Acker v. Warden
Acker v. Warden
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The material facts in this case are as follows : W. W. Sanborn, of Iowa, obtained on the 21st day of May, 1867, letters-patent from the United States for certain improvements in dairy churns. Prior to 1880, the right to sell and use this patent in Kansas was purchased by W. H. Gibbs. In September, 1880, Alfred Hill and Frank W. Alvord purchased of Gibbs an undivided half of the patent-right for the state of Kansas, excepting a few counties, for $1,000, and James S. Warden purchased the other undivided half for $500. In paying for his undivided quarter, Alvord executed his note of $500 _to James S. Warden, dated September 21, 1880, and due 120 days after date, bearing 12 per cent, interest after maturity. J. F. Watson and D. W. Acker
It is claimed that Acker and Watson were induced to sign the note of Alvord to Warden of $500 on September 21,1880, by the false representations of Warden. They claim that he promised to purchase and pay $1,000 for an undivided half of the patent-right; second, that he represented that the sale of the patent-right for two counties in Kansas had been made, which would nearly pay the note; and, third, that he stated the patent-right was valuable and useful, when it was worthless and of no value whatever. It is also claimed that the evidence shows that Warden purchased the patent-right for Kansas on September 17,1880, prior to the time that Alvord executed any note, or had purchased any part thereof. It appears, from the evidence produced upon the trial, that Warden never had any conversation with Acker and Watson prior to their signing the note of September 21,1880; therefore he did not personally by any representations or promises induce them to become the sureties of Alvord. Alvord made some such representations to Acker and Watson, which he said Warden had made to him, and it appears that Warden did make some such statements to Alvord. It is clearly appar
“Ques. How long were you engaged in examining the patent churn? Ans. Why, not a great while. I think at the time I first saw it he was in the act of churning.
“Q. You thought it was a pretty good thing? A. Yes, sir.
“ Q,. And made up your mind, as I understand you to say, that you would take an interest in it if you could put up your part of the money or the security? A. Yes, sir.
“ Q,. Did you have considerable talk with Mr. Gibbs about the operation of the churn ? A. Not a great deal; no. I had a considerable talk with him as to dealing in patent-rights.
“Q. Did you see the churn operate yourself there at the fair grounds? A. Yes, sir.
“Q,. You saw, then, that you believed it was capable of going? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. And you, in the exercise of your own good judgment, thought it was a pretty good thing at that time? A. Yes, sir.
“Q,. And after that you had a talk with Warden, I understand you, and he told you to get security on this note for $500, subsequent to that time? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Now, at the time you spoke to Acker and Watson, had they any knowledge about your purchasing this patent-right, so far as you knew? A. Yes, I think they had.
*56 “Q. Previous to that time? A. Yes, I think they did.
“Q,. They knew what this note was for? A. Yes.
“Q. They knew that you had given this note for an interest in this patent-right? A. Yes, sir. •
“Q. You explained to them fully what you wanted it for, and asked them to go your security? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. They had no interest in the patent-right themselves? A. No, sir.
“ Q,. They were simply accommodating -you by indorsing your note? A. Yes, sir.
“Q,. That was the way you understood it? A. That was the understanding.
“Q,. And I understand you to say that Mr. Warden was not present when they signed this note? A. No, sir; he was not.
“ Q. They signed this note upon your request and upon your solicitation alone? A. Yes, sir.
“Q,. After these papers were fixed up you started out to sell these patent-rights? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. You sold how many rights? A. I sold two.
“Q,. What did you receive for them? A. I received $160 for one right, and I traded the right of Clay county for a man’s interest in a timber claim.
“Q,. Did you afterward sell the timber claim? A., No, sir; I traded him, besides, a horse or pony that I had.
“Q. What was the timber claim worth? A. Well, I don’t know.
“Q. You got $160 in money for the other? A. I couldn’t have got anything for it, I suppose; I tried to.
“Q. You abandoned it, did you? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Did you make any other sales? A. No, sir.
“Q,. Was that the money you realized? A. That was all the money I realized.
“Q. And at Yalley Falls, after you had attempted to manufacture this churn unsuccessfully, you threw up the business? A. Yes, sir.
“Q,. Subsequent to that, you and Acker and Watson were sued on the note, were you not, in this court? A. I believe we were.”
The evidence of W. H. Gibbs shows that he sold the patent-right to Hill, Alvord, and Warden; that an undivided half was for Hill and Alvord, and the other undivided half for Warden; that Warden advanced the money for the undivided half purchase by Hill and Alvord, less the discount,
The judgment of the district court will be affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- D. W. Acker v. James S. Warden
- Status
- Published