Moonshine Co. v. Dunman

111 S.W. 161, 51 Tex. Civ. App. 159, 1908 Tex. App. LEXIS 177
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 26, 1908
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 111 S.W. 161 (Moonshine Co. v. Dunman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Moonshine Co. v. Dunman, 111 S.W. 161, 51 Tex. Civ. App. 159, 1908 Tex. App. LEXIS 177 (Tex. Ct. App. 1908).

Opinion

REESE, Associate Justice.

This is an appeal from a judgment partitioning among the several claimants a tract of 22 acres of land, together with the proceeds of certain oil produced therefrom. The case was tried without a jury, and the trial court filed its conclusions of fact and law, the former of which are very complicated and voluminous. *161 None of the conclusions of fact are objected to in the assignments of error. Appellants excepted to the judgment.

So far as necessary to a proper understanding of the questions here presented the following statement is made from appellants’ brief:

In August, 1904, A. L. Conaway, under power of attorney from the widow and heirs of J. W. Dunman (which conveyed to Conaway a half interest in the land), in his own name, and in the names of said widow and heirs, as plaintiffs, instituted this suit in trespass to try title against G. H. Hermann for 150 acres of land, including what was afterwards known as the 22 acres “disputed' strip.” In October, 1904, defendant H. Hermann filed answer and cross-bill, disclaiming all land sued for except said 22 acres “disputed strip,” which, by cross-bill, he claimed against the plaintiffs and S. E. McAshan, J. B. Brockman and others, whom he made defendants in his cross-bill. Defendants Brockman and McAshan made contracts with the original plaintiffs, or some of them, protecting their respective rights in specific tracts of the 22 acres claimed by them, under which they assisted said original plaintiffs to defeat the claim of Hermann to said land. The case was tried with Hermann occupying the attitude of plaintiff on his cross-bill. On the trial of the case, by agreement between original plaintiffs, J. B. Brockmann and the owners of the McAshan rights, adjustment of rights as between them was waived and dismissed, until after the issue of title between said original plaintiffs and said Hermann should be finally determined.

Meantime, and before the trial of the case, on application of said Hermann, the court, on May 17, 1905, placed the whole 22 acres in the hands of a receiver, who caused same to be developed for oil, and rented out other parts, and since said May 17, 1905, the land and its product has been in the hands of receivers and producing revenue, and is now so in the receiver’s hands and producing revenue. Before the receiver was appointed, intervener B. E. Brooks made lease of 71/1 acres of the land, both with the original plaintiffs and said Hermann, and developed that tract for oil and fully drained it of oil before the receiver was appointed. Brooks also made contract with Conaway, who purported to act for himself and the Dunmans, by which Brooks advanced $1,850 in cash upon royalty oil. McAshan, in December, 1904, deeded his 2 3-10-acre tract to the Moonshine Company and Campbell & Wren, and said company took actual possession of a part of the 2 3-10 acres (McAshan tract), and was so holding same for itself and Campbell & Wren when, in January, 1905, interveners Brooks, Warnecke, Fisher, Sears & Sherwood acquired their rights from Conaway alone. The contract of conveyance of the 2 3-10 acres (secured to McAshan) was made with A. L. Conaway, who signed same for self and as attorney in fact for the Dunmans, and is dated October 22, 1904. The contract for $1,850 advanced on royalty oil by B. E. Brooks was made with A. L. Conaway, who signed same for self and as attorney in fact for the Dunmans, and is dated January 31, 1905.

The issue of title between the original plaintiffs and Hermann was tried May 26, 1905, and resulted in judgment for the whole 22 acres in favor of said original plaintiffs against Hermann, which ease was appealed, and on November 19, 1906, the judgment of the trial court was *162 affirmed by the Court of Civil Appeals. After affirmance of said judgment, and after report of receiver of December 10, 1906, Moonshine Company and Campbell & Wren, R. E. Brooks, J. B. Brockman, Warnecke, Fisher, Sears & Sherwood, J. A. Kirlicks and the Dunmans filed pleas, each claiming rights in the land and in the money in hands of receiver. Moonshine Company and Campbell & Wren claiming specific 2 3-10 acres, and its product; and all the other parties, except R. E. Brooks, contesting the claim of Moonshine Company and Campbell & Wren." From the judgment of the court upon the issues made by these interventions, decreeing to Moonshine Company and Campbell & Wren half the 2 3-10 acres and half its product, and apportioning the cost to be paid in proportion to money awarded, this appeal is prosecuted.

McAshan also had a deed from one Stansberry to a tract of 3% acres, which included the 2 3-10 acres hereinafter referred to, and had about % of an acre of the 2 3-10 acres enclosed within his fence around another tract of 12 acres adjoining, which he had bought of Stansberry, upon which was a residence.

Pending this suit with Hermann, A. L. Conaway for himself and as attorney in fact for the widow and heirs of J. W. Dunman, S. E. Mc-Ashan and Campbell & Wren entered into the following agreement:

“State of Texas,?
Harris County, j
“Whereas, in cause No. 34858 in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, Elizabeth Dunman, feme sole, widow of J. W. Dunman (and the other named Dunman heirs) and A. L. Conaway, as plaintiffs, are suing George H. Hermann, as defendant, for 150 acres of land in the James Strange survey in said Harris County, and whereas said defendant, G. H. Hermann, has, by cross-bill duly filled in said cause, disclaimed as to all of said land except a strip about 65 varas wide on the east side of the 150 acres claimed by said plaintiffs, and has set up title to said strip and declared in trespass to try title against said plaintiffs and a number of others, among them S. E. McAshan, and whereas said S. E. McAshan has employed Campbell & Wren, attorneys at law, to defend his interests in the only land claimed by him in said eastern strip, and said attorneys, Campbell & Wren, before preparing their pleas for the said McAshan, have, upon a conference with said plaintiffs in said suit, reached an agreement: This is executed to evidence such agreement, which is as follows:
“1. Said plaintiffs hereby release to said S. E. McAshan all claim, right and title which they have in and to the hereinafter described tract of 2.3 acres of land, more or less, and agree that, upon the rendition of judgment in said cause in their favor for such land, the decree shall be so drawn as to award to said McAshan said 2.3 acres, more or less, which is set out and described as follows: _
_ “A tract of land in the James Strange survey in Harris County, Texas, beginning at a stake in the east line of the 12 1-3-acre tract of land deeded by Stanberry and wife to S. E. McAshan, which deed is recorded on pages 3 to 5 of vol. 147 of the deed records of Harris County, Texas, which stake and beginning point is 401 feet north of an iron stake set for the northeast corner of L. W. Long’s 50-acre tract.

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Bluebook (online)
111 S.W. 161, 51 Tex. Civ. App. 159, 1908 Tex. App. LEXIS 177, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/moonshine-co-v-dunman-texapp-1908.