69 Mo. 436 | Mo. | 1879
This is a suit in equity, commenced in the circuit court of Buchanan couuty, for the purpose of setting aside certain conveyances on the ground of fraud. The petition alleges that defendant, William Dunning, was, in November, 1873, indebted to various persons, as follows : To one Riddle in the sum of $1,230; Toole $1,162; White $390; Wallingford $695 ; Beattie $1,139.; Willis & Logan $56; the Buchanan Bank $574 and $201, and George W. Samuel $857; that said Dunning was insolvent, and, on the 12th day of November, 1873, executed and delivered to his daughter, Annie Stephens, a deed to the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 28, township 56, range 36, and that this deed was made without any consideration; that, on the 11th day of March, 1874, defendant, Dunning, executed to his co-defendant, Rachael N. Grace, his daughter, a deed conveying to her the northwest quarter of section 35 ; also the northeast quarter of section
All the defendants, except William Dunning, R. N. Grace and her husband, and William Grace, made default, and judgment was taken against them accordingly. Defendants R. N. Grace and William Grace, filed answers, denying the allegations of the petition, and claiming to have bought the respective tracts of land conveyed to them, and to have paid a full price therefor. The issue on the answer of Wm. Grace was found in his favor, and that tendered by the answer of R. N. Grace, as to one-half the land conveyed to her. in March, 1874, was found for plaintiff, and the finding was also for plaintiff for the 120 acres conveyed by said Dunning, in October, 1874, to her, and judgment was according rendered, from which defendants John Grace and R. N. Grace, after appropriate motions
It is ui'ged, in support of the first alleged error, that the evidence should not have been received, because the petition is multifarious and defective in not alleging a conspiracy between the defendants to defraud the creditors of said Wm. Dunning. This objection to the admission of evidence was not well taken. The reason given in support of it, we think, is answered by the ease of Tucker v. Tucker, 29 Mo. 350. The plaintiff bases his claim for relief on one general right, and in such case the bill is not demurrable, although the defendants may have separate and distinct defenses. 20 Pick. 368; 3 Iredell Eq. 611; 6 John. Ch. 156.
When the facts, as disclosed in the record, are examined, we can find nothing in them authorizing an interference, by this court, with the decree and judgment in the case. It appears from the evidence that the defendant, Wm. Dunning, who was an old man, the owner of a large amount of real estate, and in good credit, reposed confidence in his son, J. M. Dunning, and had given him authority to sign his name to a few notes, according to the testimony of Dunning himself. This trust had been abused, and the name of the father was placed by the son on a large number of notes, as the father testifies, without authority, amounting in value to more than his entire estate, after setting off a homestead. Be this, however, as it may, when suits-were brought on these notes, the father made default, and allowed judgment to go against him, and, in one instance, made a voluntary confession of judgment, thus by his refusal to answer in the first instance, and by his voluntary acknowledgment of the debt in the other, ratifying the acts of his son. As a subsequent ratifi
In reference to the deed executed in March, 1874, to R. N. Grace, the claim made by defendant that it was supported by a valuable consideration, free from fraud, so far as creditors are concerned, we think not well founded. It is true that the evidence tends to show that in 1873 the defendant R. N. Grace, conveyed a valuable tract of land, worth from six to ten thousand dollars, to the wife of J. M. Dunning, the son of Wm. Dunning, who had so freely used his father’s name, and that William Dunning agreed to convey to her his home-place, consisting of 400 acres, which is embraced in the deed of March 11th, 1874. It appears from the answer that when this exchange, or transfer of lands, was first talked about, James M. Dunning, the son who had, as testified to by his father, signed his name without authority to various notes, and obtained money on the strength of his father’s credit, joined in the proposition. In the answer of R. N. Grace, we find this language : “That the said William Dunning and James M. Dunning, proposed to defendant, Rachael N. Grace, that if she and her husband would convey to the said James M. Dunning, or his wife, Anna C. Dunning, the quarter section of land, the said William Dunning would convey to the defendant, Rachael N. Grace, all the real estate em
Considering these facts in connection with the statement in the deed of March 11th. 1874, “that the consideration was $5,000 paid to James M. Dunning and natural love and affection,” and the statement contained in the evidence of the father that “ I had made a will, and by it gave my home-place to my son, James M. Dunning, and my daughter, Rachael N. Grace ; after making this will I agreed to convey my entire home-place to Rachael N. Grace, provided she would convey her home-place to J. M. Dunning, or his wife;” the inference is plainly deducible that the 160 acres, conveyed by Mrs. Grace to J. M. Dunning’s wife, was estimated at $5,000, and sufficient consideration for the undivided half that the son was to get under the provisions of the will, in the home place, consisting, as the
Besides this, it further appears that at the time of the-execution of the deed of the 11th day of March, 1874,. Mrs. Grace, in connection with her husband,. ■ / * executed an obligation in writing, a part of which is as-follows: “We agree to give William Dunning-full and complete control of the undivided half of all the real estate this day deeded to Rachael N. Grace by Wm. Dunning and Anna Dunning, his wife, during the natural life of said Wm. Dunniug, and if the said Anna Dunning should survive her husband she is to have the same control of the said premises during her natural life. Each party agrees to pay one-half the taxes.” This writing being executed cotemporaneously with the deed is to be read with
The question as to whether the trust was created with' intention to defraud creditors was proper to be considered by the court, and with its finding in that respect we can see nothing in the evidence justifying bur interference. Judgment affirmed, in which all concur.
Aeeirmed.