Rotzein v. Merchants Loan & Trust Co.
Rotzein v. Merchants Loan & Trust Co.
Dissenting Opinion
dissents on the ground that there is not sufficient evidence to establish the existence of a copartnership between Rotzien and Fienup.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). With the exception of the intervention of the Market. State Bank of Minneapolis, this is the identical case decided by this court in Rotzien v. Merchants’ Loan & Trust Co., 41 S. D. 216, 170 N. W. 128, and a statement of the facts of the case may be there found. In the former opinion it was held that no partnership existed and that the trial court should have directed the jury to find for the plaintiff for the value of plaintiff’s interest in the property sold. The evidence in the instant case with reference to the partnership is substantially the same as in the former case. In the former case the defendant there was the agent and trustee of the intervening defendant nere, and therefore the decision in that case upon the same facts must be held to be the law of the case.
In its counterclaim, intervening defendant prays judgment against plaintiff in the sum of $1,800 on the two notes, one of
Mechtle note and mortgage........,..$1,100.00
Rotzien claim against Bond .......... 1,300.00
Fienup note ......................... 5,39.00
Fienup note ...........’................ 800.00
Credits allowed by' C'ahaley .......... iói.op
$3,900.00
In view of this settlement at which Bond, acting agent of intervening defendant, was present, I do not think that the two notes of $800 and $1,000 respectively, can be held to be outstanding, but should be held to have been surrendered, and I think the judgment of the lower court should be reversed, with instructions to enter judgment for plaintiff for the value or plaintiff’s interest in the property sold, after the Mlechtle note and mortgage oí $1,100 has been satisfied.
Opinion of the Court
This proceeding was commenced by plaintiff against defendant, Merchants’ Loan & Trust Company, for
This appeal turns in substance upon two questions of fact: First, as between appellant and defendant-respondent was the evidence sufficient to- justify a verdict which must embrace a determination that plaintiff and Fienup were copartners? Second, as between appellant and intervener-respondent 'does the evidence justify a verdict -which must include a determination that the notes counterclaimed upon, executed, and delivered in Minneapolis to-Bond, were not surrendered or agreed to be surrendered or canceled at the conference of plaintiff, Fienup, and Bond at Rapid City a few days later, assuming intervener-respondent to- stand in the shoes of Bond, the payee of said notes ?
Turning to the first of these questions, the issue was disputed upon the facts and was submitted, to the jury under proper instructions embodying almost verbatim- the law applicable as set out by this -court in its opinion on the- former appeal. In addition to the! evidence going to- the question of partnership submitted on the first trial, two additional witnesses testified on the second trial, one Dredge and one C'ahaley, and their testimony, if believed by the jury, would establish facts and courses of conduct of the alleged partners sufficient to prove their intent to maintain a partnership relation, or at least sufficient to- estop- them in this case from denying the existence of'such- relation. In view of this additional tés
As to the second question of fact there was a square conflict in the testimony, and the matter was submitted to the jury under proper instructions.
We are unable to say on the present record as to either of these questions of fact that there is no evidence sufficient to support the verdict, and we have no right to substitute our judgment upon the conflicting facts for the verdict of the jury. It appears that by reason of inadvertence and error in computation, the judgment in favor of intervener-respondent and against appellant is excessive in the amount of $100. Other than this we find no prejudicial error in the record.
The order appealed from is affirmed, and the cause is remanded, with instructions to the trial court to modify the judgment by reducing the same from $546.94, together with interest and costs, to $446.94, together with interest and costs, to correspond to the verdict of the jury, and as so modified the judgment will be affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ROTZEIN v. MERCHANTS LOAN AND TRUST COMPANY
- Status
- Published