Schee v. Hendrickson
Schee v. Hendrickson
Opinion of the Court
The firm of Hendrickson & Carper was composed of J. I. Carper and J. F. Hendrickson. The latter attached the firm name to the promissory note for $2,247, dated
This agreement entered into this 1st day of March, 1904, by and between James Schee of College View, Neb., party of the first part, and Hendrickson & Carper of Iowa, party of the second part, witnesseth: James Schee has this day sold to Hendrickson & Carper the undivided one-half interest in the following described real estate, to wit: S. W. % of the S. W. and the N. W. 14 of the S. W. 44, section 32, and the S. E. 14, S. E. section 31, township 54 north, range 18 west, Chariton county, Missouri, for the sum of twenty-two hundred and forty-seven dollars, evidenced by certain promissory notes for said amounts dated March 1, 1904, and drawing 7 per cent, interest from date. Said note payable on or before five years from date. It is agreed and understood that the said James Schee is to hold title to said land until said note is paid, at which time he agrees to execute a warranty deed to the undivided one-half interest in the above described land. [Signed] James Schee. J. F. Hendrickson.
Schee testified that, at the time that Hendrickson signed the contract individually, he knew that on all other occasions, when acting for the firm, he had signed the firm name and that, had he noticed it, he would have required it to be so signed. On the other hand, Hendrickson swore that he and Carper habitually signed their individual names in transacting' firm business, though Carper did not so understand it. According
Moreover, Schee’s account of the transaction indicates that it was with Hendrickson individually. True, he stated as a conclusion that it was business of the firm, but his recital of what was said and done leaves little doubt but that the transaction was that of Hendrickson individually. In addition to excerpt quoted, he testified:
When he got the one hundred and twelve acres I wanted him to take it all, but he insisted that it was well worth it and he might take a half interest in it, and later on we agreed, and he gave me his note. This was after the meeting I had with him at College View when I put up the $2,500. We talked about the one hundred and twenty when he got the one hundred and twelve but I know that these contracts don’t bear me out in this, but my memory is that I let him have the one hundred and twelve acres and I still had the other, and I asked him if he would not buy that, and he said that he would agree to take a half interest in it, and long after that, after he went home, I met him back here and took his note for a half interest in it at $35 per acre, and I think we added a year’s interest into the note. I don’t know just whether we dated the thing back or forward, or how we did it, but we agreed to add a year’s interest to the $35 per acre. In our talk at College View I wanted Hendrickson to take the balance of the two hundred and thirty-two acres, and he said that it was the best land, said he would be willing to take an interest in it, and that was finally done by him giving the note. He said if I would give him a good long time to trade it off and take a note for five years he would take it on those terms. I don’t know just how long after he was in College View he did actually buy the inter*224 est in the one hundred and twenty acres. I think we were at this bank in Indianola when we closed the deal, but I don’t remember the circumstances. I think it might have been six or twelve months after he visited me at College View.
Schee does not claim that Hendrickson represented that the deal was for the firm, and he never treated it as such. Numerous letters passed between him and Carper, and, though the latter was asked to remit half of taxes, interest, and expenses in examining land he and Hendrickson & Carper were interested in, no allusion was ever made to this Missouri land or to the taxes paid thereon or the interest on this note until May, 1909. Hendrickson and Schee had settled in April of that year by the former executing to the latter a note for $1,200 and on May 8th following, Schee wrote Carper:
I regretted that you could not stay long enough to help adjust things between us but we did the best we could which was not very satisfactory but it stands this way John signed a note for 1200 which when paid I will have my money all back except $300 and I have the Minn, land in liew of the Mo. Keitsvill land one hundred and twelve acres which cost me $3920.00 the Minn, land we thought was worth above the mortgage at the time we bought it $500 or $600 dollars so you see where I am at I will send you the 1200 note to sign if you will let me hear from you. Well, write me and I will send the note to sign if you write me to that effect.
Again on May 17th he wrote Carper:
You probably know and remember John told me if I would let him trade the Keetsville land he would get me out whole on it which I did and put up some cash and now the matter stands this way when this 1200 note is paid I will still lack three hundred and a little over of having my cash all back and I will have the equity in the Minn, land for the one hundred and twelve acres clear land that you fellows traded at Keetsvill. I receipted and will lose several hundred as you can readily see. I paid the land Co. 4000 for this land when I bought it but so far as I see you fellows*225 hasent made any thing so I will be satisfied when I get this 1200. I will enclose this note and you can return it when you write.
No mention in either of any note such as sued on. In response to this, Carper returned the note and stated Schee had obtained from a mortgage given by Hendrickson to him for $5,500, on Kansas land, $2,250 more than was due him and requested remittance of that amount. Schee answered:
Yours of the 18 at hand and will say you have your wires teribly crossed on everything. The loan I took on Hendrickson land was for 3500 instead of 5500 nearly 2100 of that was for cash I loaned at the time the rest was 1250 and some Int. making over 1400 nearly 1500 I,don’t remember exact but this is nothing here nor there as I have a settlement with them on the deal but I still hold the Hendrickson and Carper note for the Keetsvill land that is one-half interest in one hundred and twenty acres for 2247 made April 1904 and no Int. paid. Hendrickson traded off one half of the land belonging to boath of us for 5500 dollars worth of the Delonoga mining stock now who ever pays this note will be entitled to one half of the mining stock and a fourth interest in the one hundred and twenty acres of land I still hold title instead of mortgage. So I hope you will take up the notes and get title to the land and mining stock.
This was the first intimation Carper had concerting this transaction, and according to his testimony he was not aware of what had been done until hearing Hendrickson’s deposition read on the trial.
Not only does Schee’s testimony fail to show the deal wherein the note was executed by Hendrickson was a firm transaction, but it tends strongly to prove it to have been an individual arrangement of Hendrickson’s and the subsequent conduct of the parties is entirely consistent therewith. In further confirmation that it was such, Carper testified that: “Hendrickson told me in the late winter of 1904 that Jim Schee was sick of his trade and that he had about concluded
Without detailing the numerous discrepancies in his testimony, it is enough to say that, upon comparing it with that of other witnesses in the case and the circumstances shown in connection with the contract entered into at the time the note was given, we reach the conclusion that the note, though signed “Hendrickson & Carper,” was executed in consummating a deal by Hendrickson individually with plaintiff, and that for this reason Carper is not liable thereon.
II. Hendrickson & Carper had an opportunity to exchange one hundred and sixty acres of land owned by Carper and one hundred and twelve acres of the two hundred and thirty-two acre tract in Missouri, belonging to Schee, for a stock of goods owned by one Kennedy by paying the latter $2,500 as a difference. Hendrickson went to see Schee, who resided in Nebraska, and in pursuance of arrangements then had, Schee advanced the money and transferred the one hundred and twelve acres of land and the exchange was made; Both Schee and Hendrickson testified that, to induce Schee to do this, the latter guaranteed him against loss. Carper insists that the circumstances are such as to warrant the rejection
Judgment will be modified by eliminating that portion adjudging defendant Carper liable on the note for $2,247 and, as so Modified, is Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- James Schee v. Hendrickson & Carper, J. I. Carper, J. F. Hendrickson
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published