Paton v. Baker

15 N.W. 586, 62 Iowa 704
Supreme Court of Iowa·Decided April 19, 1883·Published

Opinion

Rothrock, J.

In the year 1871, Thomas C. Patón, 'William Patón, J. Langmire, A. G. Agnew and W. A. Patón, the plaintiffs-herein, were engaged in the dry goods business in the city of New York, in the partnership name of Patón & Co. Walter J. Crook, of Baltimore, was indebted to said parternerslnp in the sum of about $12,000. Crook failed in business and became insolvent, and, to pay the debt he owed said partnership, he conveyed lire land in controversy, and other lands, to A. G. Agnew, one of said partnership firm. So far as the record before us shows, the deed was an ordinary conveyance, excepting that the word trustee was inserted therein immediately after the name of the grantee. There was no reservation of any right in the land by Crook, and the deed conveyed to Agnew the full title of the property. The conveyance was taken to Agnew, instead of to all the members .of the firm, for convenience in conveying and selling the land, and it was understood that the lands were to be put in the market for sale. In 1874, the land being still unsold, Agnew executed to one LaPorce, of Ottumwa, Iowa, a power of attorney, authorizing him to sell and convey the same. In the same year LaPorce sold and conveyed the land in controversy to the defendant. The sale was consummated by the making of two deeds — one for thirty acres, in which the consideration expressed was $450. This was a deed containing covenants of general warranty. The other was a quitclaim deed to eighty acres, which included the thirty acres, for an expressed consideration of $100. The defendant paid the purchase-money in full, and part of it was remitted by LaPorce to the plaintiffs’ agent in Philadelphia, • and was afterwards paid by him to the plaintiffs. LaPorce sold the other land, and made default in payment to the plaintiffs, and absconded.

The plaintiffs insist that the conveyances to the defendant should be canceled, because Agnew held the land in trust for. the other plaintiffs, and had no power to sell the same without their consent, and had no power to authorize LaForce to [706] sell and convey, and that the defendant was charged by the record of the trust deed with notice of the rights of the plaintiffs other than Agnew, and is not an innocent purchaser. It is further claimed that the land was worth 1,200, and that the consideration paid therefor was grossly inadequate. Evidence was taken upon the question as to whether the individual members of Patón & Go. had notice of or consented to the sale of the lands in the manner in which they were sold, and the court by its decree required the defendant to pay to one of the plaintiffs the sum of $71, and to another $57, and made these amounts liens upon the land. This must have been on the theory that Agnew had no power to sell and convey without the knowledge and consent of his co-partners, and that the two to whom the allowance was made had no knowledge of and did not consent to the sales. The defendant does not appeal, and is content with the decree as it is.

In the view we take of the case, we do not deem it material to determine whether the plaintiffs consented to the sale •or had knowledge thereof. Indeed, we think the decree of the court confirming the defendant’s title may be sustained by conceding all of the facts claimed by the plaintiffs.

As we have seen, the partnership of.Patón & Co. took the -title of this land in payment of a debt due to the firm, and with the purpose of disposing of it as soon as a purchaser •could 'be found. The firm continued in active business until .after the land was purchased by the defendant. The partnership received part of the consideration for the land. We do ■not regard it as material whether or not they knew that the money received was part of the purchase-money.

It is well settled that, when land is purchased with partnership funds, and intended to be used for partnership purposes, it is to be treated as personal assets of the partnership. “ Peal property held by a partnership is to be regarded as the property of the firm as to the creditors and all persons dealing with it.” Hewitt v. Rankin, 41 Iowa, 35, and authorities cited. Another rule equally well settled is, that one partner [707] may bind bis co-partners by any contract made witbin tlie scope of tbe partnership business. Story on Partnership, § 322. And one partner is presumed to consent to all the acts of his co-partners within the scope of the business of the firm. Boardman & Gray v. Adams & Hackley, 5 Iowa, 224.

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Paton v. Baker, 15 N.W. 586, 62 Iowa 704 (iowa 1883).

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Related

Boardman & Gray v. Adams & Hackley
5 Iowa 224 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1857)
Hewitt v. Rankin
41 Iowa 35 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1875)