Quinnin v. Brown

40 N.W. 336, 72 Mich. 304, 1888 Mich. LEXIS 536
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 1, 1888
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 40 N.W. 336 (Quinnin v. Brown) 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
Quinnin v. Brown, 40 N.W. 336, 72 Mich. 304, 1888 Mich. LEXIS 536 (Mich. 1888).

Opinion

Sherwood, C. J.

The complainant, who is the wife of the defendant Alexander Quinnin, files her bill of complaint in this cause to foreclose a mortgage executed by herself and her husband, on the 14th day of January, 1886, to Samuel J. Brown, upon the Central Hotel property, at Corunna, in the county of Shiawassee, to secure the sura of §8,800; she having on the 6th day of September, 1886, received an assignment of a §4,800 interest therein from said Brown. The mortgage was given to secure a bond, which the complainant and her husband had signed. Defendant Brown is the owner of the balance of the mortgage not assigned to complainant by him. The defendant Mary E. Wilson is a subsequent purchaser of the property, who assumed the payment of the mortgage as part of the purchase price. The defendant Henry C. Wilson is an occupant of the mortgaged property, and husband of Mary E. Wilson. The Atkinsons are execution creditors of Henry O. Wilson, and 'claim under a levy upon the property mortgaged.

[306]*306Defendant Brown appeared in the cause, and answered -complainant’s bill. The Atkinsons appeared and made formal answer, claiming therein to be subsequent incumbrancers. The bill was taken as confessed by the other defendants.

A bill of sale was given of the furniture in the hotel ■at the same time the mortgage was made, as additional security for the money secured by the mortgage, not exceeding $3,000.

On the 1st day of January, 1887, some interest and $500 principal became due, and no part of which has been paid. On the 4th day of March, 1887, the whole amount ■of the mortgage was declared due by Mr.’ Brown, which might be done under the terms of the mortgage. The testimony tends to show the property cannot be sold in parcels.

The bill was filed on the 6 th day of April, 1887. In addition to the usual prayer of a bill in foreclosure cases, the complainant asks in this case that by reason of her marriage her signature to the bond be decreed a nullity, and she be released from all personal liability thereon. The complainant also asks that she be paid her $4,800 out of the proceeds of the sale of the mortgaged property, before any payment shall be made to the defendant Brown.

It appears from the record that in November, 1885, ■defendant Alexander Quinnin bought by contract 39 acres of land, known as part of the Wheeler farm, near Ooiv unna, of defendant Brown. Quinnin’s interest in this land was $550. He also owned a lot in Detroit, worth $300.

Mrs. Quinnin, the complainant, was the owner of a piece of land in Detroit, which was held by one Grant, under contract for its purchase. This parcel Mrs. Quin[307]*307nin bought of Mrs. Brown, with the contract of Grant 'Outstanding, and which called for the payment of $2,300 • as the purchase price. Mrs. Quinnin’s interest on January 14, 1886, was considered worth $1,850. She also •owned besides a lot on Fourteenth avenue in Detroit, worth $950. She also had personal property worth $200. 'So that Mrs. Quinnin’s separate estate held in her own right on the fourteenth of January, 1886, amounted to •$3,000. She also owned, with her husband, a mortgage •on lands-in Oakland county for $850; her interest therein ■being joint with that of her husband. This mortgage was called the iCLa More Mortgage."

The defendant Brown lived in Detroit, and was engaged 'in the real-estate business and agency. C. D. Smith •owned the Central Hotel at Corunna, and had placed it in Brown’s hands, to be sold at this time. About the 14th •of January, after some weeks of negotiating, Brown succeeded in bringing about a trade. By the arrangement Brown was to buy the hotel property and its furniture for the sum of $13,500, and pay mainly for it in city property that Brown then had in Detroit. This was done. Then Brown sold the hotel and furniture to the Quinnins, who gave property therefor to the amount of $4,700, and were ■to give a mortgage for the remaining $8,800.

The property the Quinnins let Brown have, which was taken by the latter for $4,700, was, first, Mrs. Quinnin’s interest in the Grant contract, $1,850; second, her lot on 'Fourteenth street in Detroit, $950; and her personal property, $200. This was all Mrs. Quinnin’s sole property. Mr. Quinnin furnished his lot in Detroit at $300, .and his interest in the contract for the 39 acres of land, $550; and Mr. and Mrs. Quinnin put in also the La More mortgage, then claimed to be worth $850.

The deed of the hotel property was made directly from Bmith to the Quinnins, — to Alexander Quinnin and Mary-[308]*308E. Quinnin, his wife, or the survivor; but the bill of sale-was given from Smith to Brown. Smith was paid by Brown, and the Quinnins had nothing to do with Smith.. The bond and mortgage given by the Quinnins secured the payment of the said $8,800, and is signed by both of them; the mortgage containing the following clauses:

“And when the sum of $3,000 shall have been paid on this mortgage, said Brown agrees to execute a bill of sale to said parties of the first part of all the furniture, effects, etc., contained and described in the bill of' sale,”—

That had on that day been given by Smith to Brown; also that should any proceeding be taken to foreclose the mortgage, either in law or chancery, or in any other manner provided by law, the Quinnins should pay $100 as a reasonable solicitor or attorney fee therefor, in addition to all other legal expenses.

It is claimed by counsel for complainant that the bond was void as against Mrs. Quinnin; that by the means, used, and the disposition made of her property, the laws for the protection of married women have been completely ignored, and that her separate property had gone beyond her control. In the view we take of the case, those questions do not necessarily arise, and will not therefore be considered.

The trade completed as above stated, the Quinnins went, into the hotel, and commenced business. In April following, engineered by Mr. Brown, another arrangement was-entered into regarding the mortgaged property, which resulted in the Quinnins selling the hotel and furniture' to parties who were introduced by Mr. Brown into the-business, and whose names were Wilson. Mrs: Wilson became the purchaser, at the sum of $14,600, in payment of a part of which she assumed the payment of the $8,800’ mortgage. Of this consideration the Quinnins received [309]*309the Wheeler farm, consisting of about 79 acres, subject to a mortgage of $3,500, which was deeded to Mr. ’Quinnin, and the La More mortgage was returned to him •and his wife, by Mr. Brown destroying the assignment to him.

Brown now held the $8,800 mortgage upon the hotel, securing Mr. and Mrs. Quinnin’s bond for that amount. He for some reason desired to get back the Wheeler farm; and on the 6th day of September, 1886, the Quinnins •conveyed the Wheeler farm and La More mortgage back to Brown, and Mrs. Quinnin received from Brown an •assignment of $4,800 interest in the bond and mortgage •of $8,800. It is claimed by Brown that, when he made this assignment to Mrs. Quinnin, there was a verbal agreement made by her and her husband, whereby they promised that if they were compelled to take the hotel prop•erty they would give him back a new mortgage of $4,000, and take up the old one. Mr. Brown does not swear that the agreement was with Mrs. Quinnin, or that such mortgage should be a first mortgage, but says Mr. ■Quinnin said he was willing Brown’s mortgage should be first. The agreement claimed by Brown is not found in the answer.

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Related

Quinnin v. Quinnin
107 N.W. 906 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1906)

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Bluebook (online)
40 N.W. 336, 72 Mich. 304, 1888 Mich. LEXIS 536, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/quinnin-v-brown-mich-1888.