First National Bank v. Savannah, Florida & Western Railway Co.
First National Bank v. Savannah, Florida & Western Railway Co.
Opinion of the Court
Counsel for appellant say in their brief that but two questions arise on the assignment of error made: the first being whether the written agreement, found in the statement, imports a promise to pay interest from December 19th, 1889, or only from the date upon which the bank paid the checks; and the second is, whether a national bank can recover the consideration for an executed contract or guaranty. The case is presented here by both parties as if the bill of particulars, including the written agreement, was incorporated into and made a part of each count of the declaration. The record shows that the declaration was so presented and considered in the Circuit Court. The order sustaining the demurrer recites that the parties waived all questions as to misjoinder of parties defendant, and agreed
The cause of action, or copy thereof, required by the statute to be 'filed with the declaration is to apprise-the defendant of the nature and extent of the demand against him, in order that he may plead with greater certainty, and ordinarily such cause of action constitutes no part of the declaration. Waterman vs. Mattair, 5 Fla. 211; Robinson vs. Dibble, 17 Fla. 457; Wilson vs. Frienburg, 22 Fla. 114; Columbia County vs. Branch, 31 Fla. 62, 12 South. Rep. 650. Each-count in the declaration before us refers to the bill of particulars as being made a part thereof, and assuming that a bill of particulars can in the way indicated become incorporated as a part of the declaration, and as it was presented to and considered by the Circuit Court in that light, we will so consider it here, though not-committing ourselves to the approval of such practice.
The plaintiff sued only for interest, and the interest claimed under each count of the declaration is on sums of money paid by plaintiff to the viaduct committee on account of defendants from the date of the agreement, conceded to be the basis of the cause of action against them, until the times of repayment of the money to plaintiff. It is alleged that plaintiff paid the sum of $16,000, being $8,000 for each of the defendants, in various sums on the dates mentioned in the bill of particulars, and although defendants have-reimbursed plaintiff for the principal of the money so paid, they have refused to pay the interest upon the sums so advanced from the date of the agreement to* dates of reimbursement. It is not alleged that any time elapsed after payment by plaintiff of the sums mentioned in the bill of particulars before the refunding of the same by defendants, so that the demand of.
This being the case, no cause of action is shown against defendants by the declaration as presented
Reference
- Full Case Name
- First National Bank of Florida v. Savannah, Florida & Western Railway Company and Jacksonville Street Railroad Company
- Cited By
- 19 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. The cause of action required to be filed with the declaration is to-apprise the defendant of the nature and extent of the demand against him, in order that he may plead with greater certainty, and ordinarily constitutes no part of the declaration. 2. Where the declaration refers to a bill of particulars as being a part thereof, and in passing upon a demurrer to the declaration by the Circuit Court it was agreed upon the record that the bill of particulars should be treated as much a part of the-declaration as if set out in full therein, the appellate court will consider the bill of particulars as a part of the declaration. 3. It is the duty of the court in construing a written instrument to give effect to every clause therein if it can be done eonsistently with the intention of the parties, and language in one clause should not be construed as superfluous merely because an implication of law arising from another clause would indicate that it was not necessary, 4. The Savannah, Florida & Western Railway Company and the Jacksonville Street Railroad Company entered into a written contract on the 19th day of December, 1889, with the First. National Bank of Florida, to the effect that the companies on demand, after date, promised to pay to the order of the bank the sum of sixteen thousand dollars with interest at six per cent, per annum, in order to secure the bank for the sum of eight thousand dollars that it might pay for each of the said' companies in honoring checks of a committee for constructing a viaduct in a street of the city of Jacksonville, it being understood, as expressed, in the agreement, that upon payment of the check the companies would reimburse the bank in from twoj[to ten days after payment: Held, That considering the entire agreement it did not import a promise to pay interest on thejsums of money paid out by the bank from the date of the contract, but only from the times of payment.