61 Pa. Super. 149 | Pa. Super. Ct. | 1915
Opinion by
This is an action of ejectment. The verdict of the jury was for the defendant. Thomas M. Brown in 1892 conveyed to A. J. Kelley, Sr., all his interest and estate in lands embraced by the boundary or location of Grand-view avenue, Pittsburgh, and also all the land lying or abutting on the north or northwest side of Grandview avenue. On the same day A. J. Kelley, Sr., gave a mortgage for the unpaid purchase-money and thereafter by process duly issued on the mortgage, the sheriff sold the property. Thomas M. Brown purchased it. He after-wards conveyed the property to Karl F. Tiegel, the plaintiff. During the time A. J. Kelley, Sr., owned the property it was duly registered in the Register’s Division, Bureau of Surveys, City of Pittsburgh, as property of A. J. Kelley. Brown’s deed was never registered. The City of Pittsburgh thereafter graded, paved and curbed the sidewalk on Grandview avenue and a lien was filed against the property and Kelley, the registered owner, was named as owner or reputed owner. He was the only person who appeared as owner of the property upon the city records. The city brought suit on the municipal lien, obtained judgment, caused the property to be sold, and John B. Love, the defendant purchased the property at sheriff’s sale in 1902. Does he have a valid title as against Brown’s vendee?
(1) The first objection made.by the plaintiff to defendant’s title is that the description in the lien was not
(2) The next question arises as to the scire facias issued on the lien. The first scire facias was returned by the sheriff “nihil,” and alias being issued, the return was made, “after diligent search and inquiry and not being able to find A. J. Kelley, att’y, or agent, I did on the 16th day of October, 1901, post a true and attested copy of this writ on the within described premises, nihil as to the defendant.” Then follows the declaration of the sheriff that he had made publication as required by law. The Act of May 16, 1891, P. L. 69, under which the several writs were issued provides that “said writ of scire facias shall be made returnable to the monthly or other return days in the respective courts and shall be served upon the owner or reputed owner personally, or by leaving a copy thereof, duly attested, with an adult member of his family, at his dwelling house, at least ten days before
(3) The contention of the plaintiff that the Act of May 8, 1901, P. L. 142, repealed the Act of May 16, 1891, P. L. 69, and that the latter act thus provides the method of service of the alias scire facias which was issued after the passage of the latter act is not tenable. As pointed out by Rice, P. J., in Philadelphia v. Mason, 37 Pa. Superior Ct. 478, it is, “a fair conclusion from the language of the act (1901) that notwithstanding its repealing clauses, it was not intended to repeal the Act of 1891 so far as applied to the collection of claims, the right of which accrued before the Act of 1901.” See also Scranton v. Stokes, 28 Pa. Superior Ct. 434.
(4) It will be noticed that the deed of A. J. Kelley designated him as senior, and the city registration described him as A. J. Kelley without any addition. This is not a variance of any import. The designation Sr. or Jr. is usually only temporary and descriptive of the person and forms no part of the name: Coit v. Starkweather, 8 Conn. 289; Kincaid v. Howe, 10 Mass. 203; 29 Cyc. 267.
In conclusion the City of Pittsburgh when it constructed the sidewalk along Grandview avenue, acquired a right to file a lien for the cost of the same, if not paid, against the respective properties. The claim was not a
The assignments of error are overruled and judgment affirmed.