M'Carty v. Springer
M'Carty v. Springer
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The following statement of facts was presented to tbe court: A certain N. Mitchell, on the 19th of February, 1818, contracted by article of agreement to sell to D. M’Carty, a lot of ground in Uniontown: he was to convey it clear of incumbrances; .and the conveyance to be made when the money was paid. Mitchell was indebted to Springer, and having become embarrassed, a meeting took place between him and Springer and M’ Carly, at the office of Springer’s attorney, where a judgment bond, dated the 5th of September, 1822, was given by M’ Carty to Springer for the balance due on the articles of agreement. On the articles was endorsed a receipt by Springer’s attorney, mentioning that speh bond was given, and declaring that token paid it would be in full of the purchase money. Springer was present and knew the consideration of the bond given him. No deed was executed by Mitchell to M.’Carty, nor could he then, or at any other time after, give a title clear of incumbrances. On the 19th of October, 1820, Mitchell had entered into a rocognizance as one of the sureties of D. P. Linch, sheriff of Fayette county, in the sum of ten thousand dollars; on this a %c%. fa. was issued, Commontveallh for Bachman v. Lynch and his sureties; and on 21st June, 1825, a judgment was entered, and this lot sold as the property of Mitchell, and purchased by M’ Carty, in the name of a trustee. It also appeared1 that Springer had entered satisfaction on a judgment
On 7th of September, 1832, judgment was entered on this bond in favor of Springer v. M’Carty for ten thousand and fifty-eight dollars, and fifty cents, and interest from 5th September, 1822. A sci. fa. issued to revive the judgment to October term, 182S;atth© return, the defendant applied to the court to open the original judgment, and let him into a defence; this was refused, and he then plead nul liel record, and payment with leave to give the special matter in evidence; The dispute is, whether he should be allowed credit, for the sum which he had paid for the house and lot at sheriff’s sale, (about six hundred and sixty-one dollars.)
The court instructed the jury that this defence could not be made on the sci. fa. but ought to have been made to the judgment. We think this is error; because, even if it had been possible to plead to a judgment, entered on a warrant of attorney, which it was not, yet the fact on which the defence rested, occurred after the judgment was entered. Until the lot was sold by the sheriff, it was. possible that Mitchell might be able to make a deed clear of incumbrances: after that sale, no conveyance by him would have any effect. The matter to be proved under the notice was a fact, which occurred after the judgment entered; and the legal effect of such proof was open to the court and jury — and secondly, the court said “it was a rule of law, that when one, before taking an assignment, calls on the obligor who assents and says it shall be paid, and gives a judgment accordingly, it will not be allowed that he shall afterwards object to the payment, on account of any thing existing prior to the assignment.' On both these points we think’ the law is with the plaintiff. M’ Carty knew of the lien of the recognizence, and was himself a party to it,- as one of the sureties of Lynch; he might have made defence originally; he did not do so; he assented to the arrangement with Springer, and gave him a judgment.”
In the hurry of a trial, the judge overlooked the fact, that the defence is, not that the property was bound by the recognizance; but that it had been sold on the recognizances, a fact which arose after, and not before the date of the bond. And further, admitting the law to be as stated, yet this is not a bond given to Mitchell, and assigned to Springer, after calling on My Carty, nor is the evidence, that Springer called on M’ Carty, and asked him if the bond was good, and was told there was no defence. The case expressly finds, that no deed had been made; that when M’ Carty was ready to pay his money, he had a right to. call for a deed clear of incumbrances; and that Springer knew all.
A negotiable note assigned in the course of business, the indorseeholds it free from defence by the maker; but if only given asá collateral security for a debt, it is considered as the property of the' endorsor and not of the endorsee, and is open to any just defence! by the maker. So if the indorsee takes it long after it is due, which would be reason to suspect there would be a defence, much more would this be the case, if he had positive notice that there was a defence. And so if a person holding a bond, to which he knew there was a defence or would be one, and another person, who also knew this, should combine and induce the obligor who was ignorant of a defence, to use words which would bind him to the assignee, he would be relieved on proving the fraudulent combination to entrap him — fraud. which vitiates every thing, would have the same effect here.
Instead of assuming that this bond was given at the instance of M’ Carty, and was understood and intended by the parties as closing the whole transaction, as entitling M’Carly atonceto his deed,
Judgment reversed and a venire denoiio awarded¡
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.