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38 Iowa 405

Chew v. Chew

Supreme Court of Iowa

Decided June 10, 1874

Supreme Court of Iowa · decided 1874-06-10

Plaintiff and defendant were married on -the 19tli day of December, 1866, tbe plaintiff being seventy-seven and tbe defendant forty-five years old. On tbe first of January, 1870, defendant filed a bill for divorce from plaintiff on the ground of cruel treatment.

Decided 1874-06-10

Day, J.

¶1— The deed is made upon consideration of love and affection. The interest conveyed is simply that which defendant would he entitled to as dower.

¶2husband and fraud.’ ’ Plaintiff seeks to avoid this deed on the ground of fraud and mistake. He claims that he did not know of the marriage of defendant to Hays until he filed his cross-petition in the divorce suit.

¶3The evidence, we think, quite clearly shows that he was advised of such fact, not only hy the defendant, but by other parties.

¶4Plaintiff testifies that at the time he executed the deed, defendant said Hays was dead. But it does not appear she said he was dead at the time of their marriage. His subsequent death would not affect tbeir legal status. It would not render valid the marriage of his wife while alive.

¶5Hence, if sbe did say Hays was dead, when the deed was made, tbe declaration was of a fact not material. Nor does it appear tbat tbe plaintiff" relied upon, or was influenced by, that statement.

¶6The burden of proof is upon tbe plaintiff, and be must establish bis case by a preponderance of testimony. After a careful review of all the evidence we cannot say that he has shown that he made the deed under misapprehension of any material fact.

¶7Affirmed.

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