Kennedy v. First State Bank of Wall
Kennedy v. First State Bank of Wall
Opinion of the Court
This case was once before this court upon a materially different state of facts, and is reported in 34 S. D. 457, 149 N. W. 168.
Plaintiff pleads four causes of action, all of which are connected with a single transaction in which plaintiff claims to have acted for defendant in making an exchange of lands in Pennington county, S. D., for an automobile and a house and lot in the town of Bloomfield, Neb. The jury returned a verdict for $415.05, and interest, the exact amount claimed by plaintiff.
One Collins owned the Pennington county land. One. Uhling, who lived at Bloomfield, owned the house and lot and automobile. The controversy arose out of an exchange of these properties. It was plaintiff’s contention, and he testified in substance, that he was not the real principal in the transaction, though the deal was put through in his name as principal; that Kneeland and Stensland, both officers of the defendant bank, had learned that Uhling wanted to1 trade the house and lot in Bloomfield and automobile, for land, and they could buy the Collins land on certain terms; that plaintiff saw Collins and brought him to the bank on October 23, 1911, and a deed of the land was there made out, but not then signed, as Mrs. Collins was not present; that the name of the grantee was left blank in this deed; that the Collins land was mortgaged for $350, and Kneeland and Stensland were to pay Collins $500 for his equity; that the same day plaintiff went to Bloomfield at the request of Kneeland and Stensland to get Uhling to make a written contract for the exchange of the Collins land for the house and lot and the automobile; that on October 26th, to accomplish this purpose, plaintiff
“I would .want all the notes and sent me here, as I may not be up for some 'time, as I do not look for any one to leave ■here for at least a month, and I will let you have the car for $500 net to me, as that is cheap for the car.”
On April 24, 1912, plaintiff wrote that he had just started Fuller and another person- with the car, and it would arrive the 26th or 27th, and said:
“Now you deliver all notes, deed, and bill of sale you can keep, as that will do in this deal, and make out draft for all over what'T owe your bank. I could not get away or I would of come with the car.”
On the same date, plaintiff appears to have 'written another letter to Stensland in which he stated that he was starting Fuller with the car, and said;
“New you turn over all the notes and all papers to him; also make draft out for the difference that I owe the bank. * * * Deliver papers to- Harry Fuller and make out draft for all over the amount of the notes and interest which should be about $400.00 total due you. Now T have instructed Fuller to look after everything, and hope he and you can get this fixed out in good shape.”
On May 8, 1912, Stensland wrote plaintiff saying the car had arrived, but that they did not want 'to buy it at $600, but that he had taken possession of the car and put it in the barn; that plaintiff had failed to meet his notes when due, and they were entitled to hold the car until the notes were paid, or to sell it and apply the money on the notes, but that they*- would extend the time of payment on the notes until June 1, 1912, and unless the notes were taken care of by that time they would hold the automobile and the deed to the house, and his right of redemption would be forfeited. Upon the receipt of this letter, plaintiff immediately went to AVall and saw Mr. Rneeland, who said to
A direct conflict is disclosed in the evidence, the defendant bank claiming that it advanced the $500 paid to Collins for the land and took plaintiff’s note therefor, to aid him in consummating the deal, and that they were entitled to appropriate the house and lot in Bloomfield and the automobile in satisfaction of plaintiff’s indebtedness to the bank, including an alleged overdraft of some $82 for which plaintiff had given the bank his note. It is disclosed that at the time plaintiff gave the $500 note he had a deposit of $200 in the defendant bank, and that the bank also appropriated this deposit in part payment of the $500 note.
Plaintiff’s first cause of action, as alleged in the complaint, is for the recovery of the amount of this deposit. The second cause of action -is for $75 commissions alleged to be due for his services in connection with the original trade. The third cause of action is made up of items paid by plaintiff for repairs on the Bloomfield house, and for repairs and storage paid by him on the automobile while at Bloomfield. The fourth cause of action is for the $100 paid as commissions to Kloke at Bloomfield, and the amount of Kneeland’s hotel bill while there. Upon the aggregate of these claims plaintiff credited $83.70, his overdraft, and $65 rent collected on the house at Bloomfield, and claimed a balance of $415.05, which was the amount of the verdict, with interest.
‘‘The question raised by the pleading in this case is whether plaintiff was the agent of defendant or the real party in interest in a certain land transaction 'had between October 15, 1911, and February 2, 1912.”
We are not called upon to consider any other phase of the case. Upon this issue the evidence is in sharp conflict. The evidence of plaintiff is strongly corroborated in many particulars by the testimony of Dahl, Collins, Fuller, and Klolee. We are of the opinion that the evidence is sufficient to sustain the verdict, and that this court is without authority to disturb it.
The order and-judgment of the trial court are therefore affirmed.
Concurring Opinion
(concurring specially). Upon the former appeal a new trial was granted because, in the view of the majority of the court, certain letters, conceded to have been written by plaintiff, entirely destroyed the evidentiary force of plaintiff’s testimony as given at the trial from which such appeal was taken. Plaintiff g-ave no explanation of the variance between the statements contained in such letters and the-theory upon which he was claiming to recover; furthermore, his testimony .was then without corroboration. Upon the trial from which this appeal was taken there was ample corroboration of plaintiff’s testimony; furthermore, plaintiff testified much more fullv and explained many things left wholly unexplained u-pon the former trial. Considering the evidence at it appears in the settled record, it would seem as though it preponderates in favor of defendant; but the trial court and the jury saw the witnesses, and thus had an opportunity to determine the weight to be given to the testimony of each, and I am of the opinion that upon the trial from which this appeal was taken ample evidence was received which, 'believed by the jury, warranted it in rendering a verdict in plaintiff’s favor.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.