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he was informed of the appointment of the curator ad hoc, consulted with the plaintiff in the case (defendant herein) before and during the trial, appeared on the trial as a witness, and was advised that, in the event of an adverse judgment on the question of title, the judgment now assailed by him would be rendered?

(4) Is the demand here made by Sheehy for judgment against Andrews as in the original suit a demand in the alternative and in reconvention, which Sheehy has the right to assert in this proceeding?

who lived in Mississippi, be cited through a (2) Is Andrews estopped to assail the vacurator ad hoc, and, in the event of an ad-lidity of the judgment so rendered because verse judgment on the question of title, that he be condemned for the price which had been paid him. There was judgment in favor of Simonds and Perkins on the question of title and in favor of Sheehy and against Andrews on the call in warranty, and, Sheehy alone appealing, the judgment so rendered was affirmed by this court. In re Sheehy, 119 La. 608, 44 South. 315. Thereafter An- (3) Did he after its rendition promise to drews brought this suit to annul the judg-pay the judgment (in question) if granted a ment obtained against him, on the ground delay in which to raise the money, and, if so, that, being a nonresident, he could not have did the promise constitute such an acquiesbeen brought into court through substituted cence in the judgment as to preclude the service, to which Sheehy (made defendant) present attack upon it? answers that the judgment is good, for the reason that Andrews was residing in Pointe Coupée when he sold the property, and moved to Mississippi afterwards, and that he (defendant) had no other way to bring him into court on his warranty of title, save through The district court rendered judgment in a curator ad hoc. He further alleges that, favor of Andrews, decreeing null and void should the court hold that the judgment is the judgment herein attacked by him, and not good on account of the substituted serv-ordering that the inscription thereof be canice, Andrews should be held to be estopped celed from the mortgage records; and in to assail its validity, for the reason that he was at once advised of the appointment of the curator ad hoc, and, prior to and during the trial, consulted and advised with the counsel for plaintiff (defendant herein) as to the prosecution of the suit, was fully informed that in the event of an adverse judg-pealed. ment on the question of title he would be condemned for the price for which he had sold the property, and that, after said judgment was rendered, he acquiesced therein by promising to pay it, if time were given him, which condition was complied with. Defendant then, assuming the character of plaintiff in reconvention, alleges:

"That, in the event the court should hold that
your reconvenor's said judgment against the
said Andrews should be annulled,
** then

and in that case the said Charles L. Andrews is
justly
indebted to your reconvenor in
the full sum of $4,637.50, with legal interest
for this, to wit."

And he proceeds to set forth his cause of action as in the original suit. He further makes certain allegations, upon the basis of which he caused John Wesley Green to be cited, and prayed that a transaction, purporting to be a sale of land by Andrews to Green, be set aside, either as simulated or as having been made in fraud of his rights as a creditor of Andrews, but Green filed an exception, which was maintained, with the result that he was eliminated from the suit (Andrews v. Sheehy, 122 La. 464, 47 South. 771), leaving before the court only Andrews and Sheehy, as between whom the following issues were presented for decision, to wit:

(1) Was it competent for the district court for the parish of Pointe Coupée to bring Andrews, a resident of the state of Mississippi, before it for the purposes of the moneyed judgment rendered against him by cit

favor of Sheehy on his reconventional demand, condemning Andrews to pay him $4,637.50, with interest, further ordering that the costs of the main demand be paid by Sheehy and those of the reconventional demand by Andrews. Both parties have ap

Opinion.

1. It is well settled that nonresidents cannot be brought into the courts of this state upon ordinary demands for money, by substituted service. Pennoyer v. Neff, 95 U. S. 730, 24 L. Ed. 565; Haddock v. Haddock, 201 U. S. 562, 26 Sup. Ct. 525, 50 L. Ed. 867; Hobson et al. v. Peake, 44 La. Ann. 383, 10 South. 762. And the rule applies with equal force where the nonresident is called in warranty. Smith v. McWaters, 7 La. Ann. 145; Pagett v. Curtis, 15 La. Ann. 451. Moreover, a demand in warranty in legal contemplation arises in an action only when made by the party who has been sued. Laughlin v. La. & N. O. Ice Co., 35 La. Ann. 1185; Foote v.

