152 Mich. 11 | Mich. | 1908
(after stating the facts).
A sale under a mortgage irregular or void for any reason does not discharge the mortgage lien, but places the purchaser at such sale in the position of the mortgagee, and by virtue of his purchase he succeeds to the rights of the mortgagee. Rose v. Page, 82 Mich. 105; Morse v.
The quashing of the proceedings in E. S. Knowles & 8on v. Cavanaugh, supra, operated as a discontinuance (Forbs v. Washtenaw Circuit Judge, 23 Mich. 497); and left the defendant in position to avail himself of either remedy provided by the statute. If he was entitled to the return of the property, judgment would have been rendered for such return. Under a writ of execution for return, the officer could have seized the property in the possession of the defendant here and returned it to Mr. Cavanaugh. The defendant might have waived the return of the property and recovered judgment for damages. The defendant Sanderson acquired only the rights which Knowles & Son possessed. The issue between'the plaintiff and defendant in this suit is none other than it would have been had Knowles & Son bid in the property and retained possession thereof. In Clark v. West, 23 Mich. 242, Clark had replevied the property in justice’s court. The court rendered judgment in favor of West. West then took possession of the property and put it in the possession of Brown. Clark removed the case to the circuit court by certiorari and peaceably obtained possession of the property from Brown. West then brought a replevin suit for the same property against Clark and Brown. This court held that that was a cross-replevin. The fact that there are other parties in the cross-replevin is not decisive (Fisher v. Busch, 64 Mich. 180), but Is the issue the same? is the material question. The decision in the first replevin suit binds the parties and their privies. Sanderson was a privy of Knowles & Son. I think.Clark v. West controls this case. .
I am of the opinion that Knowles & Son acquired lawful possession, that the sale was made while such possession was lawful, and that by such sale title has passed to the defendant. Whatever damages Mr. Cavanaugh has suffered he could easily have obtained in the former suit. There is no evidence of any bad faith or fraud on the part of Knowles & Son. The result of the plaintiff’s contention is that his debt is not paid, he has recovered as damages for the usé of the horse from the defendant, who purchased in good faith, probably all that the horse is worth, and has
Judgment is reversed, with costs of all the courts, and judgment entered for the defendant.