Court Opinion

ID: 9832044
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 21:34:27.051648+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:43:41.522341
License: Public Domain

ON MOTION FOR REHEARING.
In the main opinion heretofore filed in this case we state that the deed from appellee to appellants “contains covenants of general warranty,” and that appellee went to the office of the attorney who wrote .the deed and there executed it. Neither of these statements are correct, and while neither of them are at all material to the issue upon which the appeal was decided, at appellee’s request we make the following corrections:
The record shows that the deed did not contain covenants of warranty. It is, however, an absolute unconditional conveyance of the land for the consideration stated in the opinion. We were led into the error of describing the deed as a deed with general warranty by a statement to that effect contained in appellants’ brief, which we are sure was inadvertently made. The record also shows that the deed was executed at the home of appellee and not, as stated in the opinion, at the office of the attorney.
We further say in the opinion “that the evidence is insufficient to sustain the finding that the appellants have failed or refused to comply with the contract as expressed in said deed or that they ever mistreated appellee.” After a more careful reading of the contradictory and confusing testimony of the appellee, ive conclude that the jury might have found that appellants had not complied with the contract. She testified that appellants had not treated her with proper consideration, had allowed their children to be disrespectful to her, and that on at least one occasion appellant Jack Elliott, when in a state of intoxication, had cursed her and told her to get out. While she says that they did not furnish her with medicine, clothing or anything of that kind, she further says that she was not refused anything she asked for, but that her money paid for every thing she got.
We adhere to our former conclusion that there is no evidence to *278sustain the allegations of fraud or mistake in the execution of the deed. The only evidence relied on by appellee to show any mistake in the deed is the testimony showing the failure of the attorney Austin, who drew the deed, to embody therein the stipulation that appellee should have the revenues from the land during her life, and the statement of appellee that she did not know when she executed the deed that she was turning the property, over to her son absolutely to do with as he pleased. As stated in our former opinion, after Austin ascertained that appellee desired to retain the rents from the property during her life, he prepared an agreement to that effect which was executed by appellants. This agreement was as follows:

“It is distinctly understood by and between the parties hereto that the rents and revenues of the tract of land (being the rest and residue and remainder left out of a certain 629-acre tract, said remainder estimated to be 415 acres more or less), this day conveyed by Gertrude E. A. Elliott by deed of gift to John W. Elliott and wife, Melissa Elliott, shall become and remain the property of the said Gertrude E. A. Elliott during her life time, but same shall be collected for her by her son, John W. Elliott, and the renting of said lands, the fee of which has been conveyed as aforesaid, shall be in the hands of John W. Elliott, and the same turned over to her, the said Gertrude E. A. Elliot as she may need to do with as she pleases.
“Witness our hands this 9th day of October, 1905.
John W. Elliott,
Melissa Elliott.”
The testimony of appellee that she did not know that she was conveying the land to her son to do with as he pleased was elicited by her answers as follows:
“Q. When this deed that is here was made, did you know that you were turning this property over to Jack absolutely to do what he pleased with it?
“A. No, sir, I did not.
“Q. Did you know you were making a deed that would enable him to sell and mortgage that property?
“A. No, sir, I did not know it.
“Q. You cannot read? Can you read and write?
“A. No, sir.
“Q. You have to depend on what others tell you?
“A. They can put down anything and read it to me and I don’t know five minutes afterwards what it was. '
“Q. When you made and signed this deed on the 9th day of October, did you know that you gave to Jack this property to do as he pleased with it, sell it, mortgage it or anything else? .
“A. No, sir, I did not.
■ “Q. Did you think you were turning it over to him to rent for your use?
' “A. Yes, sir.
*279“Q. Did you ever agree that Jack should have this property and an inst.Tnuip.rit should be written to turn it over to him as his own, to handle as he pleased ?
“A. No, sir.
“Q. Did you ever agree that he should have this property to do as he pleased with, that he should own it?
“A. No, sir.”
We do not think this testimony tends to prove the allegations of fraud and mistake contained in the petition, or is sufficient to raise such issue. Such being our conclusions the motion for rehearing is overruled.

Reversed and rendered.

Writ of error refused.