Pharr, 115 La. 35, 38 South. 885; Clapham et al. v. Clayton et al., 118 La. 419, 43 South. 36.

2. Defendant herein alleges in his answer that:

appointment of the said curator set aside, nor
to formally appear in said suit and make a
defense, if any he could, to your respondent's
call in warranty, thus tacitly acquiescing in the
abide by the judgment of the court."
entire proceeding, and tacitly consenting to

"The said Andrews took no steps to have the

Andrews was, however, under no obligation to see that Sheehy laid the foundation for a valid judgment against him by having him cited, and his consultation with Sheehy's attorney as to the prosecution of the proceeding, and his appearance therein as a

tiff should be obliged to answer without pleading to the jurisdiction (Code Prac. art. 377). By Act March 20, 1839, § 7, article 375 of the Code of Practice was amended by the addition of a paragraph, which now appears as a proviso, reading as follows, to wit:

est in having Sheehy's title confirmed without assuming that he intended at the same time to waive any of his own rights in order to facilitate Sheehy in the obtention of a judgment against himself, even though he might have felt or known that he would eventually be liable in the event of an adverse judgment on the question of title for the price that Sheehy had paid him. As to the allegation that he had full knowledge that in such case judgment would then and there be rendered against him, there was no attempt to sustain it by proof, and evidence to that effect would have been inadmissible if offered (Harris v. Alexander, 1 Rob. 30), since (to quote language used by our prede-up (what we shall for the present call) his cessors):

"It has been repeatedly held that knowledge of the suit, however clearly brought home to a defendant, does not supply want of citation, which is the foundation of the proceeding.' Adams v. Bazile, 35 La. Ann. 102: Hobson et al. v. Peake et al., 44 La. Ann. 383, 10 South. 762.

3. There is no doubt that a defendant may waive his right to a citation by appearing for any other purpose than to plead the want thereof. Louque's Digest, p. 112, IV No. 1; Tutorship of Minors Byland, 38 La. Ann. 756; Bartlett v. Wheeler, 31 La. Ann. 543. And he may acquiesce in a judgment illegally rendered by voluntarily executing it, or by permitting it to be executed, without opposition; he being in the parish. Code Prac. arts. 567, 612. But no such acquiescence as is thus required has been shown in this case; the most that is alleged or proved being that Andrews promised to pay the judgment, if granted time, which is not the same thing as executing it, or permitting it to be executed; "he being in the parish." 4. Prior to 1839 the Code of Practice provided for demands in reconvention substantially as follows, to wit:

"Provided, that, when the plaintiff resides out of the state, or, in the state, but, in a different parish from the defendant, said defendant may institute a demand in reconvention against him, for any cause, although such demand be not, necessarily, connected with, or incidental to, the main cause of action."

In the instant case, when the defendant set

demand in reconvention, plaintiff filed a motion which reads as follows:

"And now into this honorable court comes Charles L. Andrews, plaintiff in the above-stylthat George B. Sheehy, defendant, ed and numbered cause, and, on showing * has embodied in his answer herein certain allegations and a prayer, which said defendant terms a reconventional demand, and on further showing that said allegations and prayer are not a reconventional demand in any sense, and the injection of the same into this suit is an illegal cumulation and confusion of actions, and on further showing that same are in direct conflict with other allegations contained in defendant's answer herein, and that, according to the allegations of the defendant's answer, the tional demand,' are not based upon any pressaid allegations and prayer, termed a 'reconvenently existing cause of action, and upon further showing that John W. Green, one of the defendants in the said reconventional demand, has been dismissed from the suit by a judgment of this honorable court, which judgment has been affirmed by the Supreme Court of the state; and on further showing that it would be an injustice to appearer to require appearer to go to the inconvenience and expense of securing evidence to controvert the allegations contained in said reconventional demandwherefore appearer moves this honorable court to order and decree that the allegations and prayer, which defendant terms a 'reconventional demand' and which are embodied in his answer herein, be stricken from said answer and from the record herein," etc.

