Source: https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/30-s-w-121-619295590
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 03:52:21+00:00

Document:
Attorney: Thomas E. Ralston and Alonzo C. Church for appellant. Seddon & Blair for respondent.
Thomas E. Ralston and Alonzo C. Church for appellant.
(1) The court erred in refusing to permit defendant to strike out of its answer the erroneous admission as to possession contained in such answer. Carr v. Moss, 87 Mo. 447; Waverly Timber Co. v. Cooperage Co., 112 Mo. 383. (2) Considered as an action of ejectment simply, independent of defendant's character as a public railroad corporation the court erred in rendering judgment for plaintiff for any land whatever. (3) The evidence showed erroneous calls in the deed and plat, and the plat contrives the deed under the circumstances of this case and the "stone" indicated within the lines shaded in red on the plat and the stakes set in accordance therewith control the plat, particularly as Clark offered to sell "as platted" which offer was not accepted until after the stakes were set as Clark demanded. (4) Where a natural monument is shown by a plat annexed to a patent as being within the lines of the patent, the land must be so surveyed as to include the natural monument, and conform as nearly as may be to the plat, although the lines thus run do not correspond with the courses and distances mentioned in the patent, and which would not include the natural monument, and although neither the certificate of survey, nor the patent, calls for such natural monument. McIver's Lessee v. Walker, 9 Cranch, 173; McIver's Lessee v. Walker, 4 Wheat. 445; Shelton v. Maupin, 16 Mo. 124; Myers v. City, 82 Mo. 373. (5) The always pays greater regard to the intention of the parties than to the particular words used to express that intention. Gibson v. Bogy, 28 Mo. 478; Jamison v. Fopiano, 48 Mo. 194; Rutherford v. Tracy, 48 Mo. 325; Thompson v. Thompson, 115 Mo. 56; Leitensdorfer v. Delphy, 15 Mo. 161; Ford v. Beach, 11 Q. B. 866. (6) The intention of the parties having been ascertained from the deed, the plat, the possession taken by defendant and the evidence in the cause, this court will be astute in order to carry out such intention and prevent such wrong, hardship and injustice as will inevitably result to defendant by allowing the judgment and decree of the court below to stand. Ford v. Beach, 11 Q. B. 866; Agan v. Shannon, 103 Mo. 661; Kronenberger v. Hoffner, 44 Mo. 185. (7) This case considered as an action of ejectment against a public railroad corporation, the plaintiff should not have been allowed to recover. Clark stood by, after having examined the premises with the plat in his possession, and before the sale, with full knowledge of the location of his ancient "line stone" indicated on the plat and of the expense incurred by defendant in building its road, for about seven years, and only after he had sold his land to the west of this right of way to Marcus A. Wolf, in trust for the Wiggins Ferry Company, the largest stockholder of defendant, did he complain. Under these circumstances Clark is estopped by deed, license, acquiescence and the public policy of the state of Missouri from recovering, in ejectment, any portion of the right of way occupied by defendant, either on the ground that the mistaken calls for distance to Hall street and First street controlled the other clauses in the deed and plat, and the plat itself, and the "stone" therein mentioned, or otherwise. Dodd v. Railroad, 108 Mo. 581; McClellan v. Railroad, 103 Mo. 295; 2 Wood on R'ys [Ed. 1894], ch. 14, p. 924; Goddin v. Canal Co., 18 Ohio St. 169; Railroad v. Allen, 113 Ind. 581. (8) This makes a case of reformation on the ground of mutual mistake. Snell's Principles of Equity, pp. 372-375; Leitensdorfer v. Delphy, 15 Mo. 160; Cassidy v. Metcalfe, 66 Mo. 519; Griffith v. Townly, 69 Mo. 13; Flynn v. Herye, 4 Mo.App. 360. (9) Though the sale of the right of way was made "as platted," yet there is a latent ambiguity in the plat, and the intended boundaries will in all cases govern if the parties believe the description used in the deed corresponds with the boundaries, although the exact language intended to be used was used both in the contract of purchase and in the deed itself. 2 Pom. Eq. Juris. [2 Ed.], sec. 853; Johnson v. Taber, 10 N.Y. 319; Bush v. Hicks, 60 N.Y. 292; May v. Adams, 58 Ver. 74; Butler v. Barnes, 60 Conn. 170; Co. v. Marshall, 59 N.W. 294.
Seddon & Blair for respondent.

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