Johnson v. White
Johnson v. White
Opinion of the Court
The evidence shows that Dr. Mayon negotiated the purchase of the drug store from Dr. Reynolds; that by agreement among the parties, the bill of sale was taken in the plaintiff’s name, to secure the payment by Mayon to him of the amount advanced by him to effect the purchase; and that the possession of the store was delivered to the plaintiff, and the evidence tends to show that the plaintiff placed T. C. Mayon, the son of Dr. Mayon, in charge of the store. That transaction placed the legal title to the drug store in the plaintiff.
There is evidence tending to show that there was an agreement between Dr. Mayon and the plaintiff that he (Dr. Mayon) would pay the plaintiff the sum which he had paid as the purchase money, with interest, and that then the drug store should be turned over to and become the property of Dr. Mayon. That agreement would not operate as a transfer of the title to Dr. Mayon, until the money was paid by him. There is no evidence that-the money was paid.
Upon the issue as to whether at the time of the purchase of the drug store, the purchase money was loaned by the plaintiff to Dr. Mayon, the evidence is conflicting; but if it were in truth loaned to him, that fact would not vary the effect of the bill of sale, and delivery of possession of the drug store; for, although Dr. Mayon, or those claiming under him, may insist that the bill of sale was executed as security for the payment of the money advanced by the plaintiff, still the bill of sale transferred the title to the plaintiff, and it would not pass to Dr. Mayon until he paid the money loaned to him by the plaintiff.
The evidence leaves no room for doubt that the purchase money was agreed to be, and was, furnished by the plaintiff; that it was procured by the plaintiff from the City Bank; that Dr. Mayon agreed to repay that sum; and that the bill
The other questions presented on the motion for a new trial, do not require any further consideration.
Order affirmed.
Dissenting Opinion
It was a material question at the trial as to whether the drug store sold by Reynolds was sold to Johnson or to Mayon. One of the circumstances relied upon by the defendant, to show that the sale was in fact made to Mayon, was that the purchase money was obtained from the bank, and was so obtained upon a promissory note of which Mayon was the maker and Johnson was the indorser. Mayon swore that his recollection was that he made the note and Johnson indorsed it. It appears that the note was taken up by Johnson some ten days after this action was brought, and was
For these reasons, I think the judgment ought to be reversed, and the cause remanded for a new trial.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- PETER JOHNSON v. P. J. WHITE
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Purchase of Personal Property.—If one party negotiates the purchase of personal property, and another furnishes him with the money to pay for itj and for his security takes the bill of sale from the seller in his name, and takes possession, and it is agreed that the property shall belong to the negotiator when he pays the money, the legal title to the property is vested in the person who furnishes the money, and to whom the bill of sale was made. Idem.—The same would be the result if the person to whom the bill of sale is given, instead of loaning the money, obtained it by signing with the negotiator a joint note to a bank, or by indorsing a note given by the negotiator to the bank, provided the note is afterwards paid by him. Idem.—In such case the person to whom the bill of sale is given has a good title to the property as against the attaching creditors of the negotiator.