Mueller v. Marsh

74 N.W. 513, 116 Mich. 375, 1898 Mich. LEXIS 699
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 22, 1898
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 74 N.W. 513 (Mueller v. Marsh) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mueller v. Marsh, 74 N.W. 513, 116 Mich. 375, 1898 Mich. LEXIS 699 (Mich. 1898).

Opinion

Moore, J.

Complainant filed a bill as administratrix of her deceased husband, in which she stated that her husband, in his lifetime, entered into an agreement with defendant, as follows:

“ The undersigned acknowledges herewith that in the mortgage given him this day by E. F. Riopelle, amounting to thirty-two hundred dollars, Robert J. Marsh has an interest in the same to the amount of six hundred dollars, bearing interest at the rate of six and one-half per cent, per annum, which will be paid to him at the expiration of the mortgage three years hence, if not sooner realized, provided that the mortgage brings par value, or to such proportions as it may realize. The execution of this acknowledgment is depending on the filing and executing his (Marsh’s) bond, given to me this day, in regard to his interest of the firm of Mc.rsh & Riopelle, and for which is this present acknowledgment an equivalent. This acknowledgment not transferable.
“Detroit, December 3, 1885.
“ J. C. Mueller.”
“An agreement entered into this day between John C. Mueller, at Detroit, and Robert J. Marsh, of same place, to witness: John C. Mueller acknowledges that the mortgage given him today by E. F. Riopelle on lots A and B, Riopelle farm, amounting to three thousand and two hundred dollars, belongs one-half of it to Robert J. Marsh, and that half to be paid to him as soon as realized on it, with the consent of both Mueller and Marsh. Robert J. Marsh acknowledges that John C. Mueller has an equal share with him in the interest he (R. J. Marsh)' holds in the firm of Marsh & Riopelle, and also one-half in the soda apparatus stored at present in the house of said Marsh, 101 Catherine street, Detroit. Said Robert J. Marsh promises herewith to account to said J. C. Mueller for all his interest as above stated, and give him his equal share as soon as he realizes on it.
‘ ‘ In testimony, witness our hand and seal this 3d day of December, 1885.
“John C. Mueller. [L. S.)
“Robert J. Marsh. [L. S.]”
[377]*377“The undersigned acknowledges herewith-that I owe one-half of my interest in the firm of Marsh & Riopelle, at Detroit, to John C. Mueller, of the same place; that, in consideration for this interest, John C. Mueller has deeded to me a share in the mortgage given to him by E. F. Riopelle of thirty-two hundred dollars, on which I have received one thousand dollars in cash, and a further interest of six hundred dollars when realized upon, or mortgage expires. And I herewith promise faithfully to account to said Mueller all the profits, valuables, and stock I have and may receive as my share in the said firm of Marsh & Riopelle, and turn over one-half of the same to said Mueller. I further acknowledge that J. C. Mueller has an equal interest with me in the soda apparatus and counter stored at present on my premises, and that I will turn over to him one-half of the proceeds when sold with his consent. This presents not transferable.
“Detroit, December 3, 1885.
“Robert J. Marsh.”

Complainant further stated that her husband died in April, 1889; that defendant presented a claim before the commissioners, which was disallowed, but that, upon appeal to the circuit' court, a judgment was recovered for $838.33, which judgment was affirmed in the Supreme Court (96 Mich. 488), with costs; that this judgment was made up of $600 and interest; that since the trial complainant has found written evidence showing that at least half of that amount had been paid. She alleged that on the 1st of December, 1885, her husband and said Marsh entered into partnership; that said firm-was dissolved, and settled its affairs, but at what date she was not informed; that Marsh never accounted to her husband, and that upon a proper accounting there would be due her, as administratrix, not less than $500. She further alleged that defendant was insolvent, and prayed that he be required to answer under oath as to what sums of money he had received on the claim which had been put into judgment, and to state fully an account of the partnership, and that he be enjoined from attempting to collect his judgment.

The defendant answered under oath, denying that he [378]*378had received any payment- whatever from Mr. Mueller which ought to have been applied upon the $000, and denying that there was any profit in the partnership business, and giving his version of its condition.

The case was tried before the circuit judge, who set aside the judgment which had been entered in the law case, and decreed that the claim of Mr. Marsh should be allowed at $504.96. From this decree both parties appeal. No proof was offered in relation to the condition of the partnership for which an accounting was asked, and no reference was made to it in the decree.

The question is raised whether a court in chancery has the power to vacate a judgment at law under the state of facts set up in the bill of complaint. We do not deem it necessary to discuss that phase of the case. It is well understood that before a chancery court will interfere with a judgment at law it must be made very clearly to appear that an injustice has been done. A reference to the case of Marsh v. Mueller, 96 Mich. 488, will aid in understanding what is involved in this proceeding. It was the claim of Mr. Marsh in that proceeding, as well as in this, that he had a one-half interest — that is, $1,600 —in the $3,200 mortgage which had been given by Riopelle. He admitted then, and admits now, that Mr. Mueller paid him $1,000 during his lifetime, but claimed then, and claims now, that Mr. Mueller did not pay him the $600 to which he was entitled when the final $1,200 of the mortgage was collected. It is the contention of complainant that her husband paid this $600 to Mr. Marsh before the death of Mr. Mueller. Mrs. Mueller was sworn, and testified to the search she had made for any papers or receipts passing between Mr. Marsh and her husband, and to the first knowledge she- had of the receipt which was offered in evidence, and to having been in the store of her husband a short time before his death, when he was writing in his check-book, and the witness asked him what he was doing; that he made no reply, but Mr. Marsh did; that [379]*379Mr. Marsh said, “ The doctor is very good in helping me out of a difficulty with a loan.” The son was sworn to his fruitless search among his father’s papers, and to a talk with Mr. Marsh on the street, when ‘1 he said something to me about some papers being in the safe at the store, I believe, and he wanted to get them. He said they were his papers. I did not look for the papers at that time, but afterwards saw all the papers in the safe, and I did not notice any belonging to him.” Col. Duffield testified to the finding of the receipt after the trial and judgment in the circuit court, when looking up another claim. Mr. Williams, a bookkeeper at the American Exchange National Bank, testified that Dr. Mueller had an account at their bank, and that in the account there was an item on December 10, 1885, for $300; on September ICth, for $300; on September 9, 1886, for $1,010; on September 8th, $1,228.46. On the cross-examination he said it was an active account, and these were selected from a large number of debits. They would average a check a day of various amounts.

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Bluebook (online)
74 N.W. 513, 116 Mich. 375, 1898 Mich. LEXIS 699, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mueller-v-marsh-mich-1898.