Bishop & Co. v. Williams
Bishop & Co. v. Williams
Opinion of the Court
Opinion of the Court, by
This is an action on a promissory note wbicb in words and figures is as follows:
“$3000. “Honolulu, Nov. 19, 1891.
“ Twelve months after date we promise to pay the order “of C. E. Williams and J. H. Wood three thousand dollars*300 “in U. S. gold coin at the bank of Bishop & Co. with interest “ at 10 per cent, per annum. Yalue received.
“H. H. Williams & Co.”
Endorsed on back — “C. E. Williams, J. H. Wood.”
This note was the property of the plaintiffs by endorsement and delivery. Before maturity J. H. Wood, one of the endorsers, died and the defendants Waterhouse and Hart-well qualified as executors under the provisions of Mr. Wood’s will. The other endorser, C. E. Williams, made no answer and judgment was entered against him by default and the case was proceeded with before the Circuit Court, First Circuit, August Term, 1893, to determine the liability of the estate of Mr. Wood on the note. The verdict was for the plaintiffs.
The case comes to us on defendants’ bill of exceptions. The first point is on the exception to the Court’s refusal to charge the jury as requested by. defendants in their 6th prayer for instructions, viz.:
“Nothing said by Mr. Henry Waterhouse to Mr. Damon can hold the executors, not being in writing.”
The Court also refused the plaintiffs’ prayer for instructions (No. 2) “ that the executors could waive the presentation of a claim at any particular time or in any particular form.” The evidence shows that Mr. Waterhouse, one of the executors named in the will of Mr. Wood, asked of Mr. Damon, of the banking house of Bishop & Co., to see the note, which Mr. Damon showed to him, and he said it was “all right.” Mr. Hustace, cashier of the bank, says this circumstance occurred before the note fell due; that he gave Mr. Waterhouse a statement of the notes held by Bishop & Co. endorsed by J. H. Wood, and, at Mr. Damon’s request, got the note out and showed it to Mr. Waterhouse, who said that it would be all right. Mr. Waterhouse says that after he had been legally appointed administrator (26th August, 1892), he went to the bank of Bishop & Co.; that when the note was produced by Mr. Damon he told Mr. Damon he
We think the instruction was properly refused. There was no attempt made by plaintiffs to hold the executors personally responsible. The statute of frauds requires a writing to hold an executor upon a special promise to answer out of his own estate, and an instruction of the character asked for would tend to confuse the jury. The evidence went in without objection, and its object was to show that the plaintiffs had duly presented their claim against the estate. The Court charged the jury that the statement made by Mr. Waterhouse that “it was all right,” is not sufficient in itself to bind the executors, that i.t to say, to make a new promise to pay this note, but “you may regard it as evidence tending to show that there has been a presentation of the claim to them.” The jury were in this way properly instructed that Mr. Waterhouse’s statement that it was all right did not bind him as a new promise to pay the debt out of his own estate and we do not perceive that it would have had that effect, even if in writing, and it is unnecessary to decide whether it was evidence of a presentation of the claim, for, as shown below, the demand and notice of the notary public was conclusive evidence of this, and a verdict for the defendant, if such had been rendered, could not stand, even if this instruction had not been given. This leads us to the consideration of the exception by defendants to the Court’s granting plaintiffs’ prayer for instruction numbered 1 — “That the jury may consider the demand and notice by the notary public as evidence of a claim made by Bishop & Co. upon the estate of J. H. Wood.” The note fell due Nov. 19, 1892, and on the last day of grace, Nov. 22, Mr. Paty, a notary public, presented it, as his notice of protest states, “ at the Bank of Bishop & Co. where it was made payable and payment demanded, which was refused, the said note having been dishonored, the same was this day protested by me for the non-payment thereof, and the holders look to you for the pay
After much research we have come to the conclusion that the notice of dishonor and demand for payment made by the notary upon the executors of the will of J. H. Wood, is a sufficient presentation of the claim under our statute of non-claim.
The statute does not prescribe the form in Avhich the .claim must be made. It is sufficient if it apprises the executors definitely of the claim of its character and amount. 5 Encyc. of Law, 217. It Avas not required, nor would it be proper, to deposit the note as a voucher with the executors. The notary may be considered as the agent of the plaintiffs in presenting the claim. “A notice of the non-payment of a promissory note personally served on the executor of the indorser of the note, or which is shown to have come to his hands, although it may have come from a notary protesting the note, will be sufficient to AvithdraAv the claim from the influence of the statute of non-claim in Alabama, provided, it describes the note with accuracy, and informs the personal representative AA'ho the holder is, and that he looks to him for payment.” Hallett vs. Branch Bank at Mobile, 12 Ala., 193, 671. Cited in 6 Encyc. Law, 219. This case is quite parallel with the one at bar.
It is urged by defendants’ counsel that the notice of protest is not sufficient presentation of a claim, because it was only intended to fix the liability of the indorser. We fail to see, even if this Avas its primary object,
We next consider the exception to granting plaintiffs’ prayer for instructions numbered 4, viz.: “ That the memorandum given by Hustace to Waterhouse may be considered as evidence of presentation of a claim against the estate of J. H. Wood.”
The memorandum testified to by Hustace was not produced before the jury so that its date was not shown with certainty, but it would seem from the evidence to have been presented before the dishonor of the note. A memorandum
Tlie defendants asked tlie following instruction (No. 5):
“The plaintiffs cannot recover of the executors’ defendant, unless they show that demand was made on the last day of grace, .and within bank hours of the proper officer at the bank of Bishop & Co., for payment of the note, to be made of H. H. Williams & Co. It is not sufficient if demand was made for payment of C. E. Williams, as successor of H. H. Williams & Co., and if no demand was made, except for payment of C. E. Williams, the executors of J. H. Wood cannot be held liable.”
This was given as above except the underscored portion— “to be made by H. H. Williams & Co.” The question raised is, whether demand should have been made at the bank upon the maker.
“Where the bill designates a place of payment, and it is accepted generally, it will be sufficient to demand payment at such place without making a personal demand on the acceptor.” 3 Band. Com. Paper, Sec. 1113.
“ If a bill be made payable at a particular place, it is not necessary to state a presentment to the acceptor there; it is sufficient to state a presentment at that place.” Byles on Bills, p. 218, and numerous English cases there cited.
“ Whatever difference there may be in the eases, as to the necessity of a demand at the place specified, it is perfectly clear that, so far as place is concerned, a presentment there by the holder is always sufficient.” 1 Parsons, N. & B. p. 434 (Ed. of 1863.)
Fullerton vs. Bank, 1 Pet. 604.
Brent’s Exor. vs. Bank, id. 89.
Upon authority therefore it was not necessary to have demanded payment personally of H. H. Williams * Co., the makers; the demand at the bank was sufficient.
The last exception is to the Circuit Court’s refusing a new trial on the ground of surprise, in that since the trial it has been found that the memorandum furnished by Hustace was dated August 13th, 1892, prior to defendants’ notice to
Exceptions overruled.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BISHOP & COMPANY v. C. E. WILLIAMS and HENRY WATERHOUSE and A. S. HARTWELL, Executors of the Will of J. H. WOOD
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published