Sautkulis v. Conklin

208 Misc. 903, 145 N.Y.S.2d 62, 1955 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3280
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 9, 1955
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 208 Misc. 903 (Sautkulis v. Conklin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sautkulis v. Conklin, 208 Misc. 903, 145 N.Y.S.2d 62, 1955 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3280 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1955).

Opinion

Colden, J.

This is an action for specific performance. The plaintiff alleges that in violation of an option contained in his lease, the defendant Frances Conklin conveyed to the defendants Matzok, certain real property at Glen Cove, New York. The defendant Conklin as a separate and distinct defense, and by way of cross complaint against her codefendants, asserts that her contract to sell, and the actual sale to the defendants Matzok, are entirely void because of her advanced years, confused state, and lack of understanding; that the transaction as to her was improvident, overreaching and unconscionable. Her prayer is for judgment of rescission and reconveyance. A counterclaim of the defendants Matzok against the plaintiff sounding in trespass, was dismissed by consent on the trial for failure of proof. With this suit in equity, there has been consolidated a summary proceeding instituted in the First District Court of Nassau County, based upon nonpayment of rent by the plaintiff as tenant to the defendants Matzok as landlords. This dispossess proceeding, however, requires no independent consideration. The obligation of the plaintiff to pay the applicable rent hinges on his success or failure in establishing his right to specific performance.

Prior to 1951, Frances Conklin was the owner of the parcel of real estate in the city of Glen Cove described by metes and bounds in paragraph “ First ” of the complaint. It was known on the city tax map as lot 23 in block A, section 21. On January 2, 1951, she owned no other property in the city of Glen Cove. On that date, she entered into a lease with the plaintiff for the presumable term of five years from that date. The lease covered “ that piece or parcel of land adjoining the tributary of the main Creek in the City of Glen Cove, used in connection with the rowboat business, owned by the party of the first part, together with the workshop, houseboat, 29 rowboats, anchors, oars and other incidentals used in connection with said business, all belonging to the party of the first part with the appurtenances ”. The rental for the first year was $1,600, payable half on execution of the lease and half on July 1, 1951.

[906]*906Two clauses embodying the antithesis of good draftsmanship were typed into the printed form lease: “ The parties hereto shall agree as to the amount of the yearly rent and the amount of payments at the end of each year for the remaining four years of this lease.

“ The party of the second part shall have an option to purchase the land and business on the same terms and conditions as any purchaser offers to the party of the first part. In the event the party of the second part fails to exercise his option and the party of the first part sells the land to any other party, this lease shall be terminated and the party of the second part shall surrender the land and business and the rent paid in advance if any adjusted.”

On the same date, and apparently as part of the same enterprise, one Doris Uhlendorf, the owner of lot 58 abutting lot 23 on its northern line leased to Mrs. Conklin for five years from January 2, 1951, “ that piece or parcel of land fronting on the Creek and the tributary thereto, now being used by the party of the second part in connection with her rowboat business with the appurtenances ”. This five-year term was unconditional. The annual rental was $400, payable in quarterly installments. This leasehold was turned over by the defendant Conklin to the plaintiff, although apparently without formal assignment, and he thereafter paid the rent directly to Doris Uhlendorf.

On and after January 2, 1951, lot 23, according to the plaintiff’s own testimony, was being beneficially used by three interests:

1. The plaintiff used the easterly portion, which he delineated as area B, by drawing an approximate line on the map. This contained one building, stated to be his workshop. Other parts of area B were used for the parking of cars, the storage of boats in wintertime, and it also provided, by means of a road, the only land access to lot 58. Here the actual rowboat rental business was located upon the land leased from Uhlendorf.

2. The defendant, William Matzok, leased from Mrs. Conklin, the westerly portion operated by him as a boat yard, containing four small structures. This was designated by the plaintiff as area M.

3. Frances Conklin retained a center strip, continuing to live, for the time being, in the two-room house thereon located. It was later leased by her to the Matzoks.

On June 13, 1952, a contract was entered into for the sale of lot 23 by the defendant Conklin to the defendants Matzok. The purchase price was $7,000, payable in monthly installments of [907]*907not less than $46.20. It was also provided in said contract ‘ ‘ It is mutually understood and agreed that this contract is subject to an existing lease between the parties with regard to a dwelling house on the premises known as 128 Shore Road, Grlen Cove, New York; and also subject to an existing tenancy between the Seller and John Sautkulis for certain fishing station premises, as well as to a lease between the Seller, and her late husband, Joseph W. Conklin, and the purchaser, William Matzok, dated June 27,1950 with regard to premises used as a boat yard, and that any income to the Seller under the above leases and tenancies is to remain the property and income of the Seller and to continue as long as the leases are in effect and the rents paid by the respective tenants, or until payment by the Purchasers is made in full, or this agreement otherwise terminated, whereupon all rights of the Seller under said leases shall end and the Purchasers shall then be entitled to all of the Seller’s rights thereunder as owner in fee simple.” The Matzoks then being tenants in possession of the dwelling house, which was known as 128 Shore Road, Grlen Cove, New York, proceeded at considerable expense to make substantial improvements therein.

On February 8, 1954, the plaintiff purchased from Mrs. Conklin for $500, the twenty-nine rowboats referred to in his lease. However, the memorandum, signed by both parties, evidencing the sale, provided, This transaction does not alter the terms of the lease I have with Mrs. Conklin, and our business will be carried on as usual.”

On June 15, 1954, an agreement modifying the contract of sale, previously entered into between the defendant Frances Conklin and the defendants William Matzok and Helen Matzok, was signed at the home of Mrs. Conklin, who was then residing with her granddaughter in New Jersey. The modification, which incidentally was witnessed by the said granddaughter, Mrs. Tumioli, provided for the payment of the consideration to the extent of $5,500, by the giving of a bond and purchase-money mortgage, payable with interest of 5% in monthly payments of $103.80 until fully paid.

Title closed on August 11, 1954, at which time, the defendant Conklin was represented by counsel, John J. McCann, Esq. of the New Jersey Bar. A subsequent communication from the purchasers’ attorney to the plaintiff, notifying him of the sale, and the assignment of his lease, precipitated this lawsuit, in which the plaintiff claims the property on the same terms as those afforded the defendants Matzok.

[908]*908At the outset, it is to be noted that the plaintiff’s alleged five-year lease is, in fact, only a lease for one year, that being the period for which a definite rent was provided.

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Related

Sautkulis v. Conklin
1 A.D.2d 962 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1956)

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Bluebook (online)
208 Misc. 903, 145 N.Y.S.2d 62, 1955 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3280, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sautkulis-v-conklin-nysupct-1955.