O'Connor v. Hemeyer

216 N.W. 887, 52 S.D. 159, 1927 S.D. LEXIS 311
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 20, 1927
DocketFile No. 5983
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 216 N.W. 887 (O'Connor v. Hemeyer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
O'Connor v. Hemeyer, 216 N.W. 887, 52 S.D. 159, 1927 S.D. LEXIS 311 (S.D. 1927).

Opinion

SHERWOlOD, J.

This is an action on a promissory note for $6,8oo given by Henry C. Hemeyer and Id-a Hemeyer, his wife, to plaintiff, secured by a second mortgage on southeast quarter, section 29-98-76.

[161]*161Thereafter Henry C. Hemeyer died. Such proceedings were had in the probate court of Tripp county that this land, together with the northeast quarter, of the same section, was set over to Ida Hemeyer, and their seven children. Ida Hemeyer received one-third, and the seven children each two twenty-firsts of the land.

She was appointed guardian of the minor children. At the time of the decedent’s death there was a first mortgage of $3,000 to the state of South Dakota on the southeast quarter; this second mortgage of $6,800 to respondent; also a mortgage of $2,000 on the northeast quarter.

Thereafter Ida Hemeyer, personally, and as guardian of her minor children, entered into a written contract with defendant, J. P. Anderson, to sell him both quarters for $12,800. Her two sons Hanse and Edward, who were of. age, joined her in this contract. She further agreed to apply to the probate court for license to sell the interests of the minors, and Anderson agreed to bid at the sale the minors’ proportionate share of the price of said land; all taxes and costs of probate to be paid out of the $1,000 coming to Ida Hemeyer. The sale of the guardian’s interest was made through the county court, properly approved; and a deed given by Ida Hemeyer and her two sons who were of age to J. P. Anderson.

Anderson failed to pay the taxes and interest due on the mortgages, and O’Connor brought suit on the note against Ida Hemeyer and J. P. Anderson also to foreclose the second mortgage. Ida Hemeyer answered, alleging that J. P. Anderson, as a part of the consideration for the land, agreed to assume and pay the $6,800 note, and save her from any liability thereunder; that notice of this agreement was given to O’Connor, and it was mutually agreed between herself, O’Connor, and Anderson that, in consideration of Anderson’s promise to assume the mortgage, O’Connor would release and discharge her.

A cross-complaint was also filed by Ida Hemeyer against said J. P. Anderson, in which she alleged, in substance:

That, as a part of the consideration for the sale of said land to Anderson, he agreed to assume and pay the note and mortgage in suit, and save her harmless from any liability thereon. Further, that the contract between herself and Anderson, as written, did not in fact contain a clause by which Anderson in express words [162]*162assumed and agreed to pay the mortgage; hut said contract did not state the true agreement between the parties. That, when said contract was signed, she was mistakenly acting under the belief that it contained a correct statement of the contract between herself, her children, and Anderson, and did contain a promise on Anderson’s part to assume and pay the mortgage debt, and save her harmless from personal liability thereon. That Anderson read the contract to her, and, as he read it, purported to read from said contract express words assuming said mortgage indebtedness. That the mistake on her part was caused by the fact that Anderson assured her that such contract did contain the agreement by which he assumed the mortgage, and read it to her in that way. That she would not have signed the contract to sell the land if she had not so believed. That she had received-a copy of the agreement at the time it was made, and has retained' the same ever since, but had not read or referred to it until this action was commenced, because until that time she had no reason to believe Anderson would not pay the mortgage debt and interest, as agreed; and she asked -judgment that the contract be- reformed by adding, after the words “subject to mortgages in the sum of $i-i,8oo now of record,” the following: “Which the said J. P. Anderson assumes and agrees to pay.”

Defendant Anderson demurred to this cross-complaint for the reason “that it appears from the face thereof that there is a defect of parties defendant.” This demurrer was overruled.

Thereafter Anderson answered this second amended cross-complaint, “specifically denying he ever promised or agreed to assume the mortgages,” and alleging “that this -court has no jurisdiction to reform the said contract * * * without making the said Planse Hemeyer, Edward Hemeyer, Walter Hemeyer, Lawrence Hemeyer, and Clarence Hemeyer, and each of them, parties to this action; that each of the said parties are necessary parties defendant to the full determination of said action.”

Upon the trial the court found:

That the contract made between the parties was that he should pay her $40 per acre for the land, an entire purchase price of $12,800, to be paid by Anderson’s assuming and agreeing to pay the existing mortgages against said land, amounting to the sum of $11,800; and1 the $1,000 difference 'between the amount of said [163]*163mortgages and the price of said land was to be paid in cash by Anderson, less certain items of expenses which were to be ' deducted.

That Anderson had a written contract already prepared. That Ida Hemeyer and her children are peoplé of German descent, have little education, and are wholly ignorant of the legal meaning of the language, terms, and expressions used in contracts to convey, and fully believed that, under the terms of said written instrument, as read to them by Anderson, and the language used therein, said -Anderson covenanted and agreed to assume and pay all the mortgages against the land as a part of the price thereof, and would not have signed the instrument if they -had not so understood' its language and legal effect.

That Anderson, at the time the instrument was executed by Ida and her children, well knew and understood that Ida Hemeyer and her children understood- that, by the terms and legal effect of the writing they were signing, Anderson was binding himself to assume and pay all the incumbrances then against said land, amounting to $11,800, and understood, as expressed in their language on the witness stand, that, by the terms of said written instrument, Anderson was to “overtake” said mortgages; and, had they not so understood the terms and legal effect of said instrument, they would not have executed the same. That at said-time Anderson knew vendors, and especially Ida Hemeyer, were acting under the belief that the terms and legal effect of the instrument as read by Anderson was that he was to assume and pay all the mortgages against the land. That Anderson knew or suspected that the grantors, and especially Ida Hemeyer, would not have signed said instrument had they not been acting under the mistake that Anderson agreed to assume and pay the mortgages.

That, notwithstanding this knowledge and well-grounded suspicion, Anderson did not make known to said grantors, and especially to Ida Hemeyer, that he was not assuming and agreeing to-pay said mortgages; but permitted them, and especially Ida Hemeyer, to execute said instrument under such mistaken belief, and without any effort whatever to correct such mistake.

That the true agreement, as made and understood by Ida Hemeyer and' her children, was thereafter fully performed on their [164]*164part. That Anderson has failed to pay the taxes and interest, and there was then due on said mortgage $7,276. That Ida Hemeyer has been damaged by the failure of Anderson to pay the interest on said-mortgage by the amount of the judgment which -Prank O’Connor will recover against her.

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Related

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239 N.W. 171 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1931)

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Bluebook (online)
216 N.W. 887, 52 S.D. 159, 1927 S.D. LEXIS 311, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/oconnor-v-hemeyer-sd-1927.