First National Bank of Nashville v. McClung
First National Bank of Nashville v. McClung
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
On January 29, 1877, H. L. McClung & Co., a firm doing business at Knoxville, executed their note ■of that date, payable sixty days thereafter, to W. H. Turley or order, at the Commercial Bank of Knoxville, for $2,500, with interest at the rate of ten per cent, per annum after maturity. This note was endorsed by W. H. Turley, and the Commercial Bank, and was discounted by the First National Bank of Nashville, the proceeds being received by the Commercial
Of course, it is of no consequence to the complainant whether the Commercial Bank be held liable to it by reason of the endorsement of the note, or for the money treated as collected. In either event, the recovery will be. the same. The contest is, therefore, over the liability of the makers and the first endorser. We start out with the fact that the note was executed by them for the accommodation of the Commercial Bank, and that the bank was the principal debtor. It does not appear whether the relation of the parties to the paper was known to the First National Bank, except so far as it may be inferred from the fact that the Commercial Bank sent the note to the First National Bank, and received the proceeds of its discount. The Commercial Bank was the correspondent and collecting agent at Knoxville of the National Bank, and the usual course of dealings was to enter the amounts collected to the credit of the National Bank, and to send the credit balance at the end of the month to New York according to instructions. If the note in controversy had been altogether on third persons, it is very certain that a mere entry of the amount on the books of the bank, to the credit of the National Bank, without any actual collection of the money would not, ordinarily, release the parties to the paper. On the other hand, if the note had been executed by the
The authority of the bank was to collect, which necessarily meant that it might collect from any party bound upon the note. It might,. therefore, collect from itself, precisely as it would have done if it had been the only party liable. It was further directed what to do with the money collected, namely, to place it to the credit of the National Bank on its books. If, therefore, it then had the money with which to pay, and did actually appropriate it in the mode prescribed by passing it to the credit of its correspondent, it is difficult to see how the result could be otherwise than a payment of the debt, and a release of the accommodation sureties: Dan. Neg. Inst., sec. 1221. The proof is that it did have the money with which to pay, and, although insolvent, continued to do business for that and the following day. The entry • of the credit was, under the direction given, as effective as if a depositor had brought in on that day the check of another customer, and had it entered to his credit. The bank may be said to have acted in bad faith, in view of its actual condition, to both class of custom
The decree of the chancellor will be reversed, and the bill dismissed with costs.
Dissenting Opinion
delivered the following dissenting opinion:
This bill is filed against the makers and endorsers of a certain promissory note, to enforce its collection by the holder, based on the following state of facts:
H. L. McClung & Co. was a commercial firm, doing business in the city of Knoxville. The follow' ing- note was made by said firm:
$2,500. Knoxville, Tenn., January 29, 1877.
Sixty days after date we promise to pay to the order of W. H. Turley, twenty-five hundred dollars, payable at the Commercial Bank, value received, with interest at the rate of ten per cent, per anntim after maturity, we as endorsers hereby waiving demand, notice and protest. H. L.- McClung & Co.
This note was immediately endorsed by the payee to the Commercial Bank, a bank then situated and doing business in the city of Knoxville, Tennessee. Soon after this, it was discounted by the complainant, and regularly endorsed by the Commercial Bank, through its president, to said First National Bank, its place of business being m the city of Nashv-ille, Tennessee.
It appears that the Commercial Bank at Knoxville
A short time before' the note fell due, which was on the 2d day of April, 1877, the bank sent this note to the Commercial Bank, as its correspondent and agent, endorsing it by its cashier, to said bank for its account. It at the same time wrote, enclosing the note, for “ collection and credit,” which words are explained by the testimony to mean, and were so understood by the Commercial Bank, to collect the note and place the amount to the credit of the' First National Bank’s-account.
