Wagner v. Stewart

42 N.E. 469, 143 Ind. 78, 1895 Ind. LEXIS 90
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 17, 1895
DocketNo. 17,024
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 42 N.E. 469 (Wagner v. Stewart) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wagner v. Stewart, 42 N.E. 469, 143 Ind. 78, 1895 Ind. LEXIS 90 (Ind. 1895).

Opinion

Howard, J.

This was an action in relation to the foreclosure of a tax lien.

The land was sold for delinquent taxes, February 13, 1881; and on October 8, 1883, the deed therefor, under which appellee claims was made by the auditor of Jennings county, and possession at once taken thereunder.

At the time the land was sold for taxes, Patrick Murphy, then owner thereof, was, and ever since has been, a person of unsound mind.

On February 3, 1892, this suit was brought by the appellant, as guardian, to recover possession of his said ward’s real estate, and to cancel the lien thereon for taxes.

In the first paragraph of the complaint, it was alleged, amongst other things, that the tax sale was irregular, and that the lien for taxes had been satisfied. The prayer was for an accounting and to quiet title. There [79]*79was a second paragraph for possession and damages, and a third to quiet title.

On the overruling of demurrers to the complaint, an answer was filed in general denial, also an answer of valuable and lasting improvements as against the claim of appellant for waste, rents and profits.

A demurrer to the special answer was overruled, and the appellee replied in general denial, and also by set-off for rents and profits, to which last a demurrer was also overruled.

The appellee, likewise, filed a cross-complaint setting up his title by tax deed, also the making of valuable and lasting improvements, and the payment of subsequent taxes. There was with the cross-complaint an alternative prayer for relief, to quiet title, or, if the facts should show want of title, that a lien be declared for taxes and value of improvements, the lien ordered foreclosed, and the land sold to pay the same. On the overruling of a demurrer to appellee’s cross-complaint, an answer in general denial was filed by appellant, and also a plea of payment. To the plea of payment the appellee replied in general denial.

The cause was submitted to the court for trial, and special findings were made.

The findings show the sale of the. land for taxes, and the making of the tax deed under which appellee claims. It is also found that appellee made valuable and lasting improvements, but that these are fully offset by the' value of the timber sold, and by rents and profits. The court further finds that appellee’s tax deed did not convey good title, but that he has a lien for $29.43 taxes originally paid by him ‘ with twenty-five per centum thereon, together with subsequent taxes paid with interest at six per cent., making the total amount of his lien seventy-five and 87-100 dollars.” It is further found [80]*80that at the time of said tax sale, the said Patrick Murphy was the owner in fee simple of said real estate, and. that he was then, and has ever since been, a person of unsound mind.

The court concluded from the facts found that the tax lien should be foreclosed, and the land sold to pay the same, and costs of the action.

The judgment and decree provided, among other things, that if the appellant did not pay and satisfy the tax lien within ninety days the land should be sold, and proceeds after payment of lien and costs, be paid to appellant; and “that after such sale of said real estate the right of redemption of said plaintiff and all persons holding by, from, or under said Patrick Murphy, shall be forever barred and foreclosed. The said sale shall be without relief from valuation laws, and the sheriff Khali, upon the payment of the purchase-money, execute to the purchaser a deed in fee simple for the said real estate.”'

The appellant, at- the proper time, moved the court to modify the judgment so as to give appellant immediate possession of the land, that he recover his costs in the action for possession, that while the appellee should have a lien for the amount of his taxes, as in the decree ordered, yet the appellant should have a right to redeem from such lien as provided by sections 8610, 8611, R. S. 1891 (sections 192, 193, of the tax law of 1891), and that the provisions in said judgment for the foreclosure of the tax lien and sale of the real estate be stricken out. This motion was overruled, to which ruling an exception was taken, and the ruling so made is assigned as error.

The appellee has not favored us with a brief, and we are left to discover from the record, and from appellant’s brief, upon what theory and under what statute the case was tried and judgment rendered.

[81]*81The action was brought by the guardian of an insane-person, and the findings of the court, no less than the pleadings of the parties, seem to show that the case was. tried on the theory that Patrick Murphy, the owner of the land, was an insane person and that the redemption, if any, should be had under sections 8610, 8611, R. S. 1894, supra, providing for redemption from tax sales by persons under legal disabilities.

The court finds expressly “that at the time of said sale, said Patrick Murphy was the owner in fee simple of said real estate, subject to said taxes, and was at tha.t time, and has ever since been, a person of unsound mind. ”

The only section of the statute providing for redemption from tax sales by insane persons is section 8611, supra, according to which, “Infants, idiots and insane persons may redeem any lands belonging to them sold for taxes, within two years after the expiration of such disability, in the same manner as provided in the preceding section for redemption by other persons. ”

In the preceding section referred to (section 8610, supra), it is provided, among other things, that the owner or occupant of any land sold for taxes may redeem the same at any time within two years after date of sale; and, if redeemed after one year and within two years, he shall pay “the purchase-money together with costs and twenty-five per centum in addition, and he shall also pay all taxes which have been paid thereon with interest at the rate of six per centum per annum on such taxes.” These are the actual amounts, original payment, penalty and interest, found by the court to constitute appellee’s lien in the case before us. The penalty of twenty-five per centum on [82]*82original payment and six per cent, interest on subsequent taxes are provided for in no other section.

The findings of the court, therefore, show that the redemption from the tax sale in this case must be under pi-ovisions of sections 8610, 8611, supra.

Had the owner, Patrick Murphy, not been under the disability of insanity, and had the cross-complaint to foreclose the tax lien against him been filed within two years from the date, of the tax sale, it is evident that the action would have been premature; for section 8610, supra, would have secured him the two years within which to redeem. See, generally, City of Logansport v. Case, 124 Ind. 254; and Scott v. Millikan, 104 Ind. 75, and cases cited. But by section-8611, supra, Patrick Murphy, the owner, -in the case before us, being an insane person, has his two years yet to run, being the “two years after the expiration of such disability.”

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Bluebook (online)
42 N.E. 469, 143 Ind. 78, 1895 Ind. LEXIS 90, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wagner-v-stewart-ind-1895.