Kennedy v. Daniels
| Decision Date | 31 October 1854 |
| Citation | 20 Mo. 104 |
| Court | Missouri Supreme Court |
| Parties | KENNEDY & JACKSON, Appellants, v. DANIELS, Respondents. |
1. Where a defendant in ejectment relies in his answer upon a legal title, he cannot at the trial avail himself of a merely equitable defense.
Appeal from Cape Girardeau Circuit Court.
The case is sufficiently stated in the opinion of the court. It was argued by Mr. N. Holmes for appellants, and Mr. Noell for respondents.
Ejectment for the recovery of land in Cape Girardeau county. The defendants answer that the plaintiffs are not the owners of the land, but that they, the defendants, are the owners thereof, claiming it under a deed from Micajah Daniels, older than the deed from said Micajah to plaintiffs.
The court, at the trial, decided upon inspection, that the instrument produced by the defendants as a conveyance from Micajah Daniels was not a deed; but further decided, that the instrument might be treated as a contract in equity for the land, and that the defendants might avail themselves of any equitable defense. The evidence was accordingly introduced, and under instructions from the court, a verdict was rendered and judgment was given for the defendants. The instrument relied on by defendants was, in the language of the present conveyance, from Micajah Daniels to them for the consideration “of one dollar, and for the affection and fatherly feeling I have for them.”
1. We will confine the present decision to the point that the defendants, having set up in their answer, as their defense, the fact that they were the owners of the land by a deed from Micajah Daniels older than the deed from him to the plaintiffs, were not to be permitted to go into a totally different defense. If they have any equitable title available against that of the plaintiffs, they must set it up in their answer. The loose practice introduced into our courts, under the present code, is clearly exemplified in this case. Both parties claim under deeds from Micajah Daniels, according to their pleadings; the court decides that there is no deed to defendants, but that they may make an equitable defense; such defense as they have is introduced, and a verdict is found in their favor. If this verdict is to be regarded as a response to the issue made by the pleadings, it finds that the defendants are the owners of the land under a deed from Micajah Daniels, older than his deed to the plaintiffs, which is against the decision...
To continue reading
Request your trial
-
W. A. Gaines & Co. v. E. Whyte Grocery, Fruit & Wine Co.
...in 1867. To permit it would be to allow plaintiff to plead one title and recover upon another. Beck v. Ferrara, 19 Mo. 30; Kennedy v. Daniels, 20 Mo. 104; Waldhier Railway, 71 Mo. 519; Raming v. Railway, 157 Mo. 506; Utassy v. Giedinghagen, 132 Mo. 60; Sicard v. Davis, 6 Pet. (U.S.) 124; Ro......
-
Siling v. Hendrickson
...to sustain them. Plaintiff must recover on case made by his pleadings. Reed v. Bott, 100 Mo. 62; Lenox v. Harrison, 88 Mo. 491; Kennedy v. Daniels, 20 Mo. 104; 22 Ency. Pl. & Pr., pp. 530 and 602; 18 Ency. Pl. & Pr., pp. 805 and 855. (3) A deed absolute on its face cannot be shown to be an ......
-
Wilson v. Fisher
...inurement still being inconsummate -- is at most only an equitable defense, and hence is not available under a general denial. Kennedy v. Daniels, 20 Mo. 104; v. Johnson, 20 Mo. 108; White v. Davis, 50 Mo. 333; Ellis v. Railroad, 51 Mo. 200; Russell v. Whitely, 59 Mo. 196. There could be no......
-
Morgan v. Stoddard
... ... county to plaintiff, vested in plaintiff the legal title to ... the land described in plaintiff's petition. Kennedy ... v. Daniels, 20 Mo. 104; Snow v. Cunningham, 82 ... Mo. 587; Romain v. Lewis, 39 Mich. 235; ... Carpenter v. Ingersol, 43 Mich. 433; United ... ...