226 N.W. 560 | S.D. | 1929
Plaintiff, as executrix of the estate of Albert W. Wilmarth, deceased, brings this action to determine the ownership of lots 5.and 6 in block 7, First Railway addition to the city of Huron. She claims Wilmarth purchased the lots of Mrs. Salisbury; that he paid for them and caused a deed to issue from Mrs. Salisbury to Robert B. Hill, who thereafter held the property in trust for Wilmarth; that, after the death of Wilmarth, Robert B. Hill conveyed the property to his sister, May H. Hill, in violation
The trial court found in favor of plaintiff, and entered an appropriate decree. Defendants appeal from the judgment and an order denying a new trial.
There are a number of assignments of error pertaining to the admission of statements of Wilmarth, -which were objected to on the ground that the statements were self-serving. Inasmuch as the -case was tried to the court and it will be presumed only competent evidence -was considered, the admission of such evidence is not prejudicial, if there is sufficient competent evidence to support the decree. The principal question involved is the sufficiency of the evidence to support the. decree. Under this heading we think ail the assignments can be sufficiently considered. In considering the sufficiency of the evidence we will confine ourselves to the competent evidence. The facts will sufficiently appear as we proceed.
.Mrs. Salisbury originally owned the lots involved in this action, together with lots 2, 3, and 4 in the same block. On the 27th of December, 1919, she conveyed all of the lots to Robert B. Hill by warranty deed. This deed1 was recorded December 30-th. The following day, December 31st, Robert B. ITill conveyed lots 2, 3, and 4 to May H. Hill, and she recorded her deed to those lots on January 29, 1920. On the same day, December 31st, May H. Hill claims that she received a warranty deed from Robert B. Hill to lots 5 and 6, the property in question in this action. This last-mentioned deed -was not recorded- until the 9th of December, 1924, the date of Wilmarth’s death. There -was evidence tending to sho-w that the name of the grantee, May IT. Hill, was written with a different typewriter than the one used for writing the other portions of the body of the deed, and that the ink used in canceling the revenue stamps thereon was much fresher than that used in affixing the signatures to the deed. Evidence tending to show that Wilmarth had- exercised apparent ownership over the property, received the rents, made repairs, paid taxes, and accounted for the rents in his income tax return was introduced. Such evidence need not be
It is apparent that Wilmarth treated the property as his own, and the relations -between May H. Hill and Wilmarth were such that his actions and conduct in reference thereto were not only known to her, but must have been with her consent and in accordance with some understanding and arrangement -between the two. There were six lots involved in the deal, being lots 1 to 6, inclusive, and Wilmarth’s -conduct and actions indicating ownership pertained to the two lots in dispute in this action, namely, lots 5 and 6. May H. Hill seems to have apparent ownership over lots 3 and 4, and lots I and 2 were conveyed to Angle in Februaiy of 1920. The evidence is not very clear as to the ownership of these two lots. They were conveyed- by Miss Hill, but she indicates in her testimony that Wilmarth had an interest in the lots and was entitled to-his share of the profits made thereon, and she attempts to account for such profits. There were a good many book accounts introduced in evidence showing numerous transactions between the defendant May Hill and Wilmarth, many of which pertain to property other than that involved in this suit and other than that pertaining to the six lots. Such accounts are unintelligible and practically impossible to understand without the aid of counsel, the benefit of which the trial court had. It is apparent, however, that
The judgment and order appealed from are therefore affirmed.