McKinley v. Irvine

13 Ala. 681
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedJanuary 15, 1848
StatusPublished
Cited by28 cases

This text of 13 Ala. 681 (McKinley v. Irvine) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McKinley v. Irvine, 13 Ala. 681 (Ala. 1848).

Opinion

CHILTON, J.

1. We think the writ of error should not be dismissed. The decree directs the value of the shares to be paid to the complainant, which value is to be ascertained by rules which it prescribes. The amount in the complainant’s hands, as well as the expenses, are required to be deducted from the gross sum of the proceeds, and complainant is declared to be entitled on each share to one four-hundred and eighth part of the residue. Thus settling the rights of the parties, we think it comes within the principle settled in the case of Weatherford v. James, 2 Ala. Rep. 170, and Kennedy’s Heirs, &c. v. Kennedy’s Heirs, Ib. 573, and must consequently overrule the motion to dismiss the writ of error. That a reference was awarded to the master to ascertain the sum, which by the decree is ordered to be paid complainant, does not change or affect the character of the decree, or render it interlocutory merely. See Bank of Mobile v. Hall, 6 Ala. Rep. 141.

2. The main question, and that to which we shall chiefly direct inquiry, respects the title ■ made by the bill to the shares in controversy. The complainant must show by his allegations in the bill, that he is entitled to the relief which he seeks, and if he fail to set forth every essential fact necessary to make out his title to maintain the bill, the defect will be fatal. The general rule is, that no relief can be ■granted upon matters not charged, although the same appear in evidence, for the decree must be predicated upon the allegations as well as proof. “ The reason for the rule,” says Judge Story, “ is, that the defendant may be apprised by the bill, what the suggestions and allegations are against which [694]*694he is to prepare his defence.” Story’s Eq. PI. § 257. Indeed, nothing is in issue except such facts as are charged in the bill, and all proof of facts not stated, either generally or circumstantially, must be regarded as without the issue, and consequently irrelevant, and a decree on such facts cannot be supported. Wilkes v. Rogers, 6 Johns. Rep. 565; Irnham v. Child, 1 Bro. Ch. C. 94; Crocket v. Lee, 7 Wheat. Rep. 522; Jackson v. Ashton, 11 Peter’s Rep. 229; Gresley Eq. Ev. 22-3; Story’s Eq. Pl. § 28; Morgan v. Crabb, 3 Porter’s Rep. 470; Boazman v. Draughan, 3 Stew. Rep. 243; Murray’s adm’r v. Mason’s adm’r, 8 Por. 211; Clemens v. Kellogg, 1 Ala. Rep. 330; Gibson v. Carson, 3 Ala. Rep. 421.

In Gilchrist v. Gilmer, 9 Ala. Rep. 985, it is said, the general rule, that the proof must correspond with the allegations, applies only when the evidence discloses a cause for relief, different from that set up by the party pleading it.

The allegations of the bill in regard to the title of the complainant in this case are as follows: After stating the attempted settlement between complainant and defendant, McKinley, in October, 1841, when the complainant exhibited a statement of the amount of money in his hands, collected as agent for the trustees, and demanded the payment of three shares, numbered 187, 397, and 399, which he says were placed in his hands by John T. Montgomery, for himself and his brother, James H. Montgomery, under express authority to obtain payment of what was justly due thereon, and after averring McKinley’s refusal to allow more upon each share than $475, and complainant’s withholding the sum of $2639 61, to pay said shares, and the subsequent suit against him by the trustees for the same, the bill states, “Your orator further states, that since said suit has been instituted, he has become the purchaser of said three shares of stock from John T. Montgomery, and his brother, James H. Montgomery.” The bill then states, that the shares were purchased by Samuel Hazard and Samuel Hazard & Co., but principally with the means of James Montgomery, deceased, the father of complainant’s vendors. That under some arrangement, the certificates were delivered to him, the §aid James, and a power of attorney was executed by Hazard to one Buncker to transfer the certificates to said James [695]*695Montgomery, now deceased, but the transfer was not executed. That since the death of James Montgomery, Hazard and Buncker have made a power of attorney to John T. Montgomery, authorizing him to make such title to said shares as was in them. The bill then proceeds, “Your orator became the purchaser of said shares from said John T. Montgomery, and his brother, James H. Montgomery, the heirs and distributees of said James Montgomery, who, for themselves, and the said John T. Montgomery, as attorney in fact for Samuel Hazard and Charles N. Buncker, and in their names, by indenture, bearing date the 3d day of September, 1842, conveyed to your orator said three shares of stock, with all the rights and benefits appertaining thereto.” Thus it is shown by the bill, that the equitable interest in those three shares was in James Montgomery, deceased, and this equitable interest the complainant acquired from his two sons, the heirs and distributees of said James, while he acquired the legal interest from Hazard and Buncker, by their deed, executed by John T. Montgomery, their agent. This is the case made by the bill, and upon which the complainant must recover, if he recovers at all. Nor is this averment of the manner in which he acquired the title unimportant, but it is essential to the validity of the bill. In Wilburn v. Ingleby, 1 Mylne & K. 61, a bill brought by a derivative shareholder in an unincorporated company, for an account against the directors, alledging that they had made a profit to themselves at the expense of the company, was held demurrable, because it only stated the plaintiff to be a shareholder by purchase; but it did not specifically state the mode in which he acquired his share, and the manner of his holding, and that he had performed the conditions which, by the rules of the company, were required to be performed, in order to validate the transfer. See also Story’s Eq. PI. 215.

It is unnecessary for us to examine the question made by the counsel for the plaintiff in error, as to the power of a foreign administrator to transfer the stock so as to vest in complainant a right to sue. The proof in this case shows that the two sons of James Montgomery, deceased, did not acquire the stock as his heirs and distributees, but by devise from [696]*696their said father; the will bearing date the 15th day of March, 1834, and'duly proved and recorded in the register of wills for the city and county of Philadelphia. The question, presented upon the record is, whether the proof sustains the case made by the bill. We think it clear that it does not. A title acquired by will as devisees was not putin issue by any of the pleadings, and forming no part of the complainant’s case, could not properly be made the foundation of a decree in his favor. See cases above cited, and Story’s Eq. Plead. § 257, 258, 264. In James v. McKernon, 6 Johns. R. 564, it is said, the good seuse of pleading, and the language of the books, both require that every material allegation should be put in issue by the pleadings, so that the parties may be duly apprised of the essential inquiry, and may be enabled to collect testimony in order to meet it. Smith v. Smith, 4 Johns. C. Rep. 281. So also, in Buck v. McCaughtry, 6. Monroe’s Rep. 82, it was held that an allegation of suggestion of falsehood will not let in proofs of the suppression of truths. So, if the complainant seeks to rescind a contract on account of deficiency of land sold, he will not be allowed to rescind for fraud which,he does not aver in his bill. Gouverneur v. Elmendorph, 5 Johns. Ch. R. 82; Thompson v. Jackson, 3 Randolph’s Rep. 504; Ibid. 263; Parker v. Carter, 4 Munf.

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13 Ala. 681, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mckinley-v-irvine-ala-1848.