance of said arrangement, by the said Elizabeth and her then husband, John R. Willey, to one David E. Caldwell, for the said tract of land, and by him conveyed to defendant; and defendant denies each and every allegation in said second paragraph of complaint not specifically admitted in this answer.

The third paragraph of the answer was to the third paragraph of the complaint, and was a limited denial; and the fourth paragraph, to the whole complaint, was a general denial.

The reply was in two paragraphs: 1. A general denial. 2. As to the second paragraph of answer, that on the 25th day of January, 1872, the plaintiff instituted a suit against the defendant, on the identical cause of action set up in his complaint in this case, which was within six years of the time said cause of action accrued, and within six years of the time the defendant received the money mentioned in the complaint for the use and benefit of plaintiff’; and plaintiff says that said suit, so instituted by him, was transferred on change of venue to Fountain county, where the same was dismissed without any negligence or want of proper diligence on the part of the plaintiff and that this suit was commenced within four years of the time said suit was so dismissed.

On the 30th of September, 1873, there was a trial by jury, and a verdict for the plaintiff, on which there was final judgment. On the 4th of October, 1873, there was a motion-made by the defendant for a new trial, and the defendant filed a bill of exceptions, setting out the evidence. At the next term, on the 21st day of November, 1873, the motion for a new trial was sustained.

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Bluebook (online)
52 Ind. 382, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mccollister-v-willey-ind-1876.