Union Central Life Insurance v. Rogers

55 S.W. 1019, 155 Mo. 307, 1900 Mo. LEXIS 249
Supreme Court of Missouri·Decided March 20, 1900·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

BURGESS, J.

This is a suit in ejectment to recover the possession of a large farm in Monroe county. The petition is in the usual form, and alleges that plaintiff was the owner and entitled to the possession of the land on the first day of November, 1896, and that defendant on that day entered into the possession of the same and unlawfully withholds the possession thereof from plaintiff.

The answer alleges that the land in question was conveyed by defendant to a trustee to secure to plaintiff a large sum of money, to-wit, $16,000. That after default was made in the payment of the money when it became due, the trustee on the 24th day of October, 1896, exposed the land to sale, in pursuance of the terms of the said deeds of trust, and the same was at such sale purchased by the plaintiff company at the price of $16,769.91, at which time the said defendant notified the plaintiff that he intended to redeem said property under the provisions of the statute in such cases made and provided, and that on the 20th day of November, 1896, in vacation of court, defendant executed his bond with securities, in the sum of $1,250, conditioned for the payment to said plaintiff company of the interest which should accrue to it on the sum of $16,-769.91 from the date of said sale, and to pay all damages and waste which might be occasioned by him or permitted by him [310] after said sale, which bond was approved by the clerk of the court and which, it is alleged, was in full force and effect at the time this action was brought. “That by virtue of said bond, .and by the provisions of the statute in such case made and provided, the defendant became entitled to, and secured to himself the right to redeem the said property at any time within one year from and after the said 24th day of October, 1896, the day on which the same was purchased by the said company, and therefore defendant says -this said action was brought by the plaintiff company before any right of action had accrued to said company to recover the said property sued for in this action.”

Plaintiff filed reply to the answer in which all allegations therein were denied.

Defendant was the owner of the land in controversy at tho date of the execution of the deed of trust by him under which it was thereafter sold by the acting trustee, the then sheriff of the county, on the 24th day of October, 1896, after notice, and in accordance with the provisions of that deed of trust, after default was made in the payment of the principal debt and accrued interest, which at that time was $16,769.91. At this sale the plaintiff, the beneficiary in the deed of trust, became the purchaser of the land for the amount of the debt, and accrued interest. Defendant Rogers was present at the sale, and testified that shortly after the sale and on the same day he notified T. W. Roudebush, the special agent for plaintiff, and who bought in the land for it at the- sale under the deed of trust, of his intention to remain in possession of the land, and to redeem it from the sale. Charles A. Creigh, a witness for defendant, testified that at the instance and request of defendant, he also, on the same day of the sale, gave said agent notice of his, defendant’s, intention to remain in possession of and redeem the property.

The agent Roudebush testified in behalf of plaintiff, and denied that defendant said anything to him about redeeming [311] the land on the day of its sale under the deed of trust, or at any other time, but was not ashed, nor did he deny, that Creigh told him .at the request of defendant on the same day of the sale that defendant intended to remain in possession, and redeem -the land.

The trustee made and. delivered to plaintiff on the day of the sale a deed in the usual form to said property. The defendant remained in possession and on the 23d day of November, 1896, filed a bond as required by section 7080 of the Revised Statutes of 1889, with the clerk of the circuit court of Monroe county, Missouri, in the sum of $1,250, conditioned as required by said section, to pay to the plaintiff the interest which should accrue upon the amount of the aforesaid indebtedness at the day of sale, and all damages and waste occasioned or permitted by him within the time fixed by the statute in which he could redeem said property, which bond was, on the 23d day of November, 1896, in vacation of the circuit court of said county, approved by the clerk thereof. Notice of the filing and approval of this bond was given plaintiff by registered mail.

At the close of the evidence the court at the request of plaintiff instructed the jury, “that under the law and the evidence adduced in this cause, your finding must be for the plaintiff.” There was judgment in favor of plaintiff for the possession of the property, and one cent damages.

Defendant appeals.

The first question for consideration, is with respect to the giving of notice by defendant to the beneficiary in the deed of trust, who became the purchaser of the property at the sale thereunder, of his intention to redeem the same.

By section 7079, Revised Statutes 1889, it is provided, in substance, that when any real -estate shall be sold under a deed of trust pursuant to the powers therein,- .and shall be bought by ¡the cestui que trust or assigns the same shall be subject to redemption within one year from the date of sale, and [312] the purchaser at the sale shall receive a certificate of sale to hold until the expiration of the year. The following section 7080, says: “No party shall have the benefits of the preceding section until he shall have given security to the satisfaction of the circuit court for the payment of the interest to accrue after the sale, and for all damages and waste that may be occasioned or permitted by the party whose property is sold. In ease the circuit court is not in session, such security may be taken by the clerk of said court.”

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Union Central Life Insurance v. Rogers, 55 S.W. 1019, 155 Mo. 307, 1900 Mo. LEXIS 249 (Mo. 1900).

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