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The motion so made was denied by the district court, which, as we have already stated, gave judgment on the reconventional demand in favor of defendant (as plaintiff in reconvention).

The learned counsel for plaintiff in support of this motion argue that there was no then existing cause of action upon which the socalled reconventional demand could be predicated. They say:

That the demand which the defendant institutes in consequence of that which the plaintiff has brought against him is termed a demand in reconvention (Code Prac. art. 374); that, in order to entitle the defendant to institute a demand in reconvention, such demand, though different from, should necessarily be connected with, and incidental to, the main action, "as, for instance, the demand instituted by the possessor in good faith against him who sues to evict him, or for the purpose of obtaining the payment of the improvements made on the premises"; (Code Prac. art. 375) that, if the demand instituted "Defendant has skillfully and ingeniously interby the defendant be in its nature independ- woven in his answer what he would have the court either construe as a reconventional deent from the main action, it should be conmand, or ignore entirely, according as the court sidered a principal, and not a reconvention- may decree the personal judgment against Anal, demand, and should be brought at the drews to be invalid or valid. We challenge dedomicile of the plaintiff (Code Prac. art. 376); fendant to cite one single decision in which any court either of this state, or of any other state, and, finally, that "in all cases of reconvenor country, has recognized the validity of a retion” (i. e., in all cases where the demand conventional demand pleaded in the alternative falls within the definition as given) the de- and based upon the possible future existence of fendant might plead it in his answer, or by a state of facts which would constitute a cause of action, if they existed, but which may never separate suit, before the court in which the crist, and which the reconvenor positively as

The learned counsel refer to the opinion in the case in which Green was eliminated, and called attention to the fact that this court there said:

"A reconventional demand, according to article 374, Code of Practice (French text), is one which the defendant brings himself against the plaintiff, in consequence of the demand which he has instituted against him." Andrews v. Sheehy, 122 La. 464, 47 South. 771.

They go on to say that Sheehy in alleging | spect different from the position that he that the judgment sought to be annulled is would have occupied if (he being in possesvalid and binding has put himself out of sion) Simonds and Perkins had sued for the court with respect to his demand in reconven- recovery of the land, and, after asserting the tion, since the latter is a demand for a judg- | validity of his title, he had alleged in the ment for the same amount against the same alternative that he was at least a possessor party based upon the same cause of action. in good faith, and had prayed, in the alternaThey further say that, if such pleading be tive (to a judgment maintaining his title) allowed, the consequence will be that An- that he be allowed to recover for improvedrews, who came into court solely for the ments made by him. In such case he would purpose of asserting his constitutional right have been within the particular illustration to require that all personal suits against him used in Code Prac. art. 375, and yet (to parshall be brought in his own state, will find aphrase the language of the brief filed by that he, "ipso facto, loses the right," and will plaintiff's counsel) his demand in reconvenlearn (quoting the language of a distingushed tion, pleaded in the alternative, would have modern author) that "police protection is only been based upon the possible future existence a polite name for fracture of the skull." of a state of facts which might never have come into existence, and which in his answer he was positively asserting did not exist. Green was eliminated from the case, because he had brought no suit and was making no demand against the defendant, and defendant's demand against him was not, therefore, "one which the defendant brings himself against the plaintiff, in consequence of the demand which he [plaintiff] has instituted against him [defendant]." Moreover, in demanding, as against the plaintiff, Andrews, that the judgment sought to be annulled be maintained, or, in the alternative, that Andrews be condemned to return the price paid him for the property, and as against Green that a transaction between him and plaintiff be annulled, Sheehy was attempting to bring different defendants before the court in the same suit on separate causes of action. As to Andrews, however, he merely availed himself of the opportunity that Andrews gave him, not exactly to administer a "fracture of the skull," but to require Andrews to disgorge the price that he had received for property that he had sold That it was comwithout being the owner. petent to make a demand to that effect, as the alternative to the prayer, that the judgment, condemning Andrews for such price, and attacked by Andrews, be maintained, there can be no doubt.