"When the note fell due, there was no money collected on it, no demand made of the makers or endorser, but a credit was simply entered on the books of the Commercial Bank in favor of the complainant, and that bank notified by letter that the money had been collected. On the 4th of April, the Commercial
It is proper to say, that as a matter of fact, the note was made by Bearden, one of the firm of H. L. McClung & Co., who was vice-president of the Commercial Bank, for the accommodation of the Commercial Bank, and so endorsed by Turley, and as between these parties and this bank, the bank was under obligation to take up the paper, or at any rate liable to reimburse the makers and endorsers, in the event they or either of them were compelled to pay it. This is not questioned; but I do not see that this can in any way affect the question presented for . decision, as the complainant knew nothing of this state of things, and is a bona fide holder of the paper in due course of trade, for value, and consequently the paper was unaffected in their hands by any equities existing between the parties to the same. The bank was entitled to look to all the parties to the paper, when it fell due, for its payment, either as makers or endorsers.
We need only notice the case as to H. L. Me-
It is claimed this entry pays the note, because it •gave the holder a right to demand the money of the agent, a right of action against him, and that if the money had been collected, and placed to credit as directed, the result would have been the same. This may all be true,- but does not meet the real question. It is not whether the complainant might not have laken the agent as his debtor, or allowed him to be
Let us look at the authorities cited, which are supposed to support this position. The following is relied on from Parsons on Contracts, vol. 2, 137, under title payment by delegation: “ Payment,” he says, “may be made by an arrangement whereby a credit is given or funds supplied by a third party to the creditor, at the instance of the debtor. But such an arrangement must be carried into actual effect to have all the force of payment. Thus, where a debtor directed his bankers to place to the credit of the creditor, who was also a customer of the bank, such a sum as would be equal to a bill at one month, and the bankers agreed to do so, and so said to the creditor, who assented to the arrangement, and the bankers became bankrupt before the day on which the credit was to be given, this was held to be no payment, and the creditor was permitted to maintain his action against the original debtor on the liability. It would doubtless have been otherwise,” he adds, “ had there been a remittance or ' actual transfer on account of the debt: for it seems
The case cited for the above by Parsons, is Eyles v. Ellis, 4 Bing., 112, which was this: The creditor had authorized the debtor to pay in at a certain banker’s the amount, due. Owing to a mistake, it was not then paid; but the debtor, who kept an account at the banker’s, transferred at a short date after the time, the amount to the credit of the creditor. • This was done on Friday, but the creditor had no notice of it till Sunday, and on Saturday the bank failed. This was held a payment, but because the plaintiff, the holder of the paper, had authorized the sum to.
The case in 4 Heisk., 449, Avas where the money was actually paid to the agent by a third party for the debtor, and the agent absconded. This was held a payment, on the ground that it made no difference to the creditor whether the debtor paid the debt himself) or a third party paid it to the creditor’s agent for him; but the money was actually paid. So, if McClung & Co had paid the money themselves, or a third party had paid it to the bank for them, no doubt it would have been a payment. But suppose in the above case, instead of any money having been paid, the agent had simply made an entry on his books, ehraging himself as debtor to the principal, as if he had received the money, without even the knowledge or direction of the debtor (and that is this case), could he have successfully defended a suit on the original claim, and said you must look to your agent for your money? Would the argument have been effective, that it can make no difference to you, the result would have been the same); if the money had been paid in fact, the agent would have been liable to you
It is argued, however, the National Bank, by its letter of instructions, asked for a credit on the books of the Commercial Bank. This is not the fair meaning, nor the terms of their letter. It is — colled, and then enter the credit — get the money from the makers; when this is done, place the money to our credit. No credit is authorized until the other act is done, that is, the money received — until then, no credit is authorized.
The principle cited from Danl. Neg. Notes, sec. 1221, based on Savage v. Merle, 5 Pick. R., 83, Supreme Court of Massachusetts, is in accord with all this: “ Credit given by a drawer of a bill, or by a party to it who is liable for its payment, to the holder at his request, is equivalent to payment.” No such case is before us. If (he holder had agreed with the debtor, or requested of him to have a credit given him with the bank to the amount of the note, and this credit the mode of payment, then compliance
The reference to • Morse on Banking, 424, is simply ■a. question as between a bona fide holder of a note, who has received it in due course of trade from the holder for collection — quite a different question from the one presented in this case.
We believe this is all the authority cited in support of the argument of defendant.
We now present the authorities and a few considerations in support of the opposite view.
