First National Bank v. Mathes
First National Bank v. Mathes
Opinion of the Court
This is a proceeding to review an order discharging a garnishee.
In An action brought by the plaintiff against Jesse F. Mathes, a judgment' for $778.16 was rendered. At the instance of plaintiff a summons in garnishment was served upon Joseph W. Franzmathes, who filed an affidavit in due' time stating that he was not indebted to the defendant, and upon this affidavit issqe was joined by the plaintiff. At the end of a trial which involved the question whether an automobile purchased by the garnishee and for which he had given his note had been the property of the defendant or of his brother, Frank Mathes, the garnishee was discharged. It was conceded that Jesse F. Mathes negotiated the sale of the car, but whether he sold it as his own or as a representative of his brqther, to whom the note was given, was determined against the contentions of the plaintiff. There was abundant evidence tending to show that Frank Mathes owned the car sold to the garnishee, that his brother Jesse simply acted as his agent in making the sale, and that the note given to Frank Mathes in consideration for the car was in fact his property, and further that the garnishee was not indebted to the defendant. There was contradictory testimony as to the transfer and the good faith of the parties connected with it, but these disputes have been settled in favor of the garnishee.'
Plaintiff contends that there was error in proceeding with the trial upon the affidavit filed by the garnishee. It was a non-liability affidavit, substantially in the form prescribed in section 233 of the civil code. It is contended that there was such uncertainty and confusion of interests that an affidavit such as is provided for in section 234 of the code should have' been filed for the information of the plaintiff and to enable it to intelligently prepare to test the truth of the garnishee’s answer of nonliability. An affidavit under section 234 is not required unless an affidavit has not been made as prescribed in the preceding section, and as the garnishee filed one under that section, there was no occasion for filing one under the succeeding section. It appears that the garnishee had at one time expressed doubt as to who was the owner of the car sold to him, and as to
We are of the opinion that the facts were quite fully developed at the trial, and that no prejudice was suffered by the defendant by reason of the character of the garnishee’s answer.
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The First National Bank of Beloit v. Jesse F. Mathes, and Joseph W. Franzmathes, Garnishee
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- SYLLABUS BY THE COURT. 1. Garnishment — Affidavit of Nonliability- — Evidence—Garnishee Discharged. A garnishee filed an affidavit of nonliability to the defendant under section 233 of the civil code, and upon issue joined by the plaintiff, the answer of the garnishee was upheld and he was discharged, Held, that the evidence in the case is sufficient to sustain the order, 2. Same — Affidavit of Nonliability — Issues Fairly Joined. The fact that the court proceeded to the trial of the issue joined, without requiring the garnishee to file an answering affidavit as provided in section 234 óf the civil code, was not error.