Nicholls v. Bienvenue
Nicholls v. Bienvenue
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The defendant appeals from the judgment of the lower court dissolving, for non-payment of part of the price, the sale of a plantation, and for revenues of the property, less the cash payment, taxes, etc., as expressed in the judgment. The judgment was by default rendered on the 2d October, 1893. The appeal was taken in September, 1894.
The assignment of errors in this court is, that there was no authority conferred by the directors of the Citizens Bank on its president to transfer to plaintiff the right to sue for the dissolution of the sale of the plantation involved in this controversy; second, there was no allegation or proof of tender by plaintiff of the notes representing the unpaid price of the cash payment on account of the price paid by the purchaser; third, that if any tender, there was no authority on the part of the tutor of the minors to refuse it without the advice of a family meeting and the authority of the court; fourth, that the action being one of rescission of a contract, the default should have been confirmed on proof administered, and before a jury in pursuance of their verdict.
The president of the bank presumed to be competent for acts of administration, the collection of the notes of the bank, whether by him or any other officer, is to be deemed authorized. In this case the subrogation to the action of the bank for the dissolution of the sale was an incident to the transfer of the notes given for the price of the plantation, and the transfer of the right of action to dissolve was to realize on the notes. It is enough on this branch of the case that under the transfer and subrogation the bank received fourteen thousand dollars on the notes. The bank could not question the subrogation under which it received the plaintiff’s money, and the widow and heirs of the maker of the notes can not deny that which the bank itself could not dispute.
The second assignment is, that no tender was alleged or proved. The suit was on the notes representing the whole of the unpaid price, and the petition alleged the tender of the price paid. The statement of facts is, that the judge remembers a witness testified to the tender, and that another witness testified to the value of improvements. We think this statement sufficient as to the tender.
The third assignment is, that a family meeting was essential to authorize the tutor of the minor heir, one of defendants, to accept or refuse the tender. All that is required of the plaintiff seeking to dissolve the sale made by him is to make the tender to the proper parties. It is no part of his business to call a family meeting in the interest, real or supposed, of the minor heir of ihe purchaser, nor can his tender or right to dissolve be in the least affected if such meeting is not called.
In reference to the fourth assignment, it is enough to say that in our view there was no necessity to call a jury on the issue as to the dissolution of the sale. C. P., Art. 313.
It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed that the judgment of the lower court be affirmed with costs.
Rehearing refused.
The Chief Justice recuses himself in this ease.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.