127 Wis. 258 | Wis. | 1906
The court below in denying the right to appeal held that appellants were guilty of laches. Several other questions are discussed by counsel under various assignments of error upon this appeal; but, if the court did not abuse its discretion in holding that the appellants were guilty of laches, the order must be affirmed, and no other question argued need be considered. Sec. 4035, Stats. 1898. It appears from the record that the administrator had been endeavoring for many years, in accordance with the provisions of the will, to obtain a desirable purchaser and make a sale, but until 1903 failed to carry Out his purpose. In 1895, in order to hold the property until an adequate pi’ice could be obtained therefor, he secured a license to mortgage it, and did obtain a loan of $1,472 thereon for the purpose of paying accrued interest on the $2,800 mortgage and claims allowed against the estate. In the spring of 1903 the interest upon both mortgages had accumulated for a period of about eight years and was then unpaid. It further appears that at or about the time the administrator had obtained the bid of $20,000 from the purchaser, Grommes, which was accepted, and in Eebruary, 1903, he called upon the appellant Jennie Moynahan in the city of Chicago, and informed her of the agreed sale and the terms thereof, and of the necessity of immediately closing the same, and requested that she quitclaim her interest to the purchaser, which she refused to do, but made no objection to the sale or
Complaint is made by counsel for appellants that counter affidavits were used on the hearing. It appears from the record that they were considered only on the question of laches, and the facts showing laches or fault on the part of the appellants are practically undisputed. The application for leave to appeal after the time has expired in such cases is addressed to the sound discretion of the court, and the determination of the court will not be disturbed unless it clearly appears that such discretion has been abused. Deering H. Co. v. Johnson, 108 Wis. 275, 84 N. W. 426; Weadock v. Ray, 111 Wis. 489, 87 N. W. 477; McKenney v. Minahan, 119 Wis. 651, 97 N. W. 489. Erom the whole record the case made by the appellants is one of “neglect and inattention” and cannot appeal strongly to the court, especially where it appears, as in this case, that the purchaser whose title would be affected by a revision of the decree has incurred large expense and materially changed his situation in consequence of the delay and apparent acquiescence on the part' of the appellants. Blanchard v. Doering, 23 Wis. 200; Meehan v. Blodgett, 86 Wis. 511, 57 N. W. 291; Melms v. Pabst B. Co. 93 Wis. 153, 66 N. W. 518; Rogers v. Van Nortwich, 87 Wis. 414, 58 N. W. 757; McCann v. Welch, 106 Wis. 142, 81 N. W. 996; Hamilton v. Menominee Falls Q. Co. 106 Wis. 352, 81 N. W. 876; State ex rel. Taylor v. Superior, 108 Wis. 16, 83 N. W. 1100. We are unable to discover that there was any abuse of discretion in denying appellants’ application for leave to appeal.
By the Court. — The order appealed from is affirmed.