Taggart v. Kem

53 N.E. 651, 22 Ind. App. 271, 1899 Ind. App. LEXIS 178
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 27, 1899
DocketNo. 2,831
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 53 N.E. 651 (Taggart v. Kem) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Taggart v. Kem, 53 N.E. 651, 22 Ind. App. 271, 1899 Ind. App. LEXIS 178 (Ind. Ct. App. 1899).

Opinion

Wiley, J.

— Appellees, Ivem and Wright, as partners, brought their action to foreclose a mechanic’s lien against real estate and improvements thereon alleged to be owned by appellant. George W. Roberts, Peter Jeffries, David Over-man, Elias Baldwin, James L. Barley, and Robert Spencer were made parties defendant, and it was alleged that they claimed some interest in the property in controversy. Barley and Spencer, as partners, Roberts, Overman and Baldwin, as partners, and Jeffries, each filed cross-complaints, in which they set up a like cause of action, and asked to have . their respective mechanic’s liens enforced.

The record does not present any question as to the sufficiency of the complaint and the cross-complaints, and we [273]*273need not notice them further, except to say that, in the complaint and cross-complaints, it was averred that, ait the time the labor was performed and the material furnished that went into, and was used in the construction of, the building, appellant and one "William E. Taggart were husband and wife, and that they owned, as tenants by the entireties, the real estate in controversy, and that after the completion of the work, the said William E. died.

Appellant answered the complaint and the cross-complaints in three paragraphs. The first was a general denial. In the second it was averred that, before and at the time the labor was performed and materials furnished in the construction of the building, she and her husband owned said, real estate described in the complaint, etc., as tenants by entireties; that when said labor was performed and materials, furnished she was a married woman; that the plaintiffs and all cross-complainants did said work and furnished said materials under an order from, and contract with, her husband;, that she did not give any order therefor, nor give her consent in writing; that she did not contract for the performance of said work or for said materials, but that the same was the separate debt of her husband; and that she never made said indebtedness her own or assumed to pay it. In the third paragraph of her answer the same averments are made as to her marital relations and the manner in which the improvements were made. It is then averred that she had purchased the real estate with her separate means, and that, by threats, impositions, and menaces of her husband, she was compelled to have the title thereto conveyed to her and her husband as tenants by entireties, and that her husband paid no part of .the consideration therefor. To each of these affirmative paragraphs of answer separate demurrers by the plaintiffs and cross-complainants were addressed and sustained, and appellant excepted.

After overruling the demurrers to these answers, the [274]*274plaintiffs and cross-complainants Barley & Spencer, and Roberts each filed an additional paragraph of complaint and cross-complaints, which differ from the original complaint and cross-complaints only in some additional averments. In the additional paragraphs of complaint, and the cross-complaint of Barley & Spencer, it was averred that the husband of the appellant, with her knowledge, acquiescence, and consent, proceeded to erect a dwelling house on the real estate owned by them as tenants by entireties, and that, with her knowledge and consent, he purchased of them materials which were used in the construction thereof. In the additional paragraph of cross-complaint of Roberts, it is charged that appellant and her husband entered into a contract with and employed him to furnish material and perform labor for, and in construction of, the building; that, in pursuance thereto, he did furnish material and perform labor, etc.; that said materials furnished by him were used in the construction of the building. It is further alleged that appellant had notice and knowledge at all times that he was furnishing said materials and performing work to be used in the construction of said building; that, with such notice and knowledge, she stood by and consented and acquiesced therein; that she permitted said materials to be used, and said labor to be performed, without objection on her part; that the materials furnished, and the work done, were necessary and beneficial to said real estate; and that said real estate was enhanced in value by reason thereof, etc. The appellant answered by general denial, and all of the other defendants answered the complaint by a general denial. The original plaintiff filed an answer of general denial to all the cross-complaints, and, as between the cross-plaintiffs the issues were joined by general denials. The court, upon proper request, made a special finding of facts, and stated its conclusions of law thereon,'and rendered judgment for plaintiff on his complaint, and for cross-plaintiffs on their respective cross-complaints. Appellant excepted to the conclusions of law, and [275]*275moved for a new trial, which was overruled. The errors assigned are: (1) That the court erred in its conclusions of law; and (2) that the court erred in overruling the demurrer to the second and third paragraphs of answer; and (3) the court erred in overruling the motion for a new trial.

We will first consider the argument of counsel for appellant upon the sufficiency of the second and third paragraphs of answer. As to the second paragraph, appellant relies upon section 6968 Burns 1894, in support of its sufficiency. That section is as follows: “Whenever repairs or improvements are made on real property of the wife by order of the husband, with her consént thereto, in writing, delivered to the contractor or the person performing the labor or furnishing the material, she alone shall be personally liable for the labor performed or the material furnished.” Counsel say: “We think that this section is as applicable to estates by entireties as to any estate of the wife.” We are unable to adopt this view, and cannot see that this statute has any application where the husband and wife own land as tenants by the entireties. In the plain language of the statute, it only applies wffiere the wife owns real estate in her own right, and was doubtless passed to protect the husband from personal liability under the conditions specified, and fix the liability 'for labor performed and materials furnished for the betterment of her separate estate where it properly belonged. This is the only suggestion made by counsel in support of the sufficiency of the second paragraph of answer, and, in our judgment, it is not tenable.

As to the third paragraph, counsel say: “In the third paragraph of answer, the allegations are the same as the second, * * * wdth the additional averments that the property was purchased with the wife’s own separate means entirely; that the husband, by intimidations and threats, procured the title thereto to be made in himself and wife, over her objections.” Counsel have not furnished us with any argument in support of the sufficiency of this paragraph of an[276]*276swer, for we have quoted all they have said about it. That part of this answer which refers to the purchase of the land with the separate means of the appellant states a fact, but the averments which follow, as to how "and why the title was taken by her and her husband as tenants by the entireties, are mere conclusions. To state that a thing was done or accomplished by “threats, impositions, and menaces” is not the statement of substantive facts, but is a mere conclusion, and in this respect the answer is wholly insufficient.

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Bluebook (online)
53 N.E. 651, 22 Ind. App. 271, 1899 Ind. App. LEXIS 178, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/taggart-v-kem-indctapp-1899.