Fritts v. Palmer

by Samuel Freeman Miller

United States Supreme Court

132 U.S. 282

Fritts  v.  Palmer

This is an action in the nature of ejectment to recover the possession of certain real property in Gilpin county, Colo., namely, the North Comstock, Grand View, Clipper, and Comstock lodes, and a building lot in Central City, in the same county, together with the dwelling-house thereon, the fee and possession of all which property were claimed by the plaintiff, the present defendant in error. The defendants admitted their possession of the premises described in the complaint, except the Clipper lode, and alleged their ownership and right of possession of the other property. They distinctly disclaimed all interest in the Clipper lode, and denied that they were or had ever been in possession of it. A trial by jury was waived in writing by the parties, and the case was heard on an agreed statement of facts, upon which the court was asked to declare the law and enter judgment accordingly. Judgment was rendered in favor of the plaintiff for the possession of all the property described in the complaint, including the Clipper lode. The question to be determined is whether the judgment is supported by the agreed facts,

These facts are, in substance, as follows: The common source of title is William Groshon, who, on the 16th of June, 1877, at Central City, in the state of Colorado, conveyed, with warranty, all the property described in the complaint, to the Comstock Mining Company, a corporation organized under the laws of Missouri for the purpose of carrying on mining business, and with the object, expressed in its articles of incorporation, of purchasing, owning, and controlling mining property, both real and personal, in the state of Colorado, and of conducting a mining business therewith. This deed was duly recorded in the proper local office on the 25th of June, 1877. Before the purchase from Groshon the company was engaged in the prosecution of its mining business at and near Central City, where it established an office.

On the day of the execution of Groshon's deed, the company made to Ezra D. Fritts its three promissory notes, aggregating $30,000, which were intended to be used and were used in part payment of the price of the property conveyed to it; and, in order to secure the payment of the notes, it executed to Thatcher, as trustee, a deed of trust upon the property, except the Clipper lode, conditioned that on default in the payment of either of the notes, or the interest thereon, the trustee might sell and dispose of the said mining property. That deed of trust was duly recorded on the 26th of June, 1877.

On the 5th of January, 1878, default having occurred in the payment of the notes, the deed of trust was foreclosed under the power of sale contained in it, and on that day Thatcher executed, acknowledged, and delivered his deed for all said real estate and mining property (except the Clipper lode) to Fritts. That deed was duly recorded January 7, 1878.

The defendants claimed title and possession by virtue of divers mesne conveyances, in due form, from the company and its assigns under the above deed of trust, for all of the property, excepting the Clipper lode, which has never been conveyed by it.

On the 13th of April, 1878, Groshon executed, acknowledged, and delivered his deed of quitclaim of all the real estate and mining property in the complaint described to Samuel S. Porter. That deed was delivered to Porter on the 20th of May, 1878, but has never been recorded. The latter, by his deed of quitclaim, executed May 20, 1878, conveyed to defendant Palmer. The latter deed was delivered to the grantee on the 25th of May, 1878, but it remains unrecorded. Afterwards, June 28, 1879, Palmer filed in the office of the clerk and recorder of the county where the property is situated notice, according to law, of the bringing of this suit, and the object thereof.

The Comstock Mining Company, at the time of its purchase from Groshon, had not, nor has it since that time, complied or attempted to comply with section 10, art. 15, of the constitution of Colorado, nor with sections 23, 24, c. 19, of the General Laws of that state, otherwise known as sections 260, 261, c. 19, Gen. St. Colo. 1883, prescribing the terms and conditions upon which foreign corporations may do business in that state.

A copy of the incorporation laws of Missouri, under which this company was organized, was, at the time of its organization, on file in the office of the secretary of state of Colorado, but was not filed by it. Its articles of incorporation were filed in the office of the clerk and recorder for Gilpin county, where its business interests were located, on August 10, 1877, and a copy of the incorporation laws of Missouri, under which the company was organized, was also on file in the same office at and after the time the company was organized.

The defendants, during the time of their possession of the property, have held the same in good faith under the above deeds, and have paid taxes legally assessed and levied upon it, to the amount of $400, and plaintiff has paid no taxes thereon. They have put improvements upon the property, in the way of building and repairing the dwelling-house described in the complaint, of the value of $350.

MILLER, J., dissents.

L. C. Rockwell, for plaintiffs in error.

Jos. Shippen, for defendant in error.

Mr. Justice HARLAN, after stating the facts as above, delivered the opinion of the court.

Notes