Outlaw v. National Council, Junior Order United American Mechanics
Outlaw v. National Council, Junior Order United American Mechanics
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
*227 This was an action for the recovery of $500 upon a certain certificate issued by the defendant-appellant, which said certificate provided for the payment of a certain amount to the legal dependent of one George Outlaw, the deceased husband of the plaintiff. The case was tried before Judge Bowman and a jury at the November term of Court, 1915, for Kershaw county, and resulted for a verdict in favor of plaintiff in the sum of $500, the full amount sued for, and after entry of judgment the defendant, the National Council, Junior Order United American Mechanics, appeal and seek reversal.
*228
“Outlaw was shot, I suppose, I was not present when he was shot. He was killed on the road. I do not know whether he was killed in a fight. I do not know, of my own knowledge, what the result of that trial was. I was not there.”
No such defense was interposed by the answer that Outlaw met a violent death. The witness told all that he knew about it. What he told was hearsay pure and simple, and this exception is overruled, as it was not in any manner prejudicial to the defendant. • •
As the complaint of error on the part of his Honor in his charge to the jury and refusing also defendant’s request to charge defendant-appellant relies on Vant v. Grand Lodge, Knights of Pythias, 102 S. C. 413, 86 S. E. 677. This case is more on all fours with the case of Crumley v. Sovereign Camp, Woodmen of the World, 102 S. C. 393, 86 S. E. 954. In the Vant case Justice Hydrick points out the difference between the cases, and shows what testimony is necessary to bring a case within the principle decided in the case of Currence v. Woodmen, 95 S. C. 61, 78 S. E. 442. The case of Crumley v. Sovereign Camp, Woodmen of the World, 102 S. C. 393, 86 S. E. 954, decides as to when a fraternal benefit association may be estopped to declare a forfeiture of a *230 member’s right, and we cannot see that his Honor was in error in his charge to the jury and in his refusal to charge defendant’s request. He left the disputed facts to the jury; he instructed them fully as to the law; did not instruct them wrongfully; and we see no error on his part as complained of and made by the exceptions.
All exceptions are overruled.
Judgment affirmed.
Footnote. — As to sufficiency of payment of assessments or dues to benefit societies by collector for members, see notes 29 A. & E. Ann. Cas. 1913d, 347.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting. The facts make a case. The facts here are different from those in the cases of Crumley and Vant, supra, and of Stemberger; 107 S. C. —, 92 S. E. —. Here, Outlaw was suddenly killed on March 13, 1914. His dues had theretofore been confessedly paid to the De Kalb Council, and by it remitted'to the National Council.
It is immaterial that others paid the dues for Outlaw; when the others so paid, they waived no right of the order.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Outlaw v. National Council, Junior Order United American Mechanics, Et Al.
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Appeal and Error — Harmless Error — Pleadings.—In an action' against the national council and a local council of a fraternal society-on a benefit certificate, the national council was not prejudiced by the action of the Court in allowing plaintiff’s attorney to file an answer on behalf of the local council, where the Court ruled that plaintiff was required to prove her case against the national council, irrespective of the admissions of the other defendant. 2. Attorney and Client — Representing Adverse Party. — In such action, plaintiff’s attorney did not violate his professional duties or legal ethics by filing such answer, where the answer was in no way adverse to plaintiff. 3. Appeal and Error — Harmless Error — Sustaining Objection to Evidence. — -In an action on a benefit insurance certificate, the sustaining of an objection to a question as to the manner in which the deceased member met his death and what he was doing at the time was not prejudicial, where the witness did answer that he supposed the member was shot, that he was killed on the road, but that he was was not present, and did not know whether the member was killed in a fight, especially as no defense was interposed that the member met a violent death, and the evidence was hearsay. 4. Trial — Questions por Jury — Disputed Facts. — When there are disputed facts in the case on the issues made by the pleadings, such facts must be submitted to the .jury for their determination, and a nonsuit or directed verdict cannot be granted. 5. Insurance — Mutual Benefit Insurance — Payment of Dues ■ — ■ Acceptance — Where, a local council of a fraternal society was charged with the duty of collecting from its members and remitting to the general council the dues and assessments of its members, and it remitted the full amount due from all its members in bulk, and the amount remitted was received and accepted by the national council without complaint, it could not complain, after the death of a member, that his dues had not been paid by him to the local council; there being a substantial compliance with the laws and rules of the order.