Tomsany v. Abadie

3 Pelt. 403, 1920 La. App. LEXIS 44
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 19, 1920
DocketNo. 7774
StatusPublished

This text of 3 Pelt. 403 (Tomsany v. Abadie) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tomsany v. Abadie, 3 Pelt. 403, 1920 La. App. LEXIS 44 (La. Ct. App. 1920).

Opinion

CHAHI.ES ¶. CLAIBORNE, JUDGE.

This suit has a bwo-fold object, first, to annul two tax sales of the same property to the defendant, and, second, in the alternative, to compel the defendant to permit the plaintiff to redeem the property.

The plaintiff, a resident of Pennsylvania, alleged that he was the owner of tract of land situated in the Parish of Jefferson for having purchased the same on August 30th, 1910 by act of E. K. Henrlqjies, Notary, Registered Book 29 p. 648; that John D, Abadie claims to have acquired one undivided half of said property at 8 sale for taxes of 1913 made on June 26th, 1914, and the other undivided half at a sale for the taxes of 1914 made on August 26th, 1915; that both of said tax -sales are null for-the rC&oo-n that no notice was served on petitioner prior to either tale; that on 'December 3d, 1917 petitioner, by notarial act, tend¿red the said Abadie a sum sufficient to redeem said property from both of said tax sales, which Abadie refused to accept; and he prayed for.judgment annulling said two tax sales, and, in the site-motive, recognizing his right to redeem, and his ovjnership of the property.

Defendant Abadie pleaded a gou-iral denial; he averred that he had'hoúght the undivided half of the game at a tax sale made June 20th, 1914, and that he had o-en in possession of the same since his purchase; and that on August 7th, 1915, at another tax sale, he had bought the other undivided half of the sane property, and that he had been in possession of the whole since his purchase; he pleaded the prescription of one and three years; he further averred that he paid taxes on the same ahd built fences, and ploughed and drained it, and planted trees upon it; he prayed to be qui^ed in his title, and in the alternative to be reimbursed his taxes and expenses.

There was judgment for the plaintiff annulling the fcwc' [405]*4058»l«e for wont of notice on plalntlffy^elmburslng the .defendant #72.68 tho amount paid fey him at tho two tax sales.

ThO defendant has appealed.

Upon the trial of the caee the plaintiff introduced evidence to ehow, and upon the argument in thie Court, urged, that the defendant had agreed to permit the plaintiff to.redeem; and had extended the time allowed fey law to redeem^- .and that, therefore, the tender made in December 1917 was timely, fe will take up thie point- first.

Article 233 of the Constitution of 1898 provides that S

•the property sold (for taxes) shall be redeemable at any time for the space of one year &c" -

and Section 63 of Act 170 of 1898 p 346 (376) provides

•that said property shall be redeemable at any time for the space of one year beginning on the day when the said deed is filed for record in the Conveyance Office ftc*

This Statute has been upheld in 139 La., 354; 119 La., 662; 142 La 743, and in State ex rel Curtis vs Ross, 144 La., 898 (912). The sale made in June 1914 was registered in the Conveyance Office on June 26th, 1914; and the sale made in August 1915 was registered in the Conveyance Office on September 3rd, 1915.

Joseph W. Sheldon testifies that in March 1916, one year and three months after the registry of the first dale, he received a- letter from the plaintiff herein, Joseph Tomsany, a resident of Pennsylvania^in the following words:

"Please pay the taxes for the 8 acres of my land at Crown Point too";

that he called upon the defendant, John fi. Abadie, and informed him of the letter he had received, and told him he came to see him with a view of repurchasing the land for Tomsany by paying him his costs; that, at the first interview, Abadie dLd not appear willing; but that, at a subsequent Interview, Abadie said he had speri-t considerable money in improving the property and that he was not going to lose the money; but that he did not want the man's land, and that he could'have it if he paid him his expenses; in a personal interview he had with Tomsany in New Orleans, he believes in July 1916, Tomsany.told him.he would take legal steps [406]*406to recovdf his land; - witness told Abadie repeatedly that he was waiting for his account in order to make him a tender, and Abadie promised to make it^but never did.

Edward P. Henri que^C-testified that on January 18th, 1917 he received a letter from the plaintiff who wrote:

"You know I bou/£ 8-3/4 acres of land >f or $800.00 from Hr. Glisson at Crown Point; it has been sold for taxes, lir. Sheldon promised me that he would get it transferred hack on my name. Please help Hr. Sheldon to do it";

that he telephoned to Abadie and told him that Tomsany had requested him to attend to redeeming his property from the tax sale; that, as he recollected it, Abadie had told him that he-had promised Hr. Sheldon to redeem the land, that he would carry out his. word as soon as he was ready; but that he was displeased because he had heard that Tomsany had come to town and had not come to see him.

Plaintiff also offered in evidence a notarial act dated December 3rd, 1917 tendering to Abadie the purchase price of the two 'tax sales. This tender, morethan one year aftf.r the registry of the tax sales, cannot avail the plaintiff, unless we hold that defendant had agreed to allow the redemption and had extended the time to do it.

The defendant, Abadie, denied that he had agreed to the redemption of the property. He testifies as follows:

Q. Did you evqr promise him (Sheldon) that the property could and you would let the property be redeemed?
A. Ho., I refuwed to have any dealing at all with Hr. Sheldon in the matter".

He denied also .that he had ever had-any conversation with Hr. Henriques; well he might, as the conversation was over the telephone, and.it appears that he did not know Hr. Henriques; he refused to accept the notarial tender.

Richard Bragne swears that about three months after the first sp]e, vi*5 p2ace of busir.es?: in this City, he notified plaintiff of tYfi tax sale.

Edv-rrd 7. Henriques testifie- that to his personal knowledge the plaintiff was r.ot in the City of Hew Orleans between [407]*407the years 1913 and up to the summer of 1916 - and that during that time he was in Pennsylvania.

At the time the matter of redeeming the lands was taken up by Sheldon, some time after March 1916, the delay-for redemption from the first cale (June 1914) had expired; hut- the delay had not expired as to the second sale, September 1915. We cannot easily presume that the defendant waited an acquired right as to the first sale, and it does not appear, that he did. His consent to‘the redemption of the fir«t sal* and his promise to furnish a statement, did not change plaintiff's position, nor lure him into inaction until the delay for redemption had eixpired, as in the case of the Succession of Spotorno. It ms i,,ithout consideration and could oe withdrawn by him at any time. The most favorable conclusion for the plaintiff that we can draw from the vague and unsatisfactory testimony on this point is that the defendant consented to allow the plaintiff to redeem tb** second sale or so ranch of the property as he h?d the rioht, at that tim«, to redeem under the law.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
3 Pelt. 403, 1920 La. App. LEXIS 44, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tomsany-v-abadie-lactapp-1920.