Bull v. Eby
Bull v. Eby
Opinion of the Court
Action upon a promissory note and to foreclose a mortgage given to secure it. Upon trial of the issues relating to payment, and satisfaction, the defendant requested the court to give to the jury the following instruction, viz.:
“That if they believe from the evidence that Williams was acting as agent for Bull and as such agreed to take two thousand five hundred dollars for the indebtedness secured by the Bull note and mortgage, and the offer was accepted by Eby, and that thereupon Eby paid the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars in property, which was accepted by Williams in satisfaction or payment of the Bull note and mortgage, then you must find for the defendant.”
The court refused and defendant excepted, and the refusal of this instruction is the only ruling complained of in appellant’s brief. The amount due on. the note was much larger than two thousand five hundred dollars. The solution of the legal problem presented depends upon the question as to whether the proposition presented by the instruction is, that the agreement to accept, and the acceptance of a less sum than, the amount due, is a satisfaction of the larger sum; or that the agreement to accept certain specified amounts, notes of other parties and other property of a value less than the
Now the proposition is, that Bull, through his agent, “agreed to take two thousand five hundred dollars for the indebtedness secured by the Bull note and mortgage, and the offer was accepted by Eby, and that thereupon Eby paid the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars in property,” etc. This is an, agreement to take so much money less than the amount due, and not specific propeiiy of less value, and a subsequent payment of that particular sum in property, and not the taking of specific property in satisfaction of the note itself. The payment of the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars in a particular way was the thing taken in satisfaction of the note and mortgage. Under the agreement hypothetically stated, the defendant might have paid the two thousand five hundred dollars in money, had he chosen so to do, and so Bull might have demanded the money. The defendant was not bound to pay in property, nor was Bull bound to receive it. The proposition involved, then, was not an accord and satisfaction, but an agreement to receive a less sum in money in satisfaction, of a larger sum, and it makes no difference whether the smaller sum was paid in money or property. The amount to be paid is fixed.
The same defect exists in pleading the matter of defense. An accord and satisfaction by giving and receiving property
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BULL v. EBY
- Status
- Published