Zarate v. Unknown Heirs of Zarate

204 S.W. 697, 1918 Tex. App. LEXIS 678
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 22, 1918
DocketNo. 6032.
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 204 S.W. 697 (Zarate v. Unknown Heirs of Zarate) 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
Zarate v. Unknown Heirs of Zarate, 204 S.W. 697, 1918 Tex. App. LEXIS 678 (Tex. Ct. App. 1918).

Opinion

SWEARINGEN, J.

This is a trespass to try title suit, brought by the following parties, who are all plaintiffs in error, hereinafter styled plaintiffs: Juan Zarate, sometimes known as Juan Zarate • Salinas, and Damasio Zarate, for themselves, and Plilaria Aigular de Garcia and Vilgino Garcia, her husband, Manuel Zarate, Santos Zarate, Daria de Plores and Hipólito Plores, her husband, Constancia Salinas, Jose Cantu, Jesus Cantu, Francisco Cantu, Patricia D. Cantu, Atalina Cantu, Barbara Cantu and Secundino Cantu, by their attorneys in fact, Juan Zarate and Damasio Zarate, and Doroteo Bayarena, sometimes known as Doroteo Zarate, and Rosa Bayarena, sometimes known as Rosa Zarate, and Candelario Bayarena, sometimes known as Candelario Zarate, and Simon Bayarena, sometimes known as Simon Zarate, the four last named persons being the only heirs of Maximo Bayarena, sometimes known as Maximo Zarate, who has died since the commencement of this suit, and Cayatena Zarate, Jose Zarate, Manuella Zarate, and Cayatano Rodriguez, Fortunato Rodriguez, Manuel Rodriguez, and Juliana Rodriguez, the seven last named persons being the only heirs of Pilar Zarate, who died since the commencement of this suit, the three last named persons of said seven appearing by their next friend, Cayetano Rodriguez, and Ricardo C. Cantu — against the following named defendants in error, herein styled defendants: The heirs unknown, except as hereinafter stated, who are, as to some, the children, but for the most part the grandchildren, of Manuel Zarate, sometimes called Manuel Bayarena, and of Francisco Elizondo, both deceased — the children of the latter being by name, so far as plaintiffs know (without repeating the surname, Elizondo, after each name given), Nicanor, Doroteo, Tibur-cia, Mariana or Mañanita, Jesus, Ricardo, Manuella, and Exiquia; the. names of the children of the children of Francisco Elizon-do are unknown, except that Fortunato Eli-zondo is a child of Doroteo Elizondo, the children of Exiquia above named are by Vicente Olivares, her second husband, namely, Leopoldo Olivares, Samuel Olivares, and Ester Olivares, the first husband of said Exi-quia was Placido Rodriguez, and the husband of Manuella above named is Manuel Diaz, the wife of said Francisco Elizondo was Marta Zarate, deceased, the children of Manuel Zarate were (the surname, Zarate, is omitted after each given name) Tomas, Secundino, Elíseo, Rosaría, Juanna, and the other, whose name, plaintiffs believe, is Felix. The husband of Juanna is Guadalupe Villareal, made a party defendant herein; the husband of Rosaría is Juan Antonio Ruiz, by whom she had two children, Jose Angel Ruiz and Gerónimo Ruiz, who are made defendants herein. Except as here-inbefore shown, the heirs of said Francisco Elizondo ■ and his said wife, and of Manuel Zarate and his wife, are unknown to plaintiff, and whether any of those named are alive is unknown to plaintiffs, or, if dead, their heirs; but they are made parties herein, although 'their residence is unknown to plaintiffs, as is the residence of all defendants, and of Nicanor Elizondo, Manuella Elizondo de Diaz and her husband, Manuel Diaz, Abraham Elizondo, Mariana Elizondo, Estefina Elizondo de Perez and Martin Perez, and Simon Trevino.

There was no jury. Judgment was rendered in favor of plaintiffs for one-third of the Alameda grant, less the portions of said one-third sold by them prior to the suit, and against them for the remaining two-thirds of said Alameda grant. The judgment, however, awarded to plaintiffs whatever interest in the Alameda grant was owned by the unknown heirs of Manuel Zarate and of Francisco Elizondo; but what that interest is does not appear. The cost incurred by one of the defendants, Simon Trevino, was awarded against him. The balance of the costs, including a fee of $300, allowed the attorney appointed by the court to represent the unknown heirs, was adjudged against the plaintiffs.

The third amended petition alleged that plaintiffs were heirs of Pilar Zarate and that he received a grant to three leagues of land in 1835, which was afterwards, in 1881, patented to him by the state of Texas. The three leagues of land became known as the “Alameda grant,” which is described by metes and bounds in the said petition. The third amended petition also alleged that Damasio and Juan Zarate owned 11,276 acres, of the Alameda grant of 13,284 acres, by virtue of a tax deed. The said petition also contained all the other essential allegations required in this form of suit. Defendants answered by plea of “not guilty.”

There was proven the grant of 1835 confirmed by the Texas patent, in 1881, to Pilar Zarate. The family tree introduced in evidence shows that a number of the plaintiffs *699 were lineal descendants of Pilar Zarate. Several of those named in the petition as plaintiffs are not mentioned in the proof, at least not hy the same or a similar name, for instance, Jesus, Atalina, and Barbara Cantu and Doroteo Zarate; while, on the other hand, the proof shows that Lucia and Juan Cantu and Petra Zarate were descendants of Pilar Zarate, but none of them are mentioned in the petition. Then, again, the family tree in evidence shows that Petra Sanchez is living; whereas, in the petition, her husband and children are named as plaintiffs. The location, boundary, and area of the Alameda grant were established. The tax deed by the sheriff from Pilar Zarate to 11,276 acres of the 13,284 acres, and all mesne conveyances to Domasio and Juan Zarate, were introduced'in evidence. There was no proof to support any of the pleas of limitation. On behalf of the defendants there was introduced, without objection, what purported to be the family tree of Juan Zarate and of Marta Zarate Elizondo.

Under the plea of “not guilty” defendants sought to prove an outstanding title superior to that of plaintiffs. For this purpose defendants introduce the decree rendered in suit No. 62, styled “Juan Zarate et al. v. Antonio Villareal et al.” This decree was a general one against certain named plaintiffs and in favor of certain named defendants. The decree is entitled “A suit in trespass to try title and for damages.” No pleadings or testimony was offered in connection with this to show what land was involved, nor what issues were-disposed of. But the chief defect in the decree as evidence of an outstanding title is the impossibility of identifying the defendants in the decree rendered in suit No. 62 with the defendants mentioned in the third amended petition in this suit. This will be fully discussed in our consideration of the assignments.

The first, second, fifth, and sixth assignments contend that the decree in suit No. 62 was insufficient in itself to support the judgment herein, because that decree in suit No. 62 did not show that the issues and parties were the same in that and in this. The third and fourth assignments complain that the court erred in admitting the decree in No. 62 as evidence of res adjudieata. The reasons for the- court’s errors are the same in all of the six mentioned assignments.

We think these assignments should all be sustained. The decree in suit No. 62 was as follows:

“Juan Zarate et al. v. Antonio Villareal et al. No. 62. Trespass to Try Title as Well as for Damages. This 5th day of January, A. D. 1912, came on to be heard the foregoing styled and numbered cause, and the parties and their attorneys appeared in open court and announced ready for trial. Then came a jury of good and lawful men, composed of H. M.

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Bluebook (online)
204 S.W. 697, 1918 Tex. App. LEXIS 678, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/zarate-v-unknown-heirs-of-zarate-texapp-1918.