United States v. Chartier Real Estate Co.

226 F. Supp. 285, 1964 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7993
CourtDistrict Court, D. Rhode Island
DecidedJanuary 6, 1964
DocketCiv. A. No. 2883
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 226 F. Supp. 285 (United States v. Chartier Real Estate Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Chartier Real Estate Co., 226 F. Supp. 285, 1964 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7993 (D.R.I. 1964).

Opinion

DAY, District Judge.

In this action the plaintiff seeks to compel the specific performance by the defendant Chartier Real Estate Company (hereinafter called “Chartier”) of its contract in writing to purchase certain real estate which the plaintiff agreed to sell and said defendant agreed to buy. Jurisdiction of this action exists under the provisions of 28 U.S.C.A. § 1345. Upon the motion of the defendant, Laura M. Agassiz, Henry L. Shattuck and Rhode Island Hospital Trust Company, Trustees under the last will and testament of Maximilian Agassiz, late of Newport, Rhode Island (hereinafter called “said. Trustees”) were joined as parties defendant.

In its complaint the plaintiff alleges that on or about August 23, 1957, pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended, the General Services Administration offered a sealed bid invitation for the sale of certain surplus real property facilities described in said complaint; that said bid invitation provided that the plaintiff made no guaranty or warranty, express or implied, as to the quantity, quality, charae-[286]*286ter, etc., of the property, and further provided that the conveyance of the plaintiff's interest in said property would be made by a good and sufficient deed without warranty, express or implied; that said Chartier was the high bidder for said property, its bid being in writing and in the amount of $25,750, and accompanied by a deposit in the sum of $2,565; that said bid was accepted by the plaintiff through its duly authorized officer; that in accordance with the provisions of said bid the plaintiff has offered to convey its interest in said property to the defendant, but that the defendant has questioned plaintiff’s title thereto and refuses to accept a conveyance thereof and to pay the balance of the contract price therefor to the plaintiff.

In its answer, Chartier admits the allegations in plaintiff’s complaint but avers that plaintiff is not entitled to the relief it seeks because it says that plaintiff’s title to said real property is unmarketable, and that it is unable to convey its interest therein by a good and sufficient deed without warranty, express or implied, because said trustees, by instrument dated March 12,1958, exercised the right of re-entry for condition broken reserved by said Maximilian Agassiz in his deed dated January 23,1940, whereby he conveyed said premises to the plaintiff. In its answer, Chartier also by way of •counterclaim seeks the recovery of said •sum of $2,565 paid by it as aforesaid as a deposit with its bid.

Said trustees, in a cross claim included in their answer, allege in substance that said conveyance by Maximilian Agassiz to the plaintiff was subject to a condition subsequent with right of re-entry for •condition broken and that they as trustees of the residuary estate of said Maximilian Agassiz have “exercised said right of re-entry for condition broken” and further allege that they as such trustees are the owners of said real property .and pray that this Court will declare that they as such trustees are seized and possessed of said premises absolutely and •in fee simple.

This case was heard by me upon an agreed statement of facts, signed by counsel for all the parties, in which were incorporated by reference the following documents, duly authenticated copies of which were introduced in evidence as exhibits, viz.: (1) deed from Alexander Agassiz to United States of America, dated May 20, 1889, (2) deed from Maximilian Agassiz to United States of America, dated January 23, 1940, (3) the last will and testament of Maximilian Agassiz, dated August 4, 1942, and admitted to probate on October 25, 1943, (4) an instrument purporting to be the exercise by said trustees of said alleged right of re-entry for condition broken, dated March 12, 1958, and recorded in the Records of Land Evidence of the City of Newport on March 27,1958, (5) bid invitation for sale of said real estate and bid of Chartier which was accepted in writing by the plaintiff.

In their agreed statement of facts the parties agree that said Maximilian Agassiz conveyed to the plaintiff a large tract of land with the building and improvements thereon, of which the premises involved in this action were a portion, by said deed dated January 23, 1940, and that said conveyance was by way of gift; that said Alexander Agassiz, by deed dated May 20, 1889, conveyed the title to the United States of a small rectangular parcel of land located within the boundaries of the tract of land described in said deed of Maximilian Agassiz, and that prior to January 23, 1940, said rectangular parcel of land had ceased to‘ be used as the site for the dwelling house for the keeper of the lighthouse on the west side of the estate of Alexander Agassiz; that on or before August 23, 1957, the United States of America ceased to use a portion of the premises conveyed to it by Maximilian Agassiz for use and occupation for Coast Guard purposes (being the premises involved herein), it having been determined to be surplus to the Government’s needs, and thereupon the General Services Administration invited bids for the purchase of said portion; that Chartier submitted [287]*287the high bid of $25,750 which was accompanied by a deposit of $2,565; that said bid was accepted in writing by the plaintiff on September 30, 1957 which still retains said sum of $2,565; that thereafter, on March 12, 1958, said trustees under the last will and testament of said Maximilian Agassiz executed the aforesaid instrument and recorded the same on March 27, 1958, as hereinbefore set forth, and that plaintiff has offered a deed of said real estate to Chartier which has refused to accept the same. Said deed of Maximilian Agassiz, which conveyed a parcel of land of approximately 15.9 acres, more or less, recited in material part as follows:

“ * * * in consideration of one dollar to me paid by the United States of America * * * do give, grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said United States of America and its successors and assigns, the tract of land together with the buildings and improvements thereon, hereinafter described as the Brenton Point Coast Guard Station site at Newport, said land being bounded and described as follows:
(description of land)
“Also all right, title and interest, including the right of reversion in and to that parcel of land designated on the aforesaid plat as ‘U.S. Lighthouse property’ and being the same premises conveyed to the United States of America by Alexander Agassiz by instrument dated May 20, 1889 and recorded with the Land Evidence records of Newport, Volume 60 at pages 379 et seq.
“Said premises are conveyed to the United States of America for use and occupation for Coast Guard purposes, subject, however, to the perpetual easement hereby reserved by this grantor for the benefit of himself and his heirs and assigns and for the land heretofore conveyed to James T. O’Connell by deed dated June 30th, 1939 * * * to maintain and repair, reconstruct and replace water, gas, electric and telephone service lines over and across the aforesaid premises at their present location shown on the said plot plan of said new site.
“TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the above granted premises, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging, to the said United States of America and its successors and assigns to its and their use and be-hoof forever.”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
226 F. Supp. 285, 1964 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7993, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-chartier-real-estate-co-rid-1964.