Rogers & Kays v. Sipley & Hunt
Rogers & Kays v. Sipley & Hunt
Opinion of the Court
This action is defended by-Mr. Hunt, who is the accommodation maker of the note in suit. The main circumstance in the theory of this defence appears to be that Mr. Sipley, the principal in the transaction, was not authorized to obtain a loan on the security of this paper from any oilier source than from Messrs. Rogers and Kays. It is not shown that there was any express restriction of this character imposed on Mr. Sipley when the note was given to him; hut it is argued that such restriction was incident to the transaction, from the fact of the note being drawn payable to such parties only. But this assumption is a fallacy. A non-negotiable note may he put in circulation without first going into the hands of the payees, and any bona fde holder may sue upon it in their names, with their assent. There are a number of cases which hold this doctrine, some of which will be presently referred to, and there are none which have been died, or which have been observed, taking an adverse view. The effect of this rule seems quite decisive on the point now raised. When Mr.'Hunt permitted this note to pass into the possession of Mr. Sipley, he was chargeable with knowledge of the principle which made it legal for the latter to pass the note away to any one who would give him value for it. It is true he now says that he would not have consented to have his paper hawked about, but his misfortune is that he did not disclose such disinclination at the time, and narrow the rightful use of the note by express stipulation. The conditions of the case are these : Mr. Hunt was willing to assist, by the use of his name, Mr. Sipley in raising a certain sum of money. He signed a note, as accommodation maker, drawn payable to a particular firm, and placed it in the hands of Air. Sipley, without any other limitations on the rights of the latter in the use of this paper than the affair itself implied. Under these circumstances, the unavoidable intendment is, that Air. Sipley was authorized to apply this note to the relief of his necessity, in any legal way. It was not necessary that he should borrow the money from the particular persons designated in the note. That was a circum
There is a reported decision which, with respect to facts, is almost identical with the present case. I refer to the Bank of Rutland v. Buck, 5 Wend. 66. In that case, as in this, the note sued on was non-negotiable. The Bank of Rutland were the payees, and they refused to discount it, and it was passed away by the person for whose accommodation it was made, to a creditor, as collateral security for the payment of a judgment. Such creditor brought suit upon it in the name of the bank. The court held the transaction was legal, on the ground that the general purpose for which the note had been given was attained, and that the accommodation maker was
The Circuit Court should be advised to discharge the rule to show cause.
Justices Bedle, Dalbimple, and Deptje concurred.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ROGERS AND KAYS v. SIPLEY AND HUNT
- Status
- Published