Simmons v. Simmons
Simmons v. Simmons
Opinion of the Court
This is an appeal from the district court for Dawes-county. Plaintiff is a resident of the city of London, England. Defendant, formerly a resident of England, and a brother of plaintiff, resides in Dawes county, this state. It is alleged in the petition that on or about the 22d day of October, 1908, at the city of London, England, by an oral contract, defendant borrowed and received of plaintiff the sum of £800 sterling, of the value of $3,888, which sum he agreed to pay to plaintiff on demand, with interest thereon from said date until paid at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum, interest payable annually, and for which he acknowledged receipt by the following writing: “11 Portland Place, London, W. 10-22, 1908. Rec’d of Julia Simmons the sum of (£800) eight hundred pounds with interest at (5) per cent, until paid. W. A. Simmons;” that
The assignments of errors contained in appellant’s brief are: “The petition does not state a cause of action. The proof does not sustain the allegations of the petition. The court erred in refusing to quash plaintiff’s depositions and in receiving them in evidence over objection. The paper .pleaded is not a sufficient memorandum of an agreement not to be performed within one year. There was error in the exclusion of testimony and evidence offered by defendant, and in the reception over objection of testimony on behalf of plaintiff, particularly the testimony of the Avitness Herbert as to the stamp' act statute of England, and the rejection of the official published volume containing the same offered by defendant. The verdict is contrary to law.”
As to the contention that the petition is not sufficient to state a cause of action, we do not think that the appellant’s
As bearing on the question of the sufficiency of the petition, we may anticipate a later assignment to the effect that the contract was not to be performed within one year. We are not advised of any provision in the statute of frauds, either in this state or in England, which requires a contract to pay, or the payment of, a debt due upon demand to be performed within one year after contracting the debt. It is well understood that the statute does not include cases of that kind. There is nothing in the pleadings nor evidence showing that the alleged oral contract was not to be performed within one year, nor is any suggestion of the kind contained in the written memorandum receipt. This being true-, the statute of frauds cannot be applied. Powder River Live Stock Co. v. Lamb, 38 Neb. 339; Reynolds v. First Nat. Bank, 62 Neb. 747, and other cases cited in 2 Neb. Syn. Dig. p. 1378.
“The proof does not sustain the allegations of the petition.” As to this assignment, it need only be said that the evidence was conflicting, and the verdict, of the jury settled the question in favor of plaintiff; there being sufficient evidence on the part of plaintiff, if believed by them, to sustain their decision. It was conceded that defendant received the £800 sterling from plaintiff on the date named, and that he signed the memorandum receipt set out in the petition; the only grounds of contention being, by plaintiff, that the money was a loan to be repaid, and, by defendant, that it was an advancement out of the estate of the mother of the parties; she being then living.' The evidence preponderated in favor of plaintiff’s contention. However, there is nothing in the answer presenting this issue, and it need not be discussed.
The objection that “the deposition was not taken before either of the notaries” named in the notice is also without merit. The notice designates “the office of Messrs. H. de Pinna and John Venn, notaries public,” as the place of taking the depositions, but does not name the officer before whom the same were to be taken. However, it appears that the notary who did take the testimony was John D. Venn.
Other objections were made in the motion but they do not require further notice. An inspection of the depositions and certificate show a compliance with the law.
It is urged that the revenue stamp required by the law of England was not affixed to the receipt in sufficient value to meet the demands of that law, a complete copy of which was offered in evidence. It is shown that adhesive stamps, aggregating one penny, were affixed to the receipt, which seems to be all that was'required.
Finding no prejudicial error in the record the judgment of the district court is
Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.