From which they deduce:

"That, under this definition, and under our uniform and well-settled jurisprudence a reconventional demand must always be a definite and certain demand, based upon a definitely alleged cause of action." (Italics by the counsel.)

The answer filed by defendant alleges specifically enough that he bought from plaintiff, with warranty of title, S. 2 of section 79, sections 83 and 84, and section 78, in township 4 S., range 8 E., S. E. land district of Louisiana, west of the Mississippi river, for which he paid $8,000, cash; that by the judgment rendered in the proceeding instituted by him against Simonds and Perkins, who were claiming under an adverse title and against plaintiff, as his warrantor, he was evicted from sections 83 and 84; and that the price of those sections was $4,637.50, and, after praying that the judgment which he has already obtained for that amount be sustained, the prayer of his petition proceeds as follows:

"And, in the alternative, reconvenor prays that, in the event that the court should hold that respondent's judgment against the said Andrews should, be annulled and set aside, there be judgment in reconvenor's favor, and against said Andrews, condemning said Andrews to pay to your reconvenor the full sum of $4,637.50, as the purchase price of said sections 83 and 84, with legal interest," etc.

So far as the existence of a cause of action is concerned, there does not appear to be any appreciable difference between the present position of the defendant and the position that he would have occupied if, having been sued for the land by Simonds and Perkins, he had asserted the validity of his title, and (assuming that he could reach him) bad then called plaintiff in warranty and prayed judgment against him in the event of the failure of the court to maintain his de

Castaing v. Improvement Co., 5 Rob. 177; Succession of Rougan, 7 Rob. 436; Mathias v. Lebret, 10 Rob. 94; Smith v. Mechanics' Bank, 6 La. Ann. 625; Wood v. Harrell, 14 La. Ann. 61; Webre v. Gaillard, 16 La. Ann. 189; Smith v. Donnelly, 27 La. Ann. 98; Dilzell Eng. Co. v. Lehmann, 120 La. 280, 45 South. 138. The objection, suggested in the brief, that plaintiff, having come into court only to attack a void judgment that had been rendered against him, did not submit himself to the jurisdiction for any other purpose, was not presented by the pleadings. To the contrary, plaintiff invoked the jurisdiction for the determination of the question whether defendant's demand for the price of the property discloses a cause of action, and whether it could be pleaded in the alternative. He said nothing about any want of jurisdiction ratione personæ, and it is too late to raise that question now. For

the judgment appealed from is correct, and it is accordingly affirmed, the costs of the appeal to be divided between the two appellants.

(125 La. 227)

No. 17,516.

HYDE v. BARRON. (Supreme Court of Louisiana. Nov. 29, 1909.) 1. LOGS AND LOGGING (§ 3*)-SALE OF STANDING TIMBER-LESION BEYOND MOIETY. Timber sold while standing on the land of

the vendor continues to be an immovable.

"Standing trees are immovable even when separated in ownership." Act No. 188 of 1904. The sale of timber comes within the provisions of article 1861 of the Civil Code, according to which relief is granted the vendor of an immovable if the price given is less than one-half of the value.

[Ed. Note.-For other cases, see Logs and Logging, Dec. Dig. § 3.*]

2. VENDOR AND PURCHASER (§ 13*)-REME

DIES OF VENDOR-LESION BEYOND MOIETYBASIS OF RELIEF NECESSITY FOR Fraud.

