204 N.W. 35 | Minn. | 1925
1. On May 4, 1920, Wenzel Soukup, a brother of the plaintiff, conveyed real property in New Ulm to the defendant Frank Wenisch. The consideration was $3,500, all of which Wenzel Soukup received. Wenisch paid $2,100 of his own money, and obtained from the plaintiff $1,400 with which he paid the balance and for which he gave the plaintiff his note at 5 per cent. For this $1,400 the plaintiff claims a vendor's lien.
The doctrine that a vendor has a lien for unpaid purchase money is recognized but disfavored. Radke v. Myers,
One who advances money to the vendee to pay the purchase money should be in no better position in a court of equity, it would seem, than the assignee of the purchase money note given by the vendee to the vendor. He is not a vendor nor the assignee of the vendor. He has no contract relations with the vendor and is not in privity with him. His contract is with the vendee. The authorities quite generally hold, at least in jurisdictions where the assignment of the debt does not carry the lien, that one who loans money to the vendee to be used in purchasing does not have a vendor's lien or an equivalent right. Hardin v. Hooks,
2. The finding of the court is that Wenisch did not agree to give the plaintiff security upon the property for the $1,400 note. The finding is supported by ample if not conclusive evidence. There is no room for the application of the doctrine that an equitable mortgage or lien may be founded on an unfulfilled promise to give security. See Hughes v. Mullaney,
The conclusion reached upon the two fundamental points determines the case adversely to the plaintiff and makes unnecessary the mention of other questions discussed in the briefs.
Order affirmed. *368