Merchants & Farmers Bank v. McMullen
Merchants & Farmers Bank v. McMullen
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff, a banking corporation, brought suit against the defendant on a negotiable promissory note for $980.36, principal. The defendant filed a defense wherein she contended, for reasons therein alleged, that she was not liable on such note; and further contended that prior to the execution of this note she
The following facts appear frojn the evidence: The defendant gave to the plaintiff a note dated January 1, 1897, for $1,405.82, which she contends was given in settlement of her husband’s debt. Other notes were given in renewal of this noté, and the amount appearing to be due was finally paid by the defendant. It was for such payments that the defendant sought a recovery against the plaintiff. On January 1, 1897, the plaintiff held a note against John and W. S. McMullen, and the note of the defendant above referred to was given to take up this note. Upon the trial of the case the husband of the defendant testified that the note for $1,405.82 given by his wife, the defendant, to the plaintiff, was given under the following circumstances: “I-Ie bought some muleá from Mr. Groover, and it fell due, and he sent John and W. S. McMullen to John McCall to get him to pay it for witness, and he paid it and took their notes.” It does not appear when the noté of John and W. S. McMullen was given to the bank. The testimony would seem to indicate that John McCall was the attorney for and a director of the bank at the time this, note was given. The testimony shows that he had no authority, at the time the note of John and W. S. McMullen was given, to make loans for the bank, or to do anything except to draw papers for the bank as its attorney. There is no evidence to show that the official of the bank who advanced the money on the John and W. S. McMullen note knew that the note was being given for the debt of the defendant’s husband; and if they did know it, there is no evidence that when the defendant gave her note to the bank, to take up the John and W. S. McMullen note, the bank looked to her husband for the payment of the debt represented by the John and W. S. McMullen note, or that the bank had any right to collect such debt out of him. The defendant’s husband says that John McCall looked to him for the debt, but it does not appear to have been owing to McCall, or that McCall had any right to collect the debt out of defendant’s husband, nor does it appear that McCall
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MERCHANTS AND FARMERS BANK v. McMULLEN
- Status
- Published