White v. Orndorff

283 S.W. 903, 1926 Tex. App. LEXIS 875
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 15, 1926
DocketNo. 1791.
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 283 S.W. 903 (White v. Orndorff) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
White v. Orndorff, 283 S.W. 903, 1926 Tex. App. LEXIS 875 (Tex. Ct. App. 1926).

Opinion

WALTHALL, J.

This appeal is from the judgments entered in the trial court in cause No. 24221, Prank M. Murchison v. P. E. Kern et al., and No. 24224, Lee H. Orndorff v. P. E. Kern et al., consolidated and tried together by agreement of the parties..

In the above cases Lee H. Orndorff, appel-lee here, plaintiif below, and Prank M. Murchison, appellee here, plaintiff below, brought suit against appellants in trespass to try title for- property embraced in their respective petitions, sufficiently described by lot and block numbers in Kern Place addition to the city of El Paso, and to remove cloud from title, by reason of two- instruments in writing, filed for record October 1, 1923. In each suit the defendants answered by general demurrer, general denial, and plea of not guilty. . Defendants further specially pleaded that plaintiffs were relying upon a deed from, Madeline G. White to P. E. Kern, dated December 5, 1910; that said deed was void on account of her marriage with Mr. White; that that they were living together at the time; that said deed was procured by fraud, and without consideration; that the deed of April 9, 1917, from Madeline G. White to Madeline G. Kern, now Madeline G.. Merz, was not a deed absolute, but was made on a condition subsequent which was never performed; that the recited consideration of $10,000 was not paid, -and was in effect a power of attorney; that the deed of release executed by Madeline G. Merz and Madeline G. White to the vendees of P. E. Kern was obtained under threats and duress, said Lee Orndorff, P. E. Kern, P. M. Murchison, and O. D. Galloway being interested in Kern Place, that they would foreclose in behalf of the bank on said property should defendant fail and refuse to sign said instrument, and the same with reference to the trust deed executed and filed on July 23,1917, by P. E. Kern and his daughter, Madeline G. Merz, in which they secured the indebtedness of P. B. Kern to said bank, with other provisions in said trust deed, and that the said Madeline G. Kern did not sign said instrument of her free will and accord, but against her will and consent and on promise that they would pay her $10,000; that the deed of release of June 11, 1917, they believed to be a forgery. Defendants’ various answers, amendments, and supplements cover some 40 pages of the record, hut the above is a brief indication of the subject-matter of the several pleadings.

Appellees reply by first and second supplemental petitions, in substance that the appellants’ answers are, in effect, but reasons why the deed of December 5,1910, the release deed, the deed of trust, and the deed of Dee Orndorff and P. M. Murchison should be canceled, and appellees plead the four-year statute of limitation to such cancellations.

The causes were tried before a jury and submitted on special issues, substantially the same in each case, except as to the name of the appellee, the amount, and the property, as follows:

“Question No. -1: Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the defendants Mrs. Madeline G. Merz, formerly Miss Madeline G. Kern, and Mrs. Madeline G. White, formerly Mrs. Madeline G. Kern, executed the written instrument offered in evidence by plaintiff known as Exhibit 61, said instrument purporting on its face to have been executed by said *905 defendants, and among other things purporting to quitclaim their right, title, and interest to grantees of Peter E. Kern prior to the 9th day of April, 1917.” Answer: “Yes.”
“Question No. 2: Do you find from the evidence that in consideration of the execution, if they did execute the same, by the defendants Mrs. Merz and Mrs. White of the written instrument inquired about in question No. 1, the plaintiff Lee H. Orndorff, before the delivery thereof, promised to pay to Mrs. Merz, then Miss Kern, the sum of $10,000?” Answer: “No.”
“Question No. 3: Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the plaintiff, Lee H. Orndorff, in purchasing lots 17, 18, 19, and 20, in block 28, Kern Place, part -of the property in controversy in this suit, relied on thei recitals- contained in the written instrument dated the 5th day of December, 1910, signed by the defendant Mrs. Madeline G. White, and reciting in substance that she was living separate and apart from her husband, W. O. WThite, on account of his desertion, and that it was necessary for her to make a transfer of, any interest she owned in her separate right?” Answer: “Yes.”
“Question No. 4: Was- such recital true or false ?” Answér: ’ “True.”
“Question No. 5: Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that said Lee H. Orndorff was without notice of the falsity of such recital prior to the purchase of said lots, if same was false?” Answer: ———-
“Question-No. 6: Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the plaintiff, Prank M. Murchis-on, in purchasing the northerly 37.77 feet of lot 14 and all of lot 15 in block 29, Kern Place addition, part of the property in controversy in this suit, relied on the recitals contained in the written instrument dated the 5th day of December, 1910, signed by the defendant Mrs. Madeline G. White, and reciting in substance that she was living separate and apart from her husband, W. O. White, on account of his desertion, and'that it was necessary for her to make a transfer of any interest she owned in her separate right?” Answer: “Yes.”
“Question No. 7: Was such recital true or false?” Answer: “True.”
“Question No. 8: Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that said Prank M. Murchison was without notice of the falsity of such recital prior to the purchase of said lots, if same was false?” Answer: -
“Question No. 9: Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that plaintiff, Murchison, received from the sales of lots numbered 11, 12, and 13, in block 34, Kern Place addition, the sum of approximately $1,600 and appropriated the same to his own use and benefit?” Answer: “No.”
“Question No. 10: Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that plaintiff, Orn-doi'ff, failed to account to defendant P. E. Kern for moneys coming into his -hands as agent for said Kern?” Answer: “No.”
“Question No. 11: What do you find from a preponderance of the evidence was the total sum, if any, of such money which the said Orn--dorff failed to account to the said Kern for, if he did so.fail to account?” Answer: “None.”

On return of the verdict, judgment was entered for plaintiffs in each of said causes for the property described in the petitions and against all of the defendants, and against all of the defendants on their cross-action against plaintiffs. On overruling defendants’ motions for new trials in each case, defendants excepted and gave notice of appeal in each case. The court overruled the two motions on October 28, 1924, and by order, defendants were allowed 90 days from and after said date in which to file statement of facts and bills of exceptions, ^defendants gave bond on November 14, 1924, and filed transcript in this court on February 18,1925; together with the statement of facts on the same'day. Appellees object to the consideration of the statement of facts because it was filed more than 90 days' after the 28th day of October, 1924.

Opinion.

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Bluebook (online)
283 S.W. 903, 1926 Tex. App. LEXIS 875, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/white-v-orndorff-texapp-1926.