Bonorden v. Dressen

• Decision Date: 21 June 1882
• Citation: 12 N.W. 831,13 Neb. 121
• Parties: BONORDEN AND ANOTHER v. DRESSEN AND OTHERS.
• Court: Nebraska Supreme Court

13 Neb. 121

12 N.W. 831

BONORDEN AND ANOTHER

v.DRESSEN AND OTHERS.

Supreme Court of Nebraska.

Filed June 21, 1882.

Appeal from Dodge county district court.

W. H. Munger, for plaintiffs.

Gray, Frick & Loomis, for defendants.

MAXWELL, J.

This is an action to foreclose a mortgage on real estate. The mortgage was executed on the eighth day of October, 1877, by F. J. Kriz to Joseph Kriz, and by him assigned to the plaintiffs after maturity. F. J. Kriz died in January, 1878. Minnie Kerkow, in her answer, states that at the time the mortgage in question was executed she was the wife of F. J. Kriz, and that the premises so mortgaged were, at the time, occupied by her husband and herself as a homestead, and that the same was of less value than $2,000, and that the mortgage was not signed by her. She also alleges that the mortgage was given without consideration. The reply denies that the premises were a homestead, but that objection seems to be abandoned. The court below found in favor of the defendants and dismissed the action. The plaintiffs appeal to this court.

The question to be determined turns upon the construction given to section 3 of “An act to exempt homesteads from judicial sale,” approved February 19, 1877, which reads as follows: “A conveyance or encumbrance by the owner is of no validity, unless the husband and wife, if the owner is married, concur in and sign the same joint instrument.” The attorney for plaintiff contends that this section is unconstitutional, because its provisions are not within the title of the act, and therefore contravene section 11, art. 3, of the constitution, which provides that “no bill shall contain more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title.” The authorities cited to sustain this positiot are State v. Lancaster County, 6 Neb. 435, and B. & M. R. R. Co. v. Saunders County, 9 Neb. 511; [S. C. 4 N. W. REP. 240.]

In the case cited from 6 Neb. the title of the act was “An act to provide for township organization.” Under this title the act provided for county organization, and defined its corporate powers, and provided for the election of county officers, defined their duties, and fixed the terms of office. It was held that the act was void.

In the case of B. & M. R. R. Co. v. Saunders County, 9 Neb. 505; [S. C. 4 N. W. REP. 240,] the title of the act was “An act to amend an act to provide for the registration of precinct or township or school-district bonds.” The court say (page 511:) “The title to the act in question is very restrictive--much more so than necessary; but the legislature, having thus set bounds for themselves, they could not lawfully overstep them. No one will for a moment contend that the raising of money by taxation to meet a bonded indebtedness has the least necessary connection with the subject of bond registration. Doubtless a title might have been framed of so broad a scope as to have included both of these matters as means for securing a desired result. Here, however, we have registration of certain bonds as the ulterior, in fact the only expressed, object to be accomplished. Now, while registration might very properly be made a step in providing for the payment of bonds, it is very clear that taxation cannot possibly be a step...