Dillon v. Smith
Dillon v. Smith
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
Complainant and his nephew, one Alexander Kin-kannon were soldiers in the Confederate Army. Kin-kannon was without a horse, and Daniel Smith, the ■intestate of respondents having a horse which Kin-kannon desired to obtain, the complainant Dillon stated to Smith that Kinkannon was destitute and would have no means of payment except what he would receive for his services as a soldier. Smith, then said; “Let him take the horse along at $120 and you (Dillon) just pay me the money when he (Kinkannon) draws it for his services.” The complainant says in his bill, that he assented to this proposition; that it was further agreed between him and Smith that a note should be drawn up in pursuance of the terms of their agreement, and thereupon Smith delivered the horse to Kinkannon. The complainant further alleges that sometime in November, 1861, (the note having not before been executed) Smith met him in the road, and presented a note
Several propositions are maintained in this bill, and more fully in the argument here, as entitling the complainant to at least partial relief against this judgment.
1. It is assumed that complainant was not by virtue of the agreement alone set out as principal debtor, but that he was the guarantor or surety of Kinkannon in the purchase of a horse. We do not think this is so on complainant’s own showing in the bill.
We do not think that Kinkannon contracted any debt to Smith to which complainant’s engagement was collateral, but complainant was to pay the money when Kinkannon drew it for his services. It is very plain that the contract was made by complainant, and exclusive credit given tc him, and if the money was,
2. It is next insisted in the bill that the note was payable in Confederate money. We simpty remark on this part of the bill that its allegations are self-contradictory. Complainant says that he does not remember that Confederate money was mentioned specifically in the contract, nor does he remember whether any of it was in circulation or even issued at that time, and yet, in the next sentence, he says that the contract was made with a view exclusively to that kind of currency, and was so understood and intended by both him and Smith at the time and after making the contract. It is plain that there was no.t and could not have been any agreement when the horse was bought that he was to be paid for in Confederate money This is the mere inference of complainant, from the fact that the Con
3. The tender of the money in 1862 did not discharge complainant’s debt, nor did it stop the interest u})on it.
The complainant did not plead this tender, when sued before the magistrate, nor has he paid into court or offered to pay into court, the sum justly due.
In cur view of this case, as has been already intimated, this complainant is entitled to no relief whatever, and his bill should have been dismissed. The Chancellor, however, made a decree more favorable to him than he was entitled to; in that he held him liable for the value of $120 Confederate Treasury notes in United States currency when the note matured, on November 8, 1862. The complainant appealed from the decree, which the Chancellor allowed him to do, before the account was taken.
The decree of the Chancellor is modified so far as ' it orders an account.
The bill is dismissed and judgment will be entered here against the complainant and his surety on the injunction .bond for the amount of the judgment, and interest, and against the complainant and his sureties on the cost bond for all the costs of the cause.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.