Rightor v. Kohn

16 La. 501
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedDecember 15, 1840
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 16 La. 501 (Rightor v. Kohn) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rightor v. Kohn, 16 La. 501 (La. 1840).

Opinion

Garland, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

In the month of May, 1836, the plaintiff and wife, by public act, sold to Laurent Millaudon three undivided ninth parts, and to John Slidell, Henry G-. Schmidt, Joachim Kohn, Frederick Frey, Charles F. Zimpel and Henry T. Williams, each, one undivided ninth part of a tract of land, containing ninety thousand four hundred and thirteen ninty-four hundredth superficial arpents, being a portion of the tract generally known as the Houmas, situated as is supposed in the parishes of Ascension and Iberville, for the sum of two hundred and twenty-six thousand and thirty-four dollars and eighty-four cents, one seventh of which sum, viz : thirty-two thousand two hundred and ninety dollars and twenty cents was paid in cash, and the remainder to be paid in six equal annual installments. To secure the payment of the price, the purchasers, each, gave their promissory notes to the plaintiff, viz: L. Millaudon, six notes, each for ten thousand seven hundred and sixty-three dollars and fifty-six and a half cents, and John Slidell, H. G-. Schmidt, Joachim Kohn, Frederick Frey, Charles F. Zimpel and H. T. Williams, each gave six notes, each for the sum of three thousand seven hundred and forty-four dollars and fourteen cents, payable as aforesaid. “ In order to secure the full and punctual payment of the aforesaid promissory notes at the respective periods of maturity, the said purchasers affect, mortgage and specially hypothecate the described and sold premises in favor of the vendor, promising and binding themselves not to alienate, incumber or deteriorate the said property, to the prejudice of this mortgage.” The notes of Millaudon, which fell due in May, 1838 and 1839, and those of the other parties which became due in May, 1837, 1838 and 1839, not being paid at maturity, were protested, and this suit brought to recover the amount of them.

The first ground of defence is, that the consideration for which the notes were given has entirely failed, as High tor had no right or title to the property sold.

Secondty, that various stipulations and conditions were [504]*504imposed upon plaintiff by the act of sale, which he had not complied with, wherefore, he had no right to demand payment.

Thirdly, that the Houmas grant was never recognized by the government of the United States, on the contrary it had been repudiated by many of the public officers, and land sold within the limits of it and the premises sold to the defendants.

Fourthly, that Frangois Laville, disturbed them in their title and possession of the land by commencing and prosecuting a suit against the plaintiff and these defendants, to rescind the sale made by him to plaintiff, and further, that John M‘Donough set up title to a large portion of the land sold, and was prosecuting a suit to recover it.

The plaintiff obtained a judgment against each of the defendants for the respective sums claimed, with interest, and against them jointly and severally for costs; it is also decreed “that said judgments bear vendor’s privilege on the property described in the petition.” And it is further decreed, that no execution issue on this judgment until the plaintiff shall have furnished security, to the satisfaction of the court, in the sum of two hundred and twenty-six thousand and thirty-four dollars and eighty-four cents, to indemnify them against the claims of M‘Donough upon the property sold by the plaintiff to the defendants, in the suit now pending by appeal in this court.

From this judgment all the defendants, except Williams, have appealed.

In addition to the grounds of defence urged in the court below, the defendants, further say, there is error in the judgment in decreeing it shall “bear vendor’s privilege on the property described.”

Before proceeding to the consideration of the grounds of defence, we have to notice a bill of exception, taken by the defendants to the reception as evidence, of an act which the defendants call a proces-verbal or certificate of J. H. Usley, as notary public in the parish of Ascension, stating he had delivered to Williams, one of the purchasers, for and in behalf of himself and his co-vendees, all the title papers stated therein, which papers and muniments of title, Rightor [505]*505in the act of sale, had promised fo produce and deliver within a stipulated time. .

Where the certificate and act of the notary recites the sale and specifies the title papers to be delivered, and slates that,at the request of the. vendor, he had delivered them to one of the vendees for himself and co-vendees, who acknowledges the receipt of them, it is sufficient evidence of their delivery on the part of the vendor. Wheretheventitles6before the sale> and ‘hey at'e examined and set forth in dees^nnot^set “p any other innullities in ihem tied"ai the S" presston^of dis-the titi°es°whioU had been exhibnoTaudeeiodelaypayment; and when not evicted,even if he is in danfon’to“ithhofd payment, if security is offered.

The first ground of objection is, that the certificate is not the best evidence of the delivery of the papers, and that the notary should have been produced in person to prove what he states. If the act was what, the counsel for the defendants contend it. is, we should possibly concur with him in opinion, but he has overlooked a few important words at the close of it, which materially affect its character. The notary recites, in the first place, that portion of the sale from plaintiff to defendants, in which he agrees to deliver certain title papers, he then describes the papers and says that at the request of Rightor, he had delivered them to Williams for himself and .his co-vendees, who says, he “hereby acknowledges the receipt of the same,” and then signs the act in presence of the notary and two witnesses, by whom it is duly certified. We think the district judge did not. err, in admitting the act as evidence. It is a receipt given in presence of a notary in due form, and is an authentic act, which he could make and certify.

The second ground of exception goes to the effect of the act, the judge so says, and leaves it open for argument on the merits.

.... . In deciding upon the merits of this case, we are of opinion the defendants have not shown the consideration of the notes have failed, and in this action, they cannot go into the question whether the title of Rightor and wife was good or not. Previous to the sale the vendors exhibited to the vendees their title papers, they were examined and set forth in the act. of sale, such defects as appeared in them were specially pointed out, and the vendors bound to remedy them, If that has been performed, the defendants cannot now set up other informalities and nullelies, as a ground for suspending payment. 8 Marlin, N. S., 330; 5 Louisiana Reports, 19. They expressed themselves satisfied with the title, and . i , . , ..... cannot now delay payment by a mere expression of dissatisfaction with it. They have not been evicted by any one, and the danger of it is not a sufficient reason to withhold [506]*506payment, if secmity for indemnity be given. Louisiana Code, article 2535; 7 Martin, N. S., 95.

A delivery of of title to one of tiers'3L r'sX dent delivery to The sale of a claimedund^'rñ otíiershtftient is not void because have refused^ confirm it; or where it has been only con-it appears^there t'urbance n° d'S

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Bluebook (online)
16 La. 501, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rightor-v-kohn-la-1840.