99 Va. 602 | Va. | 1901
delivered the opinion of the court.
In the case of Ellen T. Northcross v. William H. Davis' Heirs, pending in the Circuit Court of Montgomery county, a decree was entered at the may term, 1884, appointing George G. Junkin and James O. Taylor commissioners to sell certain real estate,
(Signed) OHAKLES I. WADE, Clerk.”
In accordance with the advertisement, the lands were sold on the day named; and at the November term, 1884, the sales were confirmed, without exception, and George G. Junkin was appointed special receiver, with bond in the penalty of $10,000, and charged with the duty of collecting all rent and sale bonds due in the case from purchasers or tenants. Among the sales thus made and confirmed was 70 f acres to John W. Barnett, at $15.00 per acre, who made his cash payment and executed his bonds for three deferred instalments at one, two, and three years. At the May term, 1887, a decree was entered recognizing P. B. Pulliam as substituted purchaser for the 70-f acres, and directing George G. Junkin, as commissioner of the court, to unite with John W. Barnett and wife in a deed to D. B. Pulliam. In pursuance of this decree, the commissioner -and Barnett and wife conveyed the land to Pulliam, reserving a vendor’s lien for unpaid purchase money. The entire purchase price was paid by Barnett and Pulliam, the cash payment to Junkin and Taylor, and the deferred instalments to Junkin.
It appears that Junkin never executed the $10,000 -bond required of him as receiver by the decree of November, 1884, and
The contention of the appellant is that the payments made to Junkin on account of the purchase price of the 70f acres were valid payments, and discharged those making them, and the land, from further liability therefor.
The correctness of this contention depends upon the proper construction of the act of February 25, 1884 (Acts 1883-4, p. 213). This act took effect from its passage, while the decree of sale in question was not entered until the following May. This statute is free from ambiguity, and its terms are too clear to leave room for doubt as to its meaning. Its object is shown by the title—“An ■act to provide for the protection of purchasers at, and other persons interested in, judicial sales.” The first section provides that no special commissioner appointed by a court to make sale of land shall execute the decree until he shall have given bond in such penalty as the court shall fix, with security to be approved by the court or clerk thereof. It further provides that no such commissioner shall advertise the sale of land, without first obtaining from such clerk a certificate that the bond required by law, or by the decree, has been executed, and append
It appears from the record before us that the bond directed by the decree of sale was given; that the required certificate was obtained from the clerk; that a copy of the certificate was appended to and published with the advertisement; that the land in question was purchased in pursuance of that advertisement; that the purchase price was paid to one of the special commissioners who had made the sale; and that no notice of another person having' been appointed to collect the purchase money was ever issued or served upon the purchaser. Under these circumstances it is clear that the purchaser of the lOf acres was, in the language of the statute, relieved from all liability; otherwise, the law which was intended for his protection would be converted into a trap for his destruction.
Tor these reasons, the decrees appealed from must be reversed and set aside, in so far as they affect the rights of the appellant in .and to the land in question, and the. cause remanded for further proceedings not in conflict with this opinion.
Reversed.