Crow v. Murphy
Crow v. Murphy
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
Although the judgment was rendered against Harrison and Crow jointly,yet, as Crow did not join in the replevy bond, but it was executed by Harrison alone as principal, with Murphy and others as sureties, Crow as co-obligor or co-surety with Harrison in the original note, was not the principal of these sureties in the replevy bond, but they were the sureties of Harrison alone. The case of Whitman vs Gaddy, (7 B. Monroe, 591,) does not contravene this position. Rut as Harrison, by paying the bond himself, (if not by its execution and acceptance as a satisfaction of the judgment,) would be entitled to call upon Crow as a co-surety for such contribution as would equalize the loss; and as it is only through him and in his place that one of his sureties, by discharging the replevy bond for him, can become entitled to contribution from Crow, Murphy, who, as the surety of Harrison, has paid the replevy bond out of his own property, has a right, upon showing the insolvency of Harrison, to call upon his co-sureties in
In seeking contribution against Crow, Murphy subjects himself to all the equities, at least to all pertaining to this transaction, which Crow has against Harrison; and as the answer of Harrison, under and through whom he claims, shows that he had in his hands or under his control property of Kincheloe set apart for his indemnity in this transaction, there can be no recovery against Crow until that indemnity is exhausted or fully accounted for. Nor can Crow even then be made liable for the loss which Murphy may sustain as the surety of Harrison, if it be made to appear as Crow alleges, that he was not in fact the co-surety of Harrison for Kincheloe, but that as to him they were both principals. As the facts appear in this record, Crow must be assumed to have been the co-surety of Harrison, and liable for one-half of the excess of the loss beyond the available indemnity furnished by Kincheloe to Harrison. If the payment of about one half of the debt
But the radical error is in decreeing against him, w'hen the insolvency of Kincheloe, of which he requires proof, has not been established ; and when no account has been given of the indemnity furnished by him to Harrison to the extent of which he was not insolvent. But as upon the hypothesis that Crow was a co-surety with Harrison, it is probable that something may be duefrom him, the case will beleft open for further; preparation by proper pleadings and proof as to the in- • solvency of Kincheloe, or to the disposition of the indemnity, and as to the fact whether Crow was a co-surety with Harrison for Kincheloe, and for any other matters afflicting the equities of the parties.
Wherefore the decree is reversed, and the cause remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.