Commonwealth v. Richards

• Decision Date: 06 January 1890
• Docket Number: 217
• Citation: 131 Pa. 209,18 A. 1007
• Parties: COMMONWEALTH v. THOMAS RICHARDS
• Court: Pennsylvania Supreme Court

18 A. 1007

131 Pa. 209

COMMONWEALTH v. THOMAS RICHARDS

No. 217

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

January 6, 1890

Argued November 6, 1889

APPEAL BY DEFENDANT FROM THE COURT OF QUARTER SESSIONS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY.

No. 217 October Term 1889, Sup. Ct.; court below, No. 563 March Term 1889, Q.S.

On May 10, 1889, there was filed in the court below a transcript of a proceeding before an alderman, wherein Thomas Richards upon complaint of Emma Richards, was bound over to answer in said court a charge that on September 20, 1887, he, the said Thomas Richards, did without any cause or provocation desert and abandon the said Emma Richards, his lawful wife, and since said date had failed and refused to provide anything toward her support and maintenance.

At the hearing before the court, on May 11, 1889, the defendant admitted that he was the husband of the prosecutrix, that he had been living separate and apart from her since March 11 1886, and that since that date he had contributed nothing toward her support and maintenance. He offered in evidence however, the following deed of separation, executed by himself and his wife, under seal, and duly acknowledged before a justice of the peace, with a separate examination of the wife:

"This indenture, made the 11th day of March, 1886, between Thomas Richards, of the borough of New Brighton, county of Beaver, and state of Pennsylvania, of the first part, and Emma, his wife, of the second part.

"Whereas divers disputes and unhappy differences have arisen between the said party of the first part and his said wife, for which reason they have consented and agreed to live separate and apart from each other during their natural lives; therefore, this indenture witnesseth, that the said party of the first part, in consideration of the premises and in pursuance thereof, doth hereby covenant, promise and agree to and with his said wife, that it shall and may be lawful for her, his said wife, at all times hereafter to live separate and apart from him; and that he shall and will allow and permit her to reside and be in such place and places, and in such family and families, and with such relations, friends, and other persons, and to follow and carry on such trade or business as she may from time to time choose or think fit to do, and he shall not nor will not at any time compel her to live with him, or molest, disturb or trouble her for living separate and apart from him, nor suemolest or trouble any other person whomsoever for receiving, entertaining or harboring her; and that he will not without her consent visit her or knowingly enter any house or place where she shall dwell, reside or be, nor shall or will, at any time hereafter, claim or demand any of her money, jewels, plate, clothing, household goods, furniture or stock in trade which she now hath in her power, custody or possession, or shall hereafter procure, or which shall be devised or given to her, or that she may otherwise acquire, and that she shall and may enjoy and absolutely dispose of the same as if she were a feme sole and not married; and further that the said party of the first part shall and will well and truly pay, or cause to be paid unto her, his said wife, for and towards her better support and maintenance, the sum of fifty dollars in hand, and shall and will set over and transfer to her absolutely such of his household goods and furniture as she has or may select, valued at one hundred dollars, and four shares of stock of the Co-operative Foundry of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, of the par value of one hundred dollars per share, free and clear of all charges and deductions whatsoever, the receipt and payment of which said money and the transfer and delivery of such goods and stock is hereby acknowledged by the said Emma Richards at and before the sealing and delivery hereof.

"And, in consideration of the premises and of the grants and payments made to her, the said Emma Richards, by her said husband as above set forth, she does hereby remise, release, quit-claim and forever discharge the said Thomas Richards, his heirs and assigns, and his estate now owned by him, or which he may hereafter acquire, of and from all claims, shares or interest therein which she now has or may or might have by reason of her said marriage, and she further agrees and desires that her said husband may have the control and custody of their child, William Emmett, but in case the said Thomas Richards dies, then the said Emma Richards is to have the control and custody of him.

"In witness whereof" etc.

