73 Mo. 507 | Mo. | 1881
This was a suit to enforce the lien of a special tax bill against certain real property in the City of Kansas, brought against James and Mary Craig as owners-thereof, and the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company as beneficiary in two deeds of trust on said real estate. Wallace Pratt, the trustee, was not made a party defendant. The two deeds of trust were executed on the 9th day of April, 1872, and the 23rd day of July, 1872, respectively. The lien of the tax bill attached to the property on the-17th day of September, 1874. The plaintiff recovered judgment for the enforcement of the lien of the tax bill. But two questions are presented by the record. 1st, Was-the lien of the tax bill superior to the liens of the trust-deeds ? 2nd, Was the trustee a necessary party?
It is provided in section 3, article 9, of the city charter, that in suits to enforce the lien of a special tax bill,, all or any .of the owners of the land charged, or of any interest or estate therein, may be made defendants, and. that a judgment in such suit shall bind all the right, title,, interest and estate in the land that the defendants and each of them owned at the time the lien of the tax bill commenced or acquired afterward. It is further provided in. the same section, that parties interested in the land not-made defendants, shall not be affected thereby, and if they claim through or under any parties defendant prior to suit, brought, they may redeem from the purchaser.
It is contended on behalf of the appellants that this-court held in Olmstead v. Tarsney, 69 Mo. 399, and Corrigan.
"We do not think the validity of the judgment in this case is in any way impaired by reason of the fact that the trustee, was not made a party to the proceeding. He was not a necessary party, If he has any beneficial interest in the property distinct from that of the insurance company, under the provisions of the charter the judgment will not affect him, and he will be entitled to redeem. Olmstead v. Tarsney, 69 Mo. 396; Corrigan v. Bell, ante, p. 53; St. Louis