Perry v. Erdelt

231 N.W. 888, 59 N.D. 741
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 1, 1930
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 231 N.W. 888 (Perry v. Erdelt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Perry v. Erdelt, 231 N.W. 888, 59 N.D. 741 (N.D. 1930).

Opinion

Nuessle, J.

This is a contest between the plaintiff as administrator of the estate of Franziska Erdelt, deceased, and the defendant, one of the sons of the decedent, who claims as donee certain property which had belonged to her.

Franziska Erdelt was a widow. Her husband died in 1919. Prior to his death he deeded to her a half section of land and gave her all of his personal property. The Erdelts had nine children, five girls and [744]*744four boys. After ber husband’s death Mrs. Erdelt continued to live on the farm. Her two younger sons, Max and Alfred, lived'with her and operated the farm under an agreement whereby she received a portion of the net proceeds and they received a portion. In 1924, Mrs. Erdelt executed a deed of the real estate to Max. She left this deed and certain certificates of deposit and shares of corporate stock, together with a bill of sale transferring all of the personal property to Max, with her banker Crabtree for safe-keeping. The deed and other papers were enclosed in an envelope on which was endorsed the following :

“ESCROW”
“The inclosed deed to N¿ 27-129-63 and Bill of Sale to all of my personal property, executed in name of Max- Erdelt, are this day deposited with the First National Bank of Ellendale, North Dakota, with instructions to deliver same after my death to the said Max Erdelt, upon payment to said Bank for credit of Alfred Erdelt of the sum of Four Thousand Dollars.”

This endorsement was made by Crabtree and was signed by Mrs. Erdelt. In 1925, Alfred left the farm. He took with him a portion of the personal property which he claimed either by gift from his father or from his mother or brother. Max was married in 1925 and he and his wife continued to live on and operate the farm. His mother, Franziska, lived with them. The proceeds of the farming operations were divided, Mrs. Erdelt receiving one half and Max the other half. In 1927, or the early part of 1928, Mrs. Erdelt went to the bank and procured the envelope containing the deed and other papers saying she wanted to make some changes in them. She did not return the papers to the bank. She died in December, 1928. After her death Max put the deed of record and he and his wife executed a mortgage on the premises for $4,000 to Alfred. Max also claimed ownership of all of the personal property including the certificates of deposit and the money deposited on open account in the bank. Thereafter the plaintiff Perry was appointed administrator of the estate. He demanded the certificates of deposit and other personal property and contended that the land belonged to the estate; that though the deed [745]*745bad been executed and was recorded, it bad never been in fact delivered and so was inoperative. Max refused to turn over tbe personal property and continued to occupy tbe land under a claim of ownership under tbe deed. So tbe administrator brought this action to set aside tbe deed to Max, tbe mortgage executed to Alfred by Max and bis wife, and to quiet title in himself, to recover tbe personal property, and for an accounting of tbe rents and profits. Tbe defendants Max and Alfred both answered. Max denied tbe claims of tbe administrator and set up bis ownership of the property, both real and personal, by virtue of tbe deed and bill of sale and a delivery thereof to him. He also counterclaimed seeking to recover from tbe plaintiff tbe amount of Erdelt’s checking account, possession of which bad been obtained by tbe administrator. Alfred, answering separately, denied tbe plaintiff’s claim and set up bis interest in tbe real property under tbe mortgage executed by Max and bis wife. Tbe case was tried to tbe court-without a jury. When it came to trial tbe defendants objected to tbe introduction of any evidence on tbe grounds that tbe complaint failed to state a cause of action and that there was a misjoinder of causes of action. Tbe objection was overruled. Evidence was offered in support of tbe issues as made by tbe pleadings. Tbe court found and held that there bad been no delivery of tbe deed; that tbe deposit of the deed and other papers with tbe bank in 1924 was a deposit for safekeeping only and that Mrs. Erdelt bad tbe right when she desired to do so to procure a return of tbe same; that there was no transfer under tbe terms of tbe deed or tbe notation on tbe envelope in which tbe same was contained; and that tbe real property was tbe property of tbe estate. Tbe court further found and held that tbe certificates of deposit, tbe shares of corporate stock, and tbe money on deposit in tbe bank, bad not. been transferred or given to Max Erdelt and that tbe same were tbe property of Mrs. Erdelt at tbe time of her death and so were part of tbe estate. Tbe court further found and held that all tbe other personal property bad been given to Max by Mrs. Erdelt in 1924 and that tbe gift bad been reaffirmed, in 1928. Judgment was entered accordingly and tbe defendants appeal. Tbe plaintiff also perfected a cross-appeal claiming that there bad been no gift or transfer of the personal property to Max and that tbe court bad erred in refusing to adjudge costs in favor of tbe plaintiff.

[746]*746Tbe first question tbat presents itself is as to tbe propriety of tbe action of tbe trial court in overruling tbe defendants’ objection to tbe introduction of any evidence. It is clear tbat tbe administrator was clothed with authority to bring action to quiet title to any real property belonging to tbe estate. See Comp. Laws 1913, § 8798; Druey v. Baldwin, 41 N. D. 473, 172 N. W. 663, 182 N. W. 700; Magoffin v. Watros, 45 N. D. 406, 178 N. W. 134. Likewise be bad tbe authority and it was bis duty to enforce bis right as administrator to any personal property belonging to tbe estate. See §§ 8798 and 8801, Comp. Laws 1913. Even if be could not properly vindicate tbe title to both tbe real and personal property in tbe same action, tbe defendants, if they saw fit to object to bis doing so, must raise tbe poirffi-"' ~ demurrer. See Comp. Laws 1913, § 7442. And by answering they waived tbe right to object on tbe ground of misjoinder of causes of action. See Comp. Laws 1913, § 7447. Viewed and construed liberally as against tbe challenge thus tardily interposed to its sufficiency, the complaint stated a good cause of action. When tbe court overruled tbe objection to tbe introduction of evidence no further objection was made and tbe cause was tried to tbe court without a jury on all tbe issues tendered.

During tbe course of tbe trial numerous questions were raised touching tbe admissibility of evidence, particularly with respect to tbe acts and statements of Mrs. Erdelt. Tbe trial court was very liberal in bis rulings and admitted practically all of tbe evidence offered, stating be would later pass upon tbe admissibility of tbat which was objected to. We must in considering tbe record presume tbat be did this, and if, disregarding tbe evidence which was properly objectionable, the record is sufficient to sustain tbe findings as made, tbe judgment will not be disturbed.

Tbe defendants contend tbat when Mrs. Erdelt executed tbe deed and bill of sale and deposited them with tbe bank in 1924, tbat she delivered them to tbe bank which received them as tbe agent of Max and title at once passed; tbat by such delivery she put it out of her power to reclaim tbe instruments and tbat tbe banker bad no right to return them to her when she demanded them in 1928; that regardless of what she did with tbe papers after she received them back, title to [747]

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Bluebook (online)
231 N.W. 888, 59 N.D. 741, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/perry-v-erdelt-nd-1930.