Kilburn v. Ritchie

Appeal from the Seventh Judicial District, Nassa County. In October, 1850, Kilburn filed his complaint against Ritchie, stating that the plaintiff was owner and in possession of a certain tract of land in Nassa county, (describing it,) on the 1st of October, 1849; that on the 1st of May, 1850, the defendant, with force and arms, entered and took possession of a portion of said lands, (describing it,) and ejected the plaintiff therefrom; and other wrongs, &c.; and praying judgment for the possession of said premises, and §3000 damages.

The answer insisted that the plaintiff had never had or been entitled to the possession since 1847; that in March of that year, the plaintiff and one .Bale bound themselves to execute a quitclaim deed, conveying the premises to one Barnett, who then resided on the land, so soon as a government surveyor could be obtained to survey the premises, reserving the timber to the obligors, &c.; that Barnett was to continue in possession till the deed to him should be made; that in April, 1849, Barnett, being still in possession, conveyed his right by deed to one Kellogg; who took possession, and in April, 1850, conveyed to the defendant, by virtue of which he took possession, &c. The answer further stated, that in 1848, Barnett sued Bale and the plaintiff before the Alcalde of Sonoma, seeking to compel them to convey the land, according to their bond of March, 1847; and obtained a judgment accordingly. (It appeared, on the trial, that in the suit mentioned in the answer, an objection was made to the competency of the Alcalde, for prejudice; whereupon, by consent, the cause was tried before the second Alcalde and a jury, who found in favour of Barnett; and the second Alcalde rendered judgment that Bale and Kilburn should cause the land to be surveyed as soon as practicable, and execute a deed to Barnett, according to the bond. Bale and Kilburn appealed from the judgment to the governor. At the April Term, 1851, of this Court, upon appeal by Bale and Kilburn, the judgment of the Alcalde was reversed, and the cause was remanded to the District Court.) The answer further insisted that Bale was a necessary party. The answer alleged that a surveyor had been appointed ; and prayed that the plaintiff be decreed to convey the land to the defendant.

The cause was tried by the Court, the parties waiving a jury, in July, 1851. The documents above mentioned were adduced in evidence ; and the plaintiff also gave in evidence a deed for the premises, executed by Bale to the plaintiff on the 8th of September, 1849. The defendant proved the possession of Barnett, Kellogg, and himself, as stated in the answer; and that the defendant had made improvements to the value of $2000. The defendant offered to prove declarations made by Bale, that Barnett had complied with the bond, and was entitled to a deed for the land; but the Court rejected the evidence, as irrelevant. The Court decided, 1st. A tenant holding over cannot dispute the title of his landlord; and as both parties claimed under- Bale, Bale’s title was not in question. Barnett was in possession under Bale; and until a deed to him from Bale, Barnett’s possession was the possession of whoever had the absolute title from Bale ; and that was the plaintiff. 2d. To entitle Barnett to a deed, he must allege performance of the contract on his part; which was not done by the answer. 3d. The defendant is not within the law allowing improvements to be set-off against damages for holding over. 4th. The measure of damages is the value of the use and occupation of the land during the holding over. Judgment accordingly, that the plaintiff recover of the defendant the possession of the premises, with $800 damages, and costs. The defendant excepted, and appealed.