54 S.E.2d 432 | Ga. | 1949
The tender made in 1911 by the obligee in a bond for title of the balance due, with a condition attached that he be given a deed executed by the obligors and all the heirs of a deceased former owner of the property, was invalid as a tender under the Code, § 20-1105, in that it was not unconditional, and it did not stay the accrual of interest since it was not continuing. Since by written agreement the parties submitted the case on the single issue whether such tender was valid or invalid, a judgment against the obligee was demanded.
"The parties plaintiff and the defendants, J. T. Parker and O. L. Miller (all other defendants except defendant in possession having been dismissed), having on July 3, 1946, entered into a stipulation as to all the issues of fact in controversy in this ejectment suit, except as to mesne profits, and this case having been called for trial at this the July term, 1947, of this court and continued, the parties hereto stipulate as to the mesne profits as follows: In the event the plaintiffs are entitled to a judgment and decree for the land here in controversy as against the tender of defendants of $174 conditioned upon all the heirs of George A. Heath simultaneously executing and delivering a deed to the land to J. T. Parker, then the plaintiffs shall also recover of the defendants the sum of $300 as mesne profits, but not the $174. In the event the defendants should be entitled to recover the land under the terms of the tender as stated above, then the plaintiffs shall only recover the sum of $174. It is further stipulated between the parties that the bond for title as referred to in the pleadings shall be surrendered into court and canceled in any event, and if the same shall be lost or destroyed, it shall be properly established and duly decreed canceled. It is further stipulated that, all questions of fact having been stipulated by *701 the parties, the question of law shall be determined by the court without the intervention of a jury at the courthouse in Muscogee County, upon the convenience of counsel for the parties and the court."
On April 4, 1949, the trial judge without a jury entered a decree reciting that the defendants, having tendered into court the sum of $174 as payment of the sum agreed to between the parties under the stipulations as the balance due on the purchase-price, and the defendants having offered an amendment on December 14, 1948, it is sanctioned, and it is further ordered that the prayers contained in the plea be sustained and the plaintiffs are directed to execute a deed to O. L. Miller to the land in question. It was further decreed that the defendants have fully and completely complied with the obligations under the bond. It was ordered that the defendants recover costs, and the clerk was directed to pay to the plaintiffs the sum of $174 which the defendants had deposited into court. To this judgment the plaintiffs excepted.
Irrespective of whether the bond executed by only two of a large number of heirs would be sufficient to sustain the defendants in this case, and irrespective of forty years during which the defendants, according to the stipulations, have had possession of the premises — the parties, for reasons satisfactory to themselves, have seen fit to eliminate all issues and rights except the sole question whether or not the tender made by the defendant Parker in 1911 was a valid tender under our law, and, hence, the equivalent of payment. The trial judge based his opinion upon this question alone, held that the tender was valid, and decided the case in favor of the defendants. A tender which will stop interest must be unconditional and continuing.Cothrans v. Mitchell,
Judgment reversed. All the Justices concur.