Rockwell v. Eiler's Music House

122 P. 12, 67 Wash. 478, 1912 Wash. LEXIS 1200
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 16, 1912
DocketNo. 10040
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 122 P. 12 (Rockwell v. Eiler's Music House) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rockwell v. Eiler's Music House, 122 P. 12, 67 Wash. 478, 1912 Wash. LEXIS 1200 (Wash. 1912).

Opinion

Gose, J.

This is an appeal from a judgment entered in favor of the defendant, after a demurrer had been sustained to the complaint and the plaintiff had declined to plead further. The appellant predicates his cause of action upon a lease which bears date July 7, 1910. The lease provides:

“That said party of the first part [the respondent]' does by these presents lease and demise unto the said party of the second part [the appellant] that part of the second and third floors commonly known as the Temple of Music, situate and being in that building described as 843-845, C street, Tacoma, Washington, and room number one (1) on the second floor, with the appurtenances, for the term of five (5) years, from the 1st day of August, one thousand nine hundred and ten, for the sum of twelve thousand dollars ($12,000), payable in gold coin of the United States of America, as follows, to wit: The sum of one hundred and sixty-five dollars ($165) per month for the first year; one hundred and ninety dollars ($190) per month for the second year, and two hundred and fifteen dollars ($215) per month for the third, fourth and fifth years, as follows, to wit: The sum of three hundred and [480]*480eighty dollars ($380) at the time of the signing of this lease, being payment for the first and last month’s rent, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and the rent thereafter shall be paid on the 1st .of each and every month thereafter in advance during the said term of this lease; . .

The lease further provides that the respondent may reenter the premises and remove all persons therefrom in case of a default in the payment of rent, or if default shall be made hi any of the covenants of the lease, and obligates the appellant to pay the rent in the manner stipulated. It further provides that the respondent shall pay for light used by the appellant, and for the power to run the organ in the building; that all improvements and changes made by the appellant shall be at his expense; that they shall conform to the insurance laws and ordinances of the city; that they shall become a part of the building and remain therein after the expiration of the lease, and that if they increase the cost of the insurance on the building, the excess shall be borne by the appellant. The complaint is of too great length to be set forth in extenso. It alleges, in substance, that the appellant, with the knowledge of the respondent, leased the premises for the purpose of carrying on a moving picture show; that the premises, prior to and at the time of the letting, were used for public shows and entertainments, and were equipped with chairs and seats for that purpose; that the appellant did not know that the premises could not be used for the contemplated purpose; that the respondent “did not disclose” to the appellant that the premises could not “be any longer-used for such purposes,” or for the use of audiences for any purpose, “until an exit for escape in case of fire” should be constructed extending over a part of the building not included in the lease; that it was agreed that the appellant should make certain alterations and permanent improvements, “the same being considered, taken, and accepted as part payment in the rental charge of said premises, so that the cash rate of the monthly rental was proportionately re[481]*481duced as stated in the lease in consideration of the same;” that the appellant entered into the possession of the premises and completed the improvements on the SOth day of September; that the chief of the fire department of the city then notified the appellant that the premises could' not be used for moving picture shows until an exit was constructed in conformity with the city ordinance; that the respondent refused to construct the exit; that the appellant, on October 15, opened the show and was arrested by the city authorities; that on the 25th day of October, the respondent refusing to construct an exit, the appellant “then and there surrendered such leasehold estate and the keys thereof” to the respondent, and that it has since had the possession and control of the premises. It is further alleged:

“That thereafter, and on or about the 4<th day of November, 1910, the said defendant commenced an action against this plaintiff upon said lease contract for the sum of one hundred and sixty-five dollars ($165) for the rent for the month of October, 1910. That thereafter, while said action was still pending, the said defendant agreed to and did terminate the said lease, and accepted the said surrender theretofore made of the same, . . .”

The appellant seeks to recover upon three causes of action. The first cause of action is for the recovery of $215 paid as rental at the time of the execution of the lease for the rent of the last month of the term. The second cause of action is for the recovery of the rent paid for the months of July, August, and September, 1910. The third cause of action is for the recovery of the amount paid by' the appellant for repairs and improvements on the building, upon the allegation that the improvements are of a “lasting and beneficial” character. The three causes of action are so intimately associated that we will consider them together.

There being no restrictions in the lease as to the purposes for which the premises may be used, the appellant was at liberty to use them for all lawful purposes. Hayton v. Se[482]*482attle Brewing & Malting Co., 66 Wash. 248, 119 Pac. 739. The lease is complete in itself, and its terms cannot be changed by a contemporaneous parol agreement. Hockersmith v. Ferguson, 63 Wash. 581, 116 Pac. 11. The appellant cannot recover under the terms of the lease by the matter pleaded. The allegation is that he had no knowledge of the ordinance requiring the construction of an exit as a prerequisite to the use of the building for a moving picture show, and that the respondent “did not disclose” that fact to him. This is true for two reasons, (1) the lease does not limit the use of the building, and (2) the city ordinances operate with all the force of a statute within the limits of the municipality, and all persons “within the corporate territory are bound to take notice of their provisions” when duly enacted and promulgated, and to obey them. 28 Cyc. 291-2. All persons who contract within the limits of a municipality in reference to matters which are governed by police regulations are charged with knowledge of their provisions. North Birmingham St. R. Co. v. Calderwood, 89 Ala. 247, 7 South. 360, 18 Am. St. 105; Central R. & Banking Co. v. Brunswick & W. R. Co., 87 Ga. 386, 13 S. E. 520; Hope v. Alton, 214 Ill. 102, 73 N. E. 406; Palmyra v. Morton, 25 Mo. 593; Buffalo v. Webster, 10 Wend. 100.

It is not important whether the matter set forth in the complaint be treated as a reentry and termination of the lease for the nonpayment of rent, or a surrender. In either case, there was a termination of the relation of landlord and tenant, and the right of the landlord to accrued rent was fixed and determined by the terms of the lease.

“A surrender has no effect upon the liability of the tenant for rents accrued at the time of the surrender. And this is true though the rent was payable in advance for a period beyond the time of the surrender, and a fortiori rent paid in advance cannot be recovered on surrender.” 18 Am. & Eng. Ency. Law (2d ed.), 295.

[483]*483The same rule is well stated in American Bonding Co. v. Pueblo Inv. Co., 150 Fed.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
122 P. 12, 67 Wash. 478, 1912 Wash. LEXIS 1200, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rockwell-v-eilers-music-house-wash-1912.