Bigelow v. Armes

Syllabus

APPEAL PROM THE SUPREME COURT OE THE DISTRICT OE COLUMBIA.

Equity — Specific Performance — Statute of Frauds.

A proposed in writing to B to exchange A’s real estate for B’s real estate with a cash bonus. B accepted in writing. A. complied in-full, B in part only. Suit was brought for specific performance of the remainder. -

Feld, That it was unnecessary to determine whether the memorandum was sufficient under the Statute of Frauds,- as it was the duty of the court be- • low on the facts disclos.ed, and in view of the full performance by A, to' decree' performance by B.

Bill in equity to enforcer specific performance of an ■ agreement to convey real estate. The following were the facts as. stated by the court:

On the 22d of November, 18 76, the parties to this suit made and signed the following memorandum in pencil:

November 22d, 1876.

“I propose to give my house on 8th street, subject to $2,000, for one house on Delaware avenue, and one farm in Fairfax Co., Va., and $525 cash. “ Geo. Armes. '

“ Accepted: Otis Bigelow.”

Both parties fully understood at the time that the property referred to was that described in the bill, and that an exchange was to be made on the terms stated in the memorandum. As the wife of Bigelow was absent, the contract entered into could not be' consummated by an interchange of deeds until her return, which was not expected until some time in January following. Armes, however, was in need of the money which was to be paid him, or a part of it, and so on the 24th of November, two- days after the memorandum was signed, he and his wife executed a deed, in-accordance with the terms of the con,tract, conveying .the house and lot'on Eighth street to Bigelow. This deed Armes took' tó. Bigelow and asked for $400' on account of the money 'he was to- have, offering to deliver the deed if the payment was made. Bigelow accepted the offer,

paid the money, and took the deed, agreeing, however, on'the request of Armes, not to have the deed recorded until the contract was otherwise performed. Nothwithstanding this agreement he did have it recorded at once. At the same time with the delivery of the deed Armes put Bigelow in- possession of the property, and thus fully executed the contract on his park. Bigelow afterwards paid Armes $105 more on the cash payment he was to make, and delivered him the possession of the property on Delaware avenue. All this was done in part performance of the contract on his part, and it was so understood by both parties. Armes, after he got possession of- the Delaware avenue property, made some repairs oh the house with the knowledge of Bigelow. ■ Afterwards Bigelow refused to .carry out the contract on his part by delivering deeds for the Delaware avenue .and Virginia property, -and having the memorandum which had been signed in his-possession, undertook to destroy it by tearing it' in pieces and throwing the pieces into a waste-basket. The court below entered a decree for. the conveyance to, Bigelow, from' which appeal was taken.

The memorandum was defective. It was impossible to deduce, from it essential parts of the contract. The defects could not be supplied by parol proof, and the contract was therefore void under the Statute of Frauds: First Baptist Church v. Bigelow, 16 "Wend. 28; Bailey et al. v. Ogden, 3 Johns.- 399 , 419; Hinde v. Whitehouse, Y East, hYO ; Morton v. Beane, 13 Met. 385 ; Brodie v. St. Paul, 1 Vesey, Jr. 326; Blackburn on Sales, 49-56; Bavis v. Shields, 26 "Wend. 341; Wright v. WeeJcs, 25 N. V. 153. Brown on Statute of Frauds, 402, § 385; Ferguson v. Staver, 33 Penn. St. 4 -í 1;- Soles v. Ilickmann, 20 Penn. St. 180 ; Grafton v. Cummings, 99 U. S. 100 ; Barry v. Coombe, 1 - Pet. 640 ;‘ Williams v. Morris, 95 IT. S. 444. Part performance will not justify the introduction of parol proof to support a defective writing. Brydell v. Brummond, 11 East, 142; Clynan v. Cooke, 1 Schoale, Lefroy, 22. It is. not necessary to plead the Statute of. Frauds. Artz v. Grove, 21 Md. 456 , 4Y0; Winn v. Albert et al., 2 Md. Oh. 169.