Sheehan v. Farwell

97 N.W. 728, 135 Mich. 196, 1903 Mich. LEXIS 746
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 22, 1903
DocketDocket No. 5
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 97 N.W. 728 (Sheehan v. Farwell) 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
Sheehan v. Farwell, 97 N.W. 728, 135 Mich. 196, 1903 Mich. LEXIS 746 (Mich. 1903).

Opinion

Moqre, J.

This is an appeal from a decree granting the relief prayed for in the bill of complaint. A reference to the case of Farwell v. Bigelow, 112 Mich. 285 (70 N. W. 579), will aid in understanding some of the questions presented in this record.

The bill of complaint is, in substance, as follows:

“That Calvin A. Cook, being indebted to Jesse H. Farwell in divers sums, and also accommodated by some indorsements, on the 29th day of September, 1891, gave a mortgage to Farwell covering lands in Wayne county and Montmorency county, Michigan, and afterwards, on the ■31st day of December, 1892, Cook gave Farwell another mortgage, to secure the same indebtedness, on lands in Essex county, Ontario; that on August 1, 1894, Farwell began a foreclosure on the Michigan lands in the Wayne ■circuit court, in chancery, making Cook defendant, and also the Bigelows and Rea, on account of certain levies subsequent to the mortgage; that in May, 1896, prior to [198]*198the decree being taken in said chancery foreclosure, Far-well signed an agreement with Cook as follows:
“ ‘Sandwich, June 16,1896.
“ ‘For and in consideration of one dollar to me in hand and other valuable considerations from C. A. Cook, to wit, the signing of certain bills for expenses of foreclosing mortgages, etc., etc., in Michigan and Essex county, Ontario, I hereby agi;ee to foreclose mortgages which I hold against said Cook on lands in Michigan, U. S., and in Essex county, Ontario, and hold the lands for two years for sale; if not sold then, to sell same at best price obtainable, subject to the approval of said Cook, retaining from sales what is due me on mortgages, and pay over all balances to said Cook or whom he may appoint or direct.
[Signed] “ ‘Jesse H. Farwell.’
“ That on the 15th day of August, 1896, decree was granted by the Wayne circuit court fixing the amount due Farwell from Cook at $23,333, and ordering a sale of the lands in Wayne county and Montmorency county, Michigan ; that on July 22,1897, sale was had, and Farwell bid in the lands for $7,350; that those Michigan lands were worth $33,000; that on or before the 11th day of June, 1898, Far-well, in breach of the above-recited agreement, assumed to sell the lands in Essex county, Ontario, to his wife, Emer J. Farwell, for the sum of $25,000; that Farwell repudiated and denied the agreement of June 16, 1896, and denied all the rights of Cook in the Essex county lands and the Michigan lands.
“That on the 11th day of June, 1898, and prior thereto, Cook was a resident of Essex county, Ontario, and on that date he began suit in the high court of justice of the supreme court of judicature for Ontario against Farwell, and in his statement or bill of complaint set forth the substance of the facts hereinbefore set forth, and did pray relief as follows: To have Farwell declared trustee of the Michigan lands, and charging him with the value of the lands in the taking of the accounts between the parties, and that an accounting should be had between the parties, and that the defendant pay to the plaintiff whatever might be found to be the value of the Michigan lands over and above the indebtedness from Cook to Farwell, and that an order be made discharging the Ontario mortgage, made December 31, 1892, and releasing the Essex county lands to Cook, and for further and other relief, as the nature of the case required, and for costs of the action.
[199]*199“The bill further alleges that service of process was duly had in said Canadian suit upon Jesse H. Farwell, and on the 8th day of September, 1898, he appeared by Patterson, Leggatt, Murphy & Sale, and filed his statement of defense or answer, wherein he admitted the mortgages referred to, denied the trustee agreement of June 16, 1896, set out above, admitted the sale of the Essex county lands to his wife, admitted he had bought the Michigan lands on foreclosure sale, and denied that Cook had any further interest either in the Ontario lands or the Michigan lands.
“ That said Canadian court is a court of record, and one competent to hear, try, and determine said matters so pleaded; that subsequently, on October 20, 1898, Farwell was examined by Cook’s solicitors before F. E. Marcon, deputy clerk of said court, each side appearing by counsel on said examination of Farwell, and Farwell was examined as a witness relative to the matters in issue, and his evidence was filed in said cause; that, after the said examination, Farwell admitted he held the lands as security only, and as trustee, and afterwards, on the 28th of October, 1898, an agreement was entered into in writing by which it was agreed that such Canadian suit should proceed to an accounting between Cook and Farwell, and that Farwell’s wife should retain the Essex county lands, and in such accounting Farwell should be charged therefor the sum of $25,000; also that Cook should be entitled to a conveyance of the Michigan lands upon payment of the balance found due from Cook on such accounting, provided the same were paid to said Farwell or into said court to the credit of said action within six months from the amount being ascertained on said accounting.
‘ ‘ The bill further alleges that, in pursuance of such agreement, on November 9th a preliminary order was entered in said suit postponing the trial, and referring it to the master to take the accounting; that subsequently the parties proceeded with such accounting from time to time until November 4, 1899, when the master’s report was filed in said cause, showing the items allowed and disallowed to the respective parties; that such proceedings were thereupon had in said action that afterwards, on the 8th day of June, 1900, upon the motion of defendant Far-well, a final judgment was entered in said cause (set forth in the bill) fixing the amount to be paid by Cook at $10,-224.77 as of the 4th day of June, 1900, and ordering the [200]*200same paid into court within six months from the date of the judgment, whereupon the defendant was to transfer the Michigan lands back to Cook, or to such person as he might appoint.
‘ ‘ That, in pursuance thereof, Cook appointed the complainant, Robert C. Sheehan, to pay the moneys into court, Cook having, for a valuable consideration, transferred and conveyed all his interests in the Michigan lands to Sheehan; that Sheehan, in pursuance of said appointment and judgment, on the 7th day of December, 1900, paid the money into court as directed by said judgment, with the interest, which said sum has ever since remained to the credit of Farwell; that subsequent to the entry of judgment June 8, 1900, Cook discovered overcharges in the accounting on the part of Farwell, and on the 9th of November, 1900, filed a petition for correction thereof; that such proceedings were had thereupon that such corrections were made, and a new final judgment entered on the 12th day of June, 1901, by which the former judgment was recited, the corrections made, the amount finally due Farwell fixed at $9,308.16, reciting the appointment of Sheehan to receive the conveyance of the Michigan lands, and reciting the payment of the money into court, and the holding of the same to the credit of Farwell, and directing a transfer of the Michigan lands to complainant, Sheehan, and that Sheehan was entitled to the conveyance.

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Related

Schambs v. Fidelity & Casualty Co. of New York
259 F. 55 (Sixth Circuit, 1919)
Warren v. Sheehan
120 N.W. 810 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1909)

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Bluebook (online)
97 N.W. 728, 135 Mich. 196, 1903 Mich. LEXIS 746, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sheehan-v-farwell-mich-1903.