Hagar v. Randall
Hagar v. Randall
Opinion of the Court
This is an action of trover to recover damages for an alleged conversion of a promissory note given to the Union National Bank, for one thousand dollars, signed by the plaintiff, and payable January 18,1872. The defendant was cashier of the same bank.
To support this action, it is incumbent upon the plaintiff to prove both property in himself, and conversion by the defendant. Waiving the question of property, has the plaintiff proved a suffi-' cient conversion.
It is conceded that, at some time, the note was paid to the bank by a renewal, but at what time, does not so clearly appear. The new note with the discount was undoubtedly left at the bank, February 6,1872. This act would become effectual as a payment, only when accepted by the authority of the directors. The bookB
On the last occasion the.demand was clearly sufficient; but, to lay the foundation for an action, there must also be, not only a
“The refusal * * will not necessarily in all cases constitute a conversion, unless the party refusing have it in his power to deliver up the goods detained, and the refusal be made in a distinct, unqualified manner.” 1 Chitty on Pleading, 160.
An action of trover “cannot be maintained without proof that the defendant either did some positive wrongful act, with the intention -to appropriate the property to himself, or to deprive the rightful owner of it, or destroyed it.” Gray, J., in Spooner v. Holmes, 102 Mass., 506. If the plaintiff “relies only upon a demand and refusal, as evidence of a conversion by the defendant, he must also show that the latter had the power to give up the goods.” Boobier v. Boobier, 39 Maine, 406 ; 2 Greenl. on Ev., § 644.
In this case the testimony fails to show, at any time, any act on the part of the defendant tending to prove an intention on his part to deprive the plaintiff of his property, or to appropriate it to his own use, or to that of the bank. On the other hand it appears by his own uneontradicted statement that he never has done any such thing, or had any such intention. Further, the plaintiff not only fails to show that it was in defendant’s possession at the time of the demand in August, but it affirmatively appears by defendant’s testimony that he did not then have it, and that it could not be found in the bank, but that he had supposed that he had given it up ; and by his diligent search for it for that purpose, indicated a desire to restore it, and a recognition of the rightfulness of the plaintiff’s claim to it.
After the payment of the note, without insisting upon a surrender of it at the time, the highest duty which the law will impose upon the bank or its cashier, is the exercise of ordinary care in its keeping as bailee. In case of loss no liability can be imposed, except on proof of intentional wrong or negligence. No intentional wrong is proved here, and if negligence can be inferred
Reference
- Full Case Name
- James M. Hagar v. Humphrey M. Randall
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published