Gravert v. Goothard
Gravert v. Goothard
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff instituted an action of replevin in justice court to recover from defendant a quantity of corn. The judgment of the justice ivent against plaintiff, whereupon he appealed to the district court, ivhere judgment again went against him, and from that judgment this appeal is prosecuted.
The instrument upon which plaintiff claims the right to recover is as follows: “$50.00. Benson, Neb., Oct. 17, 1903. Sixty days after date I promise to pay to the order of Peter Gravert $50, payable at Benson,- Neb., with interest at 3 per cent, per annum from date. This note being given on a contract for the purchase of 250 bushels of corn. It is expressly agreed that the title to and ownership of said property remains absolute in and shall not pass from Peter Gravert until this note and all others given for purchase money of said property are fully paid. It is further agreed that this note shall be due on demand if the maker attempts to move out of this county or dis
On the trial of the case in the district court these two instructions were given: “(8) The basis of the action is on a note for $50 given by defendant to plaintiff, due 60 days after date. Plaintiff claims that the property in controversy was turned over to him in payment of a balance due on the note. The burden of proof is on the plaintiff to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the corn was turned o'ver to him in payment of a balance duo on the note, and, if he has so done, then your verdict should be for the plaintiff. (4) The defendant claims that the note in controversy was fully paid, principal and interest, before the action was commenced. The burden of proof is on the defendant to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that he had paid the note before the action was commenced, and, if defendant has so proved, then your verdict should be for defendant.”
Plaintiff objects to the two instructions above quoted for the reason “that the contract above set out- in full herein is treated as a note for the payment of $50 rather than a contract for the purchase of 250 bushels of corn. Gravert let Goothard have $50, and in return Goothard by said contract agreed to return to Gravert 250 bushels of corn for the $50.” Defendant’s contention is that the instrument, upon which plaintiff relies, was nothing more than a promissory note, for the security of which the 250 bushels of corn were pledged; in other words, that the instrument is in effect a chattel mortgage note. We have read the entire record in this case, and, in our opinion, defendant’s contention is well sustained thereby. It will be observed that the first part of the instrument is an ordinary promissory note, which recites that it was given on a contract for the purchase of 250 bushels of corn; but the testimony of plaintiff himrelf clearly negatives any idea that there was a purchase of the corn, and establishes
We therefore recommend that tbe judgment of tbe district court be affirmed.
By the Court: For the reasons stated in the foregoing opinion, the judgment of tbe district court is
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Peter Gravert v. John Goothard
- Status
- Published