Pool & Wintermeier v. Dennis
Pool & Wintermeier v. Dennis
Opinion of the Court
— I. The petition is the ordinary one in 'an action on a promissory note. In his answer defendant, Dennis, admitted execution and delivery of the note; The answer alleged that plaintiffs were not holders in due course for value, • and without notice of infirmities ;*that the note was without consideration that the note was given to McCarty under a contract by which McCarty agreed to deliver to Dennis a quantity of stock remedy known as “Santo,” and to assist Dennis in .selling the same; that, although often requested to do so, McCarty failed and refused to assist Dennis in selling said stock food; that McCarty falsely and fraudulently represented to Dennis that he was the owner of the stock remedy; that,- in truth and
In an amendment to his answer, defendant, Dennis, alleged that, at and prior to the time the note in suit was signed and delivered, McCarty agreed with defendant that, if he would execute the note in suit and the $300 note given at the same time, he, McCarty, and Cooper would not negotiate, transfer, or dispose of said notes until after said stock remedies had been sold and disposed of by assistance of McCarty, as alleged in the original answer; that■ defendant believed said promises and relied upon same, and was thereby induced to execute said notes; that
In reply, plaintiffs aver that they acquired the note for value, before maturity, and in due course; deny that they had any notice or knowledge of any infirmities at the time they purchased same from McCarty; deny that they had any notice or knowledge of any fraud in the procurement of said note; deny that said note was without consideration, or that the consideration therefor had failed.
Plaintiffs further averred that, if there was any fraud in the inception of said note, or if the note was without consideration, or that consideration had failed, .the defendant, Dennis, had waived said defenses to said note by turning back to Cooper the stock remedy and receiving from Cooper the $300 note which he had given Cooper at the time of the execution of the $800 note in suit, and is estopped from availing himself of the alleged defense of fraud.
II. J. A. Pool, witness for plaintiffs, testified that he was a member of the plaintiff firm of Pool & Wintermeier; that he saw E. A. McCarty sign the indorsement on the back of the note in suit, which reads:
‘ ‘ Pay to Pool & Wintermeier. If this note is not paid when due, the payee (endorser) is to have eight months thereafter to collect same before suit is brought thereon. E. A. McCarty.”
• He further testified that his present business is selling tombstones ; that his firm was the owner of the note in suit; that his firm purchased the note from E. A. McCarty in June or July, 1920. The note was introduced in evidence, and plaintiffs rested.
In his own behalf, defendant, Dennis, testified, in substance, that he first met McCarty about a month befpre the note in suit was executed; that McCarty was in the stock remedy business; that he and McCarty first engaged in conversation in the lobby of a hotel in Newton, Iowa, about stock remedies; that McCarty
Earl Cooper, called by defendant, testified that he was in the coal business; that he remembered the stock remedy transaction between McCarty and Dennis that took place about March 6, 1920; that he had some stock remedies at the time; that McCarty did not have any ownership in the stock remedies; that, in the sale to Dennis, McCarty acted for him; that McCarty told him that he was going to help Dennis sell the stock food; that, after the sale to Dennis, the stock food Avas kept in his warehouse ; that he had disposed of the stock food; that he told Dennis that he would give him back his $300 note for the 10,000 pounds of stock food, and Dennis agreed to it, and he returned the note to Dennis and kept the stock food.; that he had no interest in the $800 note; that there AAras nothing said about the $800 note; that McCarty held the $800 note at the time; that, at the time Dennis executed the original $1,100 note, there were 10,000 pounds of stock food in the warehouse; that Dennis Aims to get the stock food at any time he wanted it; that Dennis n^ver called for any of the stock food; that the $800 note was made direct to McCarty for selling the stock food; that the $300 note represented what he got for the stock food; that McCarty got the $800 note -for acting as his agent in selling the stock food to Dennis; that he Avas to keep the stock food in his warehouse until Dennis sold it or called for it; that Dennis never called for it; that there was nothing said in his presence that he could remember, to the
Plaintiffs offered no evidence in rebuttal.
III. The motion for directed verdict stated that the undisputed evidence showed that there was a legal consideration for the note; that the consideration for said note had not failed; that said note was not procured by fraudulent representations; that there was no fraud in the inception of said note; that the undisputed evidence showed that, subsequent to the execution of the note, Dennis and Cooper made an arrangement by which the stock food for which the note in suit was given was turned back to Cooper for the $300 note which had been given to Cooper by Dennis; that, said stock food having been transferred from the possession and ownership of Dennis, it would have been impossible for McCarty to have helped Dennis sell said stock food, and, by making said arrangement, Dennis waived his right to require McCarty to assist him in selling said stock food, and is estopped from urging same as a defense; that, under all the evidence, Dennis had not established a legal defense; that defendant was guilty of negligence in not making examination of the stock food at the time he executed the original $1,100 note, or the $800 and $300 notes thereafter given; that Dennis had an opportunity to examine the stock food at the time he purchased it,' and to ascertain the condition of same, and, having failed to do so, was guilty of negligence, and was estopped from claiming that the stock food was not in good condition at the time he purchased same.
Said motion for a directed verdict was sustained.
IV. The error assigned is that the court was wrong in sustaining plaintiffs’ motion to direct a verdict. The question presented is whether the evidence introduced by defendant was sufficient to entitle him to have the ease submitted to the jury. Giving to the evidence the force and effect which must be accorded on a motion to direct verdict, we think defendant did not make out a case entitling him to go to’ the jury, and that it was not error to direct a verdict in favor of plaintiffs. The testimony shows that the stock remedy purchased by Dennis was delivered to him in the warehouse where it was stored. The testimony of
If there was any fraud practiced, inducing the execution of the note, it must be found in the promise of McCarty to go out with Dennis in an automobile over the country, — Dennis to furnish and drive the automobile and help' retáil the remedy,— and the failure of McCarty to carry out such promise, and the promise of McCarty to hold the note until the remedy was sold, and the breach of said promise. There was no specific time when or within which McCarty was to assist Dennis in the sale of the remedy. Dennis says that he requested McCarty several times to go with him to sell the remedy, and that McCarty always made excuse that he had some pressing work on hand, and could not go; and that he never did go with him to assist in selling the remedy. About four months after the purchase of the remedy, Dennis resold it in bulk to Cooper, and thus made it unnecessary and impossible for McCarty to assist him in retailing the remedy.
It also appears from the evidence that McCarty did not negotiate the note in suit until after Dennis had turned the stock remedy back to Cooper for the $300 note which he had given to Cooper, and thus had held the note until the stock remedy was disposed of by Dennis himself.
Dennis never rescinded or offered to make any rescission; he never tendered back the stock remedy and demanded the notes given therefor. If it may be said that the evidence disclosed fraud in the inception, of the note sufficient to take the case to the jury upon that issue, we think that Dennis, by his acts in disposing of the stock remedy himself, released McCarty from any obligation to assist him in disposing of the stock'
Results in affirmance of the case. — Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.