Court Opinion

ID: 6738007
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-07-20 23:20:02.622844+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:01:51.997515
License: Public Domain

Robinson, J.
This is a suit against Mr. Brown, the sheriff of Stark county, to recover possession of personal property — a gray mare and colt — taken by him under a mortgage made by one Kramehuck.
As the complaint and the evidence shows, the plaintiff purchased the property in good faith for the sum of $175, receiving a bill of sale made by the mortgagor and owner of the property, and written, witnessed, *274and acknowledged by M. L. McBride, who now claims the property under a chattel mortgage. The bill of sale shows payment by P. J. Stoffels; it conveys the property to P. J. Stoffels; it grants title to P. J. Stoffels; it delivers the property to P. J. Stoffels. Four times, his name is written in the bill of sale by the same McBride who now seeks to avoid the bill of sale by him written, witnessed, and acknowledged as a notary public. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff and against McBride, and he appeals, claiming that the evidence is insufficient to sustain the verdict. It is claimed there is no testimony showing that McBride had waived his mortgage lien or consented to a sale of the property without payment of the purchase price to him, but on this point the bill of sale was sufficient evidence to justify the verdict of the jury. It is in the usual form. It is signed by the mortgagor of McBride; it is in the handwriting of McBride; it discloses property included in his mortgage; it is witnessed by M. L. McBride; it is acknowledged by him as a notary public and given under his official seal. In the bill of sale the name of P. J. Stoffels is written four times by the hand and pen of McBride, and the writing appears to be that of a competent business man. If he did not trust his mortgagor to deliver the bill of sale and to receive the purchase price of the mare and colt, it were easy for him to have written in the bill of sale: “The purchase price must be paid to M. L. McBride.” It is a maxim of jurisprudence that where one of two innocent parties must suffer for the act of a third, he by whose negligence it happened must be the sufferer. The bill of sale was a power of attorney to the mortgagor to deliver the bill of sale and to receive the purchase money. The judgment of the District Court is clearly correct, and it is affirmed.