Freeman ex rel. Barnes v. Profilet
Freeman ex rel. Barnes v. Profilet
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff is appellant from a judgment discharging the defendant, who was sued as endorser of a draft drawn by P. 1VÍ. Lapice on Peyroux, Arcueil & Co. to the order of the said defendant, and on account of which the drawer had paid $2,000 after the protest thereof, from his liability to pay the balance claimed against him.
The ground upon whiph the appellee was discharged, is, according to his answer, that the appellant had voluntarily aban
It appears from the evidence that the draft sued on, was drawn by P. M. Lapice on Peyroux, Arcueil & Co., to the order of the appellee, on the 5th of February, 1841, was made payable eight months after sight, and was accepted on the 9th of the same month; it was endorsed by the appellee, and not having been paid at maturity, was duly protested for non-payment.
The testimony of the drawer shows that, in the beginning of 1842, he paid to the appellant $2000, and that he told him, at the time of the payment, that he would have to wait with him till the next year for the balance of the note. To this the appellant agreed, and said he would wait. The witness further states' that, “ he said to Freeman : I am not able to pay the whole amount, but if you will take $2,000 now, and wait till next year for the balance, I will pay that much; and he consented to this before I paid him the money. He said that he was willing to receive what I could pay, and give me time for the balance; and begged me, at the same time, to do all I could for him, which I promised to do.” The witness further testifies that the time that appellant so agreed to wait, was until the crop of the next season was realized; but he thinks that, although he had several conversations with him on the subject, the precise amount of the payment to be made, and time to be given was not definitely arranged, until the interview at which the payment was made. In another part of his testimony, the witness explains the agreement thus : In a conversation with the appellant, at the time of the payment, and before the money was paid, he told him (Freeman) that he could pay him $2,000 on the claim; that he, witness, had done all he could to raise money; that he must divide what he had among his creditors, and that the amount of $2,000 was all he could pay then; and that he (Freeman) must wait another year for the balance, to which Freeman consented, but told witness to do all he could for him. This proposition to pay $2,000 and wait for the balance, came from the witness, and not from Freeman.
This testimony is. corroborated by another witness, who testi
• The deposition of another witness establishes that the plaintiff himself told him, about a year after the payment, that he had given time to tlie drawer for the balance, and that if he had not‘done so, he would probably have been paid. He further says, that he knows the situation of Lapice at the time of the payment; that, at that time, he does not think that a suit against him would have been available ; and that Freeman told him (witness) in conversation, that he had granted time to Lapice on account of the payment of $2,000.
It is also shown that Lapice had his residence in Natchez, in 1840 ; that he did business there in 1841; had his plantation in Louisiana, and that the defendant’s endorsement on the bill sued on was a mere accommodation endorsement, given to La-pice, the drawer of the same.
It seems evident from the facts shown that the plaintiff, on receiving a payment of $2000 from the drawer of the draft sued on, agreed and consented to give him further time to pay the balance. The prolongation of such time was to be extended until the crop of the next season was realized, that is to say, about one year longer; and this consent to wait one year was given without consulting the defendant. It cannot be doubted that the plaintiff was bound by his agreement, as his consent had been given in consequence of the payment; and that if he had sued Lapice before the expiration of the time allowed, the latter would have successfully opposed to him the exception, that the suit was premature. The payment of nearly one-half of the claim made by a man who appears at that time to have been greatly involved, who had his residence in another State, or at least transacted his business there, and against whom a suit would not have been available by a man who, perhaps, from the pro
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Theophilus Freeman, for the use of George W. Barnes v. E. Profilet
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published