Woods v. Ward

37 S.E. 520, 48 W. Va. 652, 1900 W. Va. LEXIS 99
CourtWest Virginia Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 21, 1900
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 37 S.E. 520 (Woods v. Ward) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Woods v. Ward, 37 S.E. 520, 48 W. Va. 652, 1900 W. Va. LEXIS 99 (W. Va. 1900).

Opinion

McWhorter, President:

Samuel Y. Woods, trustee, filed his bill in the nature of a creditor’s bill, in the circuit court of Barbour County against Ira Ward, Alberta Ward, Taylor Ward, Squire Cronso and others, to enforce the collections of certain trust and other liens against the lands of said Ira Ward. Among the debts so secured by one of the deeds of trust which was dated December 21, 1894, was a debt of six thousand dollars, being a note executed by Ira Ward and Taylor Ward to T. <7. Farnsworth for borrowed money, also a debt of one thousand eight hundred and nine dollars and eighty-six cents to Taylor Ward and one of four thousand dollars to Squire Cronso and Taylor Ward jointly, which deed of trust conveyed two tracts of land of said Ira Ward, one containing seven hundred and twelve acres, the other three hundred and twenty-eight acres, both in Barbour County. Taylor Ward answered the bill, averring that on the six thousand dollar note is a credit of one thousand three hundred and sixty dollars as of August 28, 1893, and that said note is in fact the note and debt of Ira Ward and respondent only security of said [654]*654lia Ward in said note, and that the debts secured to respondent in said trust deed are valid and wholly unpaid and justly due respondent. Ira Ward also filed his answer admitting the execution of the deed of trust of December 21, 1894, averring that at that time he was involved in financial differences with his father, A. J. Ward, who had instituted a suit against him for a large sum of money, liability for a large part of which respondent denied; that respondent was security for James A. Williamson, sheriff, and was thereby involved so that he had to raise four thousand dollars, and to raise it said trust deed was executed by the advice, full knowledge and active co-operation of Taylor Ward, and with no attempt whatever to adjust and settle the financial matters at that time existing between them; that the debt of six thousand dollars secured to T. J. Farnsworth was the joint obligation of himself and Taylor Ward, that the money was borrowed by them jointly, that each of them got one-half of it and that the ¡Dajanent of one thousand three hundred and sixty dollars, and of the interest charged in the bill correctly to have been paid was in fact paid solely by respondent, and not one dollar by Taylor Ward; that under the circumstances said Farnsworth should collect one-half of said debt from Taylor, and charges that as Taylor is a man of large means it can be done by a personal decree and execution in the cause upon respondents prayer for affirmative relief; admits the honesty and validity of the debt to Taylor secured for one thousand eight hundred and nine dollars and eighty-six cents, and other debts secured by said trust deed, and admits the debt of four thousand dollars to Taylor Ward and Cronso jointly to be substantially correct, although not quite so for the reason that the money was borrowed to pay off his liability on the sheriff’s bond and after paying such liability a small balance of the four thousand dollars remained, and which small balance was to be paid to respondent by Taylor, but has not in fact been paid, which small balance respondent cannot now give, but reserves the right to prove before commissioner. And sets up further by way of special relief a contract he had with Taylor Ward who had been defending a chancery cause against him by their father, A. J. Ward, for the purpose of cancelling a deed to said Taylor for a valuable farm, known as the “Al. Ward farm,” worth some twelve thousand dollars, which A. J. Ward in said suit had succeeded in cancelling by which said Taylor lost the farm; that after the final decree cancelling the deed Taylor [655]*655Ward by a distinct contract with respondent, that if he, respondent, would aid him in taking said cause upon appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeals by paying certain costs and counsel fees and executed proper bond with said Taylor to perfect said appeal, and in ease said appeal .should be fruitless pay one-half the judgment for costs that would be awarded therein, then said Taylor in case of success on such appeal was to give to respondent one-half of the recovery in land or money as the case might be. In accordance with which agreement respondent did execute with Taylor the appeal bond required, employed counsel to prosecute said appeal and fully performed his part of said agreement. The result of said appeal was to reverse the decree, and Taylor was given a fee simple perfect title, subject to the life estate of A. J. Ward for the said farm, which right, interest and title so acquired by said Taylor is reasonably worth twelve thousand dollars and under said agreement said Taylor justly owes respondent at least six thousand dollars or more than enough to pay off and discharge every dollar he owes said Taylor Ward; and prays that inasmuch as this suit is brought in the name of a nominal trustee, largely for the benefit of Taylor Ward, and for the purpose of enforcing his debts, that in this cause a just and proper settlement of the matters in difference between him and Taylor Ward may be made; that before respondent is required to answer for the payment of said Farnsworth debt, that one full half thereof, with its accrued interest, be decreed against said Taylor Ward and collected by execution or otherwise, and that the other half credited with the interest and one thousand three hundred and sixty dollars paid by respondent only be charged against respond-ón t or his estate; that the true amount due on said four thousand dollars bo ascertained; that the contract in reference to said appeal be enforced, the value of respondent’s half of the money be ascertained and the half of the said four thousand dollars debt due to Taylor and said one thousand eight hundred and nine dollars and eighty-six cents due to him be set off against the amount due from him to respondent under said contract, and he be decreed to pay respondent the balance and for general relief; and denies that he is or has at any time been involved to the extent of insolvency, or that there is now any liability on respondent to any amount, at least upon him as such surety for Williamson. Taylor Ward replied generally to all matters of the answer [656]*656of Ira Ward except those matters in which he seeks affirmative relief, and filed a special replication thereto. Denied being a joint maker of the Farnsworth note for six thousand dollars, and the right of Ira to have one-half of said debt charged against him, or that there was any balance remaining due Ira on account of the James A. Williamson liability; expressly denied the right of said Ira Ward to have any set-offs against him for the amounts claimed in his answer; denied that said Ira Ward had any just claim or set-off against him on account of the affirmative matter set up in his answer. Admitted that he had a chancery, suit in the circuit court of said county with Aquila J. Ward in which replicant was defendant, that in said circuit court a decree was rendered against him cancelling a deed to a certain tract of land containing about three hundred acres known as the “Al. Ward farm,” and further admits that after said final decree he took said cause to the Supreme Court of Appeals, and succeeded in having said decree reversed.

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Bluebook (online)
37 S.E. 520, 48 W. Va. 652, 1900 W. Va. LEXIS 99, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/woods-v-ward-wva-1900.