The paper-book of the appellee stated that it was in evidence that a short time before this proceeding was instituted, the defendant spent one night with his wife and arranged with her to live together again, and that she should go to St. Louis, Mo., where he would join her in a few days; that she went to St. Louis and remained for three or four weeks, and not hearing from her husband she returned to Allegheny City. Such evidence, however, was not in any way brought upon the record.

On July 13, 1889, the court pronounced sentence that the defendant pay the costs of prosecution, pay to the prosecutrix the sum of $10 per month until otherwise ordered, and give security for his compliance with the sentence, MAGEE, J., filing an opinion as follows:

On the hearing in court it was admitted by the defendant that he was the husband of this prosecutrix and that he had been living separate and apart from his wife from March 11, 1886, and that from the time of said separation he had contributed nothing toward the support and maintenance of his wife. He, however, claimed that he was not liable to her for her support and maintenance, because their separation in 1886 took place under the terms of a written agreement entered into between them "to live separate and apart from each other during their naturals lives," on payment and terms then made in consideration of the separation agreed upon. The agreement then entered into was offered in evidence and is not denied, and is as follows, viz.: . . . .

On the execution and acknowledgment of these articles of separation, the parties separated, and have continued to live separate and apart ever since. The defendant complied with his part of the agreement, and paid to his wife the consideration therein mentioned. There is nothing in the evidence to indicate that the division of the property was not fairly made, or that any undue advantage was taken of the wife by the husband in the terms of separation. What was done was done understandingly, under the supervision and advice of counsel, and reduced to writing.

The counsel for the prosecutrix contends that the articles of separation entered into do not discharge the defendant from his obligation to support and maintain his wife, for the following reasons, viz.:

1. That the writing made directly between husband and wife, to live separate and apart, is not a valid and binding agreement.

2. If valid, it does not by its terms and covenants provide for the discharge of the husband from liability for the support and maintenance of the wife in the future.

3. That if the covenants do by implication include the husband's release, the wife is not thereby deprived of the remedy provided by the act of April 13, 1867, for a support and maintenance.

The first question suggested, we think is determined by Lehr v. Beaver, 8 W. & S. 105, and other authorities, in which it is held substantially that agreements between husband and wife to live separate, are valid and effectual both in law and in equity, provided their object be actual and immediate, and not a contingent and future separation; and this though the deed be made between the parties without the intervention of trustees: See also Agnew v. Frost, 11 Cent. R. 58.

The agreement in this case, under the authorities cited, is to be regarded and treated as a valid and binding agreement upon the parties. The object was actual and immediate, and not a future and contingent separation; it was entered into and executed with deliberation, and evidently with full understanding of the provisions, for it was prepared and signed under the supervision and advice of counsel learned in the law; the properties to be handed over were at once delivered, and the husband and wife parted under their agreement, and have continued to remain separate. Whatever, therefore, are the relative duties and obligations of the parties to one another under their agreement, the same are to be observed and enforced. So long as the agreement stands unrevoked by mutual consent, either in express terms, or by acts or conduct inconsistent with its continued existence, the legal effects of the contract can be enforced.

We come now to the second inquiry suggested, viz.: What are the legal duties and obligations assumed by the parties to the articles of separation as a valid and binding agreement?

They have mutually agreed "to live separate and apart from each other during their natural lives." The husband has in fact, agreed not to molest or interfere with his wife in any way whatever, and permit her to enjoy and dispose of any and all property as though she were feme sole, and further, to pay for her better support and maintenance "$50 in hand, and transfer $100 in value of furniture, and four shares of the stock of the Co-operative Foundry, of Beaver Falls, of the value of $100 per share." The wife agrees, "to remise, release, quitclaim, and forever discharge the said husband, his heirs and assigns, and his estate now owned by him, or which he may hereafter acquire, of and from all claims, shares or interest therein, which she now has or may or might have by reason of her said marriage, and, further, that the husband during his life shall have the...