Stillie v. Stillie

249 P. 672, 121 Kan. 591, 1926 Kan. LEXIS 205
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedOctober 9, 1926
DocketNo. 26,253
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 249 P. 672 (Stillie v. Stillie) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stillie v. Stillie, 249 P. 672, 121 Kan. 591, 1926 Kan. LEXIS 205 (kan 1926).

Opinion

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Marshall, J.:

The history of this litigation is as follows: In Stillie v. Stillie, 115 Kan. 421, 223 Pac. 281, a judgment of the district court granting a new trial was affirmed on February 29, 1924. The action had been first tried by George H. Whitcomb, judge of the district court of Shawnee county, division No. 2, and a new trial had been granted by him, after a demurrer to the evidence of the plaintiff had been sustained. After that judgment was affirmed, a trialwas had in the district court of Shawnee county before Oscar Raines, judge pro tern,., which resulted in a verdict and judgment in favor of the plaintiff. From that judgment the defendants appealed. That judgment was rendered November. 17, 1924, and was affirmed in Stillie v. Stillie, 119 Kan. 816, 244 Pac. 844. Thereafter, within proper time, a motion for rehearing was filed by the defendants and an opinion denying a rehearing is reported at Stillie v. Stillie, 120 Kan. 565, 244 Pac. 844. Thereafter an extension of time was granted in which the defendants could file a second motion for rehearing. That has been done, and with it has been filed a motion to set aside the judgment on the ground that it was obtained by fraud and corruption on the part of the plaintiffs. A motion has also been filed suggesting that Zachariah Stillie, one of the defendants, died January 8, 1923, leaving no children, and that Lewis Stillie, another of the defendants, died July 2, 1924, leaving Roberta Stillie, Blanch Stillie Menor, Eugene Stillie, Hiram Stillie, Isaac Stillie, and Ethel Stillie Battle, his children, surviving him.

The second motion for a rehearing reargues all the matters of law that were presented when the last appeal was first heard by this court and all the matters that were presented in the first motion for rehearing which was denied in Stillie v. Stillie, 120 Kan. 565, 244 Pac. 844. The majority of the court adheres to the principles of law previously declared in the opinions found in Stillie v. Stillie, [593]*593119 Kan. 816, 244 Pac. 844, and in Stillie v. Stillie, 120 Kan. 565, 244 Pac. 844. These principles will not be further discussed.

The death of Zachariah Stillie and Lewis Stillie occurred before the judgment was rendered in this action. There has been no consent that the action be revived against their heirs. More than one year has elapsed since their death and since the judgment was rendered.' The court does not have the heirs of Zachariah Stillie and Lewis Stillie before it and is powerless to make any order against them. This is a matter that must be handled by the parties to this litigation as to them seems best.

The motion to set aside the judgment on the ground of fraud and corruption on the part of the plaintiffs presents a serious matter. That motion sets out the following contract:

“State of Kansas, County of Shawnee.
“Personally appeared before me, a notary public, Jack Johnson, guardian of Irene Stillie Jackson, Lena McDowell and Henry McDowell. We hereby agree by and between Irene Stillie Jackson, through her guardian, Jack F. Johnson, party of the first part, and Lee Skidmore and Ida Skidmore and parties of the second part.
“All parties do hereby agree that in consideration of the Skidmores influencing or securing the proper signatures of Carl Jackson of Carthage, Mo., making correct statements and signing papers to whether he is or is not the father of Irene. In the case of Carl Jackson signing and admitting such papers, Lee Skidmore and Ida Skidmore are to become in full possession of lots, beginning on the southwest comer of King and Lincoln, then south to Porter’s fence, and then west to the alley, then north to place of beginning, and all the appurtenances thereto belonging. Jack Johnson.
Lee Skidmore.
Lena McDowell.
(His mark X) Henry McDowell.
Irene Jackson Stillie.
“Subscribed to before me this 29 day of Aug. 1922.
(Seal)
Van Smith, Notary Public.
“My Com. Ex. Dec. 16, 1924.”

The contract recites that Jack Johnson was the guardian of the plaintiff. Lena McDowell, one of the contracting parties, was the mother of the plaintiff, and Irene Jackson Stillie was the plaintiff. The motion alleges that the affidavit of Carl Jackson was obtained as provided in the contract; that it was sworn to August 25, 1922; and that the appellants first learned of the existence of a contract about May 27,1926, and did not see it until June 1, 1926. It appears from the opinion in Stillie v. Stillie, 115 Kan. 420, 223 Pac. 281, that the affidavit of Carl Jackson was used to procure a new trial before Judge Whitcomb.

[594]*594The motion shows an attempt to pervert justice at its source, and shows an attempt which if successful cannot be permitted to stand. The rule is that this court determines appeals on records made in the trial court, but that rule has not always been strictly followed. In Caldwell v. Modern Woodmen, 90 Kan. 175, 133 Pac. 843, this court said:

“A judgment upon an insurance policy based, upon the presumption of the death of the insured person after an unexplained absence of over seven years was affirmed. Afterwards, and while the action was pending upon a motion for a rehearing, evidence was filed in this court tending to prove that the insured person was still alive. A rehearing was granted upon the question whether the issue of death should be again tiled in the district court, and upon that question, on leave given to both parties, additional evidence was filed in this court tending further to prove that the insured is living. No evidence is presented to the contrary. It is held: (1) That upon the circumstances of this case the defendant is not precluded from asserting that the insured is still alive by its failure to discover and produce proof of that fact at the trial; (2) that this court has jurisdiction to allow a new trial of the single issue of death.
“While this court has no jurisdiction to determine the issue of death presented in the pleadings, it may, in the exercise of appellate jurisdiction, consider the new evidence in determining the question whether that issue shall be retried in the district court.
“In the extraordinary situation presented, in order that the truth may be ascertained and justice done, a new trial of the issue to determine whether the insured person was living when the action was commenced is allowed.”

In Craig v. Craig, 110 Kan. 13, 202 Pac. 594, this court said:

“The supreme court has both inherent and statutory power to prescribe a rule of procedure whereby an order of the supreme court reversing a judgment which was procured by the fraud of a litigant may be set aside and corrected.”

In Craig v. Craig, 112 Kan. 472, 212 Pac. 72, the court said:

"Following the decision in the preliminary hearing of this case, 110 Kan. 13, 202 Pac.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
249 P. 672, 121 Kan. 591, 1926 Kan. LEXIS 205, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stillie-v-stillie-kan-1926.