To support the action of lesion beyond moiety there is no need to show fraud, for the remedy given for lesion is founded on the implied error of the vendor, or upon the imposition upon him. Inadequacy of price, less than one-half the value, is considered an imposition, although not in its nature a fraud. The insufficiency of price is the imposition. [Ed. Note.-For other cases, see Vendor and Purchaser, Dec. Dig. § 13.*]

3. VENDOR AND PURCHASER (

13*)-REMEDIES OF VENDOR-LESION BEYOND MOIETY-VALUE TO BE CONSIDERED AS OF DAY OF SALE EVIDENCE.

In fixing the value of the property, the price must be considered as of the day of the sale. Civ. Code, art. 1871. And the value of the property, in order to support the action of lesion, must not be left to conjecture, but must be fixed and certain, and in fixing this value a high estimate will not recommend itself to the court.

Plaintiff's complaint is that he was poor and in necessitous condition, and was by it forced to sell his land.

Plaintiff on the 1st of October, 1907, tendered the $100 purchase price, interest, and cost, and a short time thereafter instituted this suit.

The defendant admits that he bought the right to cut timber described in plaintiff's petition, but denies that the price was inadequate. He avers, on account of the location of the timber, its inaccessibility, the price paid was good and sufficient.

The district court decided in favor of plaintiff, annulling and setting aside the sale, for leison beyond moiety, on the payment by plaintiff to defendant of $100, with interest from the date of the sale, $79, value of timber cut and removed by the defendant.

There was a sale entered into between

plaintiff and defendant.

The timber was an immovable.

It has been considered in several decisions

recently that timber sold while standing on the land of the vendor continues to be an immovable.

The statute is quite plain.

"Standing trees are immovable even when separated in ownership." Act No. 188 of 1904.

Being a statutory immovable, the court was constrained to maintain the plea of lesion as when title to land is involved. Mrs.

Nanny Smith v. Hodge Co., 123 La. 959, 49

South. 655.

Before proceeding further toward deciding the case, there is a question involved in regard to the testimony, which we will dispose of at this time.

After witnesses had been examined and

[Ed. Note.-For other cases, see Vendor and the evidence closed, the defendant filed a Purchaser, Dec. Dig. § 13.*]

(Syllabus by the Court.)

4. LOGS AND LOGGING (§ 3*) - SALES OF STANDING TIMBER-LESION BEYOND MOIETY. In an action by the vendor of timber for lesion beyond moiety, evidence held to show that it was sold for less than half of its value.

motion to strike out the evidence of named witnesses taken out of court. The contention of defendant is that none of the testimony was introduced in evidence and that it was taken without the consent of counsel.

It was agreed by plaintiff and defendant

[Ed. Note.-For other cases, see Logs and that the testimony of these witnesses would Logging, Dec. Dig. § 3.*]

Appeal from Thirteenth Judicial District Court, Parish of Rapides; W. F. Blackman, Judge.

Action by William A. Hyde against Thomas C. Barron. Judgment for plaintiff, and defendant appeals. Affirmed.

be taken out of court and placed in the record and the case continued.

This agreement led to misunderstanding between counsel.

The record fails to show that the motion of September 30, 1906, asking that C. W. Andrews be appointed expert of the timber,

Robt. P. Hunter & Sons, for appellant. was ever served on defendant or his counsel. R. H. McGimsey, for appellee.

BREAUX, C. J. Plaintiff instituted this suit to have a sale decreed null on the ground of lesion beyond moiety.

One hundred dollars was the purchase price for the merchantable pine timber standing on 160 acres of land.

That issue presents itself under unfavorable aspect to the courts and, doubtless, to each of the counsel.

From any point of view, whether the statement of facts has been closed, as noted by the stenographer, or whether it was agreed to complete the testimony out of court, as noted by the clerk, and the case continued,

The year 1914 was the time fixed to cut the evidence of this witness does not seem down and haul away the timber. to have been contradictorily taken.

