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55 Me. 385

Goddard v. Coe

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Decided July 1, 1867

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine · decided 1867-07-01

<p>A stipulation, that the conveyance is to be void upon payment of the sum due thereon, is one of the essential elements of a mortgage.</p> <p>By a sealed instrument, signed by both parties, the plaintiff conveyed to the defendant’s testate, certain timber as security for the former’s indebtedness to the latter, and stipulated that, if the plaintiff paid such indebtedness according to its terms, the defendants’ testate would “transfer” said timber and “whatever proceeds thereof” he might thereafter receive to the plaintiff, discharged of all claims; that, if the indebtedness was not paid as stipulated, the defendants’ testate might “ sell and dispose of so much of said timber as shall pay and reimburse himthat, when paid by a sale of a portion of the timber, the defendants’ testate was to “transfer to the plaintiff all the timber undisposed of, free from all claims.” In trover for selling more of the timber than was necessary to discharge the plaintiff’s indebtedness : — Held, —</p> <p>1. That the contract was not a mortgage;</p> <p>2. That trover would not lie;</p> <p>3. That an action on the contract is the proper remedy.</p>

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently July 1917

2 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1867-07-01

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Appleton, C. J.

¶1A mortgage is the conveyance of real or personal estate for the security of a'debt by way of pledge, and to become void upon its payment.

¶2The contract under 'seal between the plaintiff and David Pingree, dated July 24, 1861, was not nor was it intended to be a mortgage. By its terms, certain lumber, logs and timber, were conveyed by the plaintiff to said Pingree as security for the plaintiff’s indebtedness to him. If the plaintiff should pay the various claims set forth in the contract according to its terms, Pingree was to "transfer the aforesaid . timber, logs and lumber, and whatever proceeds thereof he *389may hereafter receive, to said Goddard discharged of all his, said Pingree’s, claims thereon.” If the debt was not paid as stipulated, Pingree had the right to "sell and dispose of so mnch of said lumber, logs and timber as shall pay and reimburse him … and his costs in making said sale,” &c. When paid by a sale of a portion of the logs, Pingree was to "transfer to said Goddard all said timber, logs and lumber, which may remain undisposed of, free from all claims to be made by him.” There are other stipulations not material to be considered.

¶3The title to the timber, logs and lumber, was to remain in Pingree until he should "transfer” the same to the plaintiff. The estate was not to revest in the plaintiff upon payment by him of the sums due. It was to be transferred to him. The conveyance was not to be void upon payment of the sum due, which is one of the essential elements of a mortgage.

¶4The remedy for the plaintiff is upon the contract, and upon that, if violated, the law will give him ample indemnity. Plaintiff nonsuit.

Kent, Dickerson, Barrows and Daneorth, JJ., concurred.
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