Parthenia Mercer v. United States of America and Jesse Gallman and Beulah Gallman

OPINION OF THE COURT

The issue raised by this appeal is whether the trial court was required to find under the evidence that either defendant knew or had reason to know of any condition existing on the land involving unreasonable risk to plaintiff-appellant.

In October, 1960, the Veterans Administration (“V.A.”) acquired the property at 3875 Poplar Street, Philadelphia, at a Sheriff’s Sale after foreclosure on a loan guaranteed by the V.A. The back yard of this property was enclosed by a brick wall which also formed, to the height of the wall, one side of a two-story high chimney. A government…