It was due to the defendant or his counsel to have the motion served and proceed contradictorily with the defendant or his counsel to have the expert appointed.

In a case of merchantable lumber, the diameter could be 12 inches and even less; but in case of lumber for rafting 18 inches diameter was required, as smaller trees fre

This was not done, and for that reason the quently sink. Those who make up rafts will evidence will not be considered. not put timber in raft of a less diameter. This would make a decided difference in the result.

We are not quite so confident with regard to other witnesses who were examined, also out of court.

Counsel for defendant was present at the examination and cross-questioned the witnesses.

It really does not affect the result one way or the other. There is sufficient other testimony before the court to sustain plaintiff's demand.

Recurring to the merits of the case, we will state that, in fixing the value, we have borne in mind that the value of the property must be considered as of the year 1904, the date of the sale; that is, the value at the time of the sale. Civ. Code, arts. 1871, 2490; Beale v. Ricker, 7 La. Ann. 667.

As relates to the price of the timber: Whilst it may be that 50 cents per M in 1904 is a very low price, it is sustained as correct by a preponderance of testimony.

The estimates of witnesses range from 50 cents to $2 per M.

In fixing value of property in matter of lesion, a high estimate does not recommend

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The value of property in order to support the law of lesion must not be left to conjecture. There must be certainty.

Our learned brother of the district court,

who followed the trial in its progress and heard the witnesses, was of opinion that 50 cents per M is a fair price.

We the more readily agree with him as to that price because in reading the testimony we have found that not one of the witnesses thought that it was worth less.

There is, in consequence, as to that amount an agreement, although a number of witnesses thought that it was worth more. It is evident then that the timber was worth at least that much. The evidence is therefore strong and conclusive as relates to that amount.

That is in strict compliance with law that it should be strong and conclusive. Beale v. Ricker, 7 La. Ann. 667; Demaret v. Hawkins, 8 La. Ann. 483.

The defendant sets up the theory that the timber was not only to be merchantable, but that it was to be such timber as could be rafted and floated away.

This theory is not sustained by the facts. The contention of defendant, in defense of his theory, was that inasmuch as the timber had to be rafted away at that time, as it could not be hauled, the word "merchantable" included only such timber as could be

We have not taken that view. The contract calls for "merchantable" timber. That timber which was not merchantable had a value; it was not out of commerce, even if it could not be rafted.

Plaintiff owned a sawmill about two miles from the place, and it does seem that the timber had value for his mill without the necessity of floating it in raft.

The contract said "merchantable," and we will be governed by the word, and the issues will be considered from that point of view.

There was inadequacy of price. That was made evident by the testimony of defendant's son, C. W. Barron, who worked and was connected with the enterprise of the father.

He was familiar with plaintiff's place. He had made estimates of the timber. Under his supervision trees were cut down of the timber in question.

He testified that good rafting timber had been cut to the extent of 60,000 feet on less than 10 acres of land.

According to this testimony, if less than 10 acres produced that many feet, 160 acres would produce more than 950,000 feet, at 50 cents a thousand equal to more than $450.

As the price was $100, the sale comes within the provision of article 1861 of the Civil Code, according to which relief is possible

if the price given is less than one-half of

the value.

Mr. Lee, a timber man, with many years' experience, some time prior to this suit offered to buy this timber on the basis of 10,000 feet to the acre.

No one questioned the sincerity of the offer All considered it as to buy on that basis.

an earnest and honest offer to buy.

Although this offer was made some four years after the sale, the dimensions of timber does not increase to such an extent in that length of time as to make the difference in measurement a matter of any importance.

But be that as it may, taking the evidence as a whole, we are of opinion that the number of feet fixed by our brother of the district court is about correct.

Learned counsel for defendant in their brief state that fraud was neither pleaded nor proven.

We can only meet this by saying that there is no necessity for such proof in an action for lesion.

No other inference can be drawn from the text of the case of Beale v. Ricker, cited supra.

The article of the Code is plain. The rem

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