81 Ga. 661 | Ga. | 1888
Camp and King were owners as tenants in common of the premises described in the declaration. King died, and administration upon his estate was granted in Cobb county. In 1866, the court of ordinary of that county granted the administrator general leave to sell all the real estate of his intestate, for the benefit of heirs and creditors. On the 12th of October, 1870, the same court, by special order, authorized the sale of all the lands lying in Pulton county to be made in the latter county. Under these two orders the administrator sold, at public outcry at the courthouse in Pulton county, the south half of the premises described in the declaration, as the property of his intestate, on the first Tuesday in November, 1870, and in the same month conveyed the same in pursuance of such sale by deed, the deed re
The controlling question for our consideration is, whether the heirs . of King were divested of their title as to the south half, the half sold and conveyed by the administrator, the plaintiff’s lessors' claiming solely as heirs of King.
The construction which finds the authority to sell in the order granting leave, and which treats the place of sale as appertaining, not to the existence, but to the exercise of the authority, is supported fully by Patterson vs. Lemon, 50 Ga. 231. In that case the authority was exercised upon the general leave to sell alone ; there was no special order, and yet the sale was upheld in favor of a subsequent bona fide purchaser, with a suggestion of doubt by Judge McCay, as to whether it was not good in favor of the immediate purchaser also. As upholding the distinction which that case draws, and which we draw, between leave to sell and a special order touching the place of sale, we may observe that the application for leave cannot be granted until after notice of the same has been published once a week for four weeks (code, §2559); whereas, for granting the special order no preliminary notice of any kind is prescribed or required. Moreover, the two things are so different that they are treated of apart, and. in separate sections of the code.
3. The purchaser at the administrator’s sale was Mrs. King, and she conveyed to Peters, Peters to Reynolds, and under Reynolds the defendant, Cabaniss, holds by bond for titles. At the trial, the plaintiffs sought to attack the bonafides of the sale and conveyance by the administrator to Mrs. King, and for that purpose offered certain letters together with parol evidence, but not offering to bring home notice of the suggested fraud either to Reynolds or Cabaniss, both of whom purchased bona fide for value. Allowing that the letters, etc. would show fraud as between the administrator and his vendee, and this, we think, is very questionable, they would not affect the conscience either of Reynolds or Cabaniss. It was suggested in argument that only those having the legal title are protected by the want of notice, but we have seen that Reynolds acquired that-title, and Cabaniss, being in possession under him, is entitled to take the benefit of it, though he holds by bond only. Indeed, it seems to have been admitted that he was to be treated in all respects, in this litigation, as if Reynolds had already conveyed to him by deed.
There was no error in refusing a new trial in behalf of the plaintiffs in the action, but in affirming the judgment we direct that its effect be restricted to so much of the premises embraced in the declaration as the boncl for titles from Reynolds to Cabaniss, as set out in the brief of evidence, applies to ; the same being, as appears, the real subject-matter of the suit as against Cabaniss, and his possession, neither as proved nor admitted, not extending to any more of the premises described in the pleadings.
Judgment affirmed.