King v. Rodgers
King v. Rodgers
Opinion of the Court
On August 20, 1912, Peter Gillespie and his sister, Nellie Rodgers, entered into a written contract with Dr. L. R. King, by which they agreed to pay him $350, Nellie Rodgers also agreeing that in case Peter Gillespie died without having, paid it she would pay it from the proceeds of a certificate in a fraternal order of which she was the beneficiary. Peter Gillespie died June 21, 1919, without any payment having been made to Doctor King. On October 4, 1919, Doctor King brought this action against Nellie Rodgers seeking to recover from her upon such contract the sum therein named, with interest. A demurrer to the petition was overruled, and the defendant appeals.
The case turns upon the application of the statute of limitation, the defendant asserting that by its operation the claim of the plaintiff has been barred. The contract involved reads as follows:
*312 “This agreement, made this 20th day of August, 1912, between Dr. L. R. King, of the first part, and Peter Gillespie and Nellie Rodgers, parties of the second part, all of Junction City, Kansas.
“Witnesseth, That party of the first part agrees to take said Peter Gillespie to the Christ Hospital in Topeka, Kansas, where he will be operated upon if it is deemed necessary by the surgeons in charge of said hospital, and that the hospital expenses and expenses of the surgical operation will be defrayed by said party of the first part; that in consideration of the payment of said expenses on the part of said party of the first part, second parties agree to pay to said party of the first part the sum of $350.00, which, in case of death to Peter Gillespie before the payment of said $350.00, or any part thereof, to party of the first part, said Nellie Rodgers agrees to pay said sum or the balance due from the money which she shall receive from a policy from the sum of $2,000.00 in the Modern Woodmen of America, and in which she is stated as the beneficiary.”
The petition alleges that the plaintiff paid the expenses referred to in the contract on September 1, 1912, and that the defendant has realized upon the beneficiary certificate described therein. This court is of the opinion that as soon as the plaintiff had paid the expenses referred to a right of action in his favor accrued against Peter Gillespie and Nellie Rodgers upon their promise to pay him $350; that such action was barred
The present case involves no question as to the rights of a creditor with respect to property pledged as security which is in his possession when his claim becomes barred by the statute of limitation.
The judgment is reversed, and the cause is remanded with directions to sustain the demurrer to the petition.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- L. R. King v. Nellie Rodgers
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- SYLLABUS BY THE COURT. Limitation op Actions — Contract to Pay for Hospital and Surgical Expenses — Collateral Agreement as Security — Action Barred — Security Barred. A brother and sister entered into a written contract with a doctor to pay him a certain amount in consideration of his paying for hospital and surgical expenses for the brother, the sister also agreeing therein that if her brother died before the payment was completed she would pay any balance out of the proceeds of insurance on his life of which she was the beneficiary. More than five years elapsed after the expenditure by the doctor without any payment being made to him and without any action being brought upon his claim. Thereafter the brother died, the sister collected the insurance money, and the doctor sued her upon her promise to pay him therefrom; it is held that this promise was collateral to the agreement of the brother and sister to pay the amount stated and was security therefor; and that the action upon it could not be maintained inasmuch as the original obligation had been barred by the statute of limitation.