Staufenbiel v. Staufenbiel

58 N.E.2d 569, 388 Ill. 511
CourtIllinois Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 22, 1944
DocketNo. 28001. Decree affirmed.
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 58 N.E.2d 569 (Staufenbiel v. Staufenbiel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Illinois Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Staufenbiel v. Staufenbiel, 58 N.E.2d 569, 388 Ill. 511 (Ill. 1944).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Thompson

delivered the opinion of the court:

By this appeal, defendant-appellant, Albert C. Staufenbiel, seeks to reverse a decree of the superior court of Cook county directing him to convey to his brother, plaintiff-appellee, Frank G. Staufenbiel, a one-half interest in-certain property, commonly known as “Eagle Point Resort,” located in Lake county, Illinois;. and further directing that the cause be referred to a master in chancery for an accounting as between the parties.

Frank G. Staufenbiel, hereinafter referred to as plaintiff, filed his complaint in the superior court of Cook county, alleging that he had furnished substantial sums of money for the purchase of certain properties, the title being taken thereto in his name and in the name of his brother, Albert C. Staufenbiel, hereinafter referred to as defendant, as joint tenants; that the defendant contributed nothing to the purchase of said properties and that on October 24, 1932, defendant fraudulently induced plaintiff to enter into a certain contract under which said defendant was to manage the properties and account to plaintiff for the proceeds thereof; that thereafter, through fraud, title to one property was put in the name of Alice Kiely, also made a defendant herein, and title to the other parcel was put in the name of defendant-appellant. The complaint prayed: (a) that the deeds conveying said properties to said defendant and Alice Kiely be declared null and void and that they be directed to reconvey to the plaintiff; (b) that the contract of October 24, 1932, be declared null and void; (c) that an injunction issue; (d) that the court find title to the properties in the plaintiff; (e) that the defendants, Albert C. Staufenbiel and Alice Kiely, account for moneys received from the properties or taken from the plaintiff, etc.

The defendant answered denying that he had purchased the properties with the plaintiff’s money and alleging said properties were purchased by said defendant with his own funds. Defendant further denied that the contract of October 24, 1932, was induced by fraud. Said answer further alleged that the deed to the Lake county property was executed for good and valuable consideration and was not procured by fraud, and, further, that the deed in favor of Alice Kiely was executed for the purpose of conveying title to prevent plaintiff’s wife from asserting any claim to the property. In addition to this answer, which denied all the material allegations of the complaint, the defendant filed a second supplemental answer and counterclaim in which defendant alleged a certain contract dated May 10, 1934, was entered into, and prayed for specific performance of said contract. To this an answer was filed by plaintiff admitting the existence of the contract but denying that the consideration thereof was paid or that there was any delivery of the contract. The cause was referred to a master in chancery who reported his findings and a decree was entered by the superior court on December 30, 1943, confirming and adopting the report in each and every particular and overruling the exceptions filed thereto. Some of the issues were decided adversely to the plaintiff but, no cross appeal being filed, these issues are disposed of.

The question presented in the pleadings as to the deed to Alice Kiely, which conveyed certain property located at 6208 North Artesian avenue, is not now before the court for the reason same was sold by agreement during the pendency of this case. The controlling question presented, and from which part of the decree defendant appealed to this court, and which is presented in his assignment of errors, pertains to the property known as “Eagle Point Resort.”' It was found by the decree of the trial court that the deed dated May 10, 1934, and recorded July 25, 1938, from the plaintiff to defendant, conveying plaintiff’s one-half interest in said resort property to defendant, was void and ordered that it be set aside and cancelled. It jyas also held that said agreement entered into on the same date was never delivered or fulfilled, nor was there any intention on the part of either of the parties to carry out the terms of said agreement; that the same was abrogated by mutual consent and that same should be rescinded and .be of no force and effect; that a certain release pertaining thereto was never delivered but was procured by defendant in an unknown manner and that the $500 consideration recited in the agreement of May 10, 1934, and in the release, was never paid; that the deed of May 10, 1934, should be set aside and declared null and void as against the plaintiff and his heirs and assigns as a cloud upon his title. In addition, the chancellor re-referred the cause to the master to state an account between the parties. From this ruling defendant appeals to this court.

For a better understanding of the contentions presented here by the parties we feel that a brief statement of the facts surrounding this controversy is necessary. During the year 1919, Frank G. Staufenbiel, and his brother, Albert C. Staufenbiel, resided at the home of their mother, Anna Staufenbiel, in the city of Chicago. Both started work in 1912. Albert worked for railroad companies and engaged in the real estate business. Frank started to work for an insurance company, later moving to Ohio, where in 1919, he became State agent. From the inception of his employment his earnings were substantial and he made from $3000 to $5000 a year in addition to all expenses. From this employment he began to send home checks to his mother, and from 1919 to 1933, he forwarded a total sum of $21,731. The greater part of these checks was endorsed by Albert and the proceeds were deposited in their joint bank account or kept in various safety-deposit boxes. During the year 1921, Frank and Albert purchased, by warranty deed, a two-flat building, located at 4950 North Monticello avenue, Chicago, Illinois, the consideration for the property being $11,500. For this amount the parties assumed a mortgage for $4000, made a junior mortgage for $3750 and the balance, amounting to $3750, was paid in cash. Of the cash purchase price, $1100 was taken from the mother’s bank account, $700 was contributed by Albert and $1950 was furnished by Frank. This property was later sold and the cash proceeds of. said sale were deposited in the joint bank account of Frank and Albert. They continued to purchase and sell property in this manner while Frank yet r-esided in Ohio, and, during the period from 1925 to 1932, Albert, who was engaged in the real estate business in Chicago, made numerous loans and had various real estate transactions. These transactions continued with Albert using the money which was obtained from Frank or from funds derived from sales of property belonging to Frank and himself, jointly. In the latter part of 1931 Frank told Albert tó look for a summer resort property in which they could establish their sick brother, Fred. Albert looked around for some time and finally, on March 26, 1932, the resort property, now in controversy here and known as Eagle Point Resort, was purchased for $9500 from one Belle Kanney, who executed a deed to Albert dated March 26, 1932, and recorded on March 29, 1932, in the recorder’s office in Lake county, Illinois. This property, on March 28, 1932, was conveyed by Albert to his mother, Anna Staufenbiel, and on the same date she conveyed the property to Albert and Frank as joint tenants.

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Bluebook (online)
58 N.E.2d 569, 388 Ill. 511, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/staufenbiel-v-staufenbiel-ill-1944.