Some confusion, perhaps, is found in this case, because of the fact the Commercial Bank was party to the bill as endorser, as well as agent for its collection. The rights of the party holding the paper, however, and the duty of the agent were precisely the same as if no such liability had existed. Suppose the paper had been sent to a third party as an agent having no connection with it, could such third party have paid this debt for the maker and endorsers, without the knowledge or request of either of them, and without the assent of the holder, by a mere entry of the fact on his books? We take it, no one would maintain the affirmative of this proposition. In effect that is precisely this case. We may suppose even a stronger case — that one of the parties liable on the. paper had requested him to assume the debt for him; it is certain this would have been no payment, till assented to by the holder.
We look at the authorities on this question. The case of Levi v. National Bank of Missouri, reported in Central Law Journal, vol. 7, p. 249, was a case where a draft had been sent for collection to the bank.. This agent received from the debtor a check on another bank as a mode of payment, which was presented,, and certified as good, and then the agent bank suspended on the same day, having previously, however, credited the principal with the amount, as if the money had been collected. The next day the money was collected on the cheek, and mingled with the other assets of the bank. A receiver, under the national banking law, was appointed to wind up the bank. The question was, whether the bank was a general debtor to the plaintiff by reason of the credit, or whether the money was to be held by the receiver in trust for the creditor. It was held by Judge Dillon,, that he was entitled to the proceeds of the draft, and that there was no payment till the money was actually received. He says: “ I am of the opinion that the bank remained the agent for collection of the draft
Judge Dillon adds, language which we adopt: “The force of the argument of the defendant, that the bank on the day of failure, when it was in articulo mortis, had the right, by a credit in advance of collection, or by its unauthorized act, to terminate the agency and constitute itself the actual debtor of plaintiff for the amount, without his consent and against his interest, is one I confess I am unable to appreciate.” Numerous cases in England sustain the above ruling of Judge Dillon. They will be found cited in Central Law Journal, from the Law Times, vol. T, p. 271.
The rule is thus laid down in Barker v. Greenwood, 2 Young & Collier, Ex. R., 414: “An agent with a general ‘ae&oun-t 4 like this, is only bound to receive payment in such way as thereby to put it in his power completely to discharge the duty he himself owes his principal. If, therefore, he is bound to pay the whole over to the principal, he must receive it in cash from the debtor; and a person who pays such an agent and who means -to be safe, must see that the mode of payment does enable the agent to perform that duty.” This rule is even held imperative in England, where there is a custom that might vary
We but add, the principle seems to be based in ■sound policy as well as sustained by the analogies of the law. That a party who deals with an agent, who is only authorized to collect in money, should be allowed to pay. in something else, would be to allow him to aid in a breach of known duty on the part •of the agent. To allow an agent to be paid by a mere credit, so far as the debtor is concerned, is to authorize him to receive for, and discharge a debt, in that which will not pay his principal, and may work him injury.
In this case, we can also see how the bank would be tempted, on the eve of insolvency, to relieve its friends who had become liable for its accommodation, to pay them off by a mere entry, and leave its correspondent to take the chances out of its assets. This is grossly unjust, as the parties had voluntarily incurred the liability, and can rightfully be discharged from it only by parting with their money, as agreed, to the holder of the paper.
It is not pretended any money has been paid, nor even a request that the debt should thus be discharged, on the part of the makers of the note. Only
If this be correct, and it is certainly sound, it is clear a mere entry of a credit does not conclude the agent bank; and if so, on what principle can it be claimed to be conclusive on the other party? How such an entry can be provisional as to one party and in his favor, and conclusive as to the other, when he is to be the loser by it, we have been unable to perceive. Some controlling authority at least should be presented in support of such a conclusion. As we have shown, none such has been found, and we take it, none such can be found.
The theory of this opinion is, that payment is a ■question of fact. To accomplish it, there must be an ■actual transfer and delivery of the thing agreed to be paid, or something else in lieu of it; but this last can only be in case of assent equivalent to a contract.
The simple question in the case, as I think, is, whether the parties to the paper shall be held to their contract, or whether they shall be paid, released or indemnified from the liability incurred, by a mere entry on a book, to the detriment and loss of the debt by the holders, who had paid value for it in due course of trade Who ought to lose by the insolvency of the bank — the makers of the note for accommodation, or the innocent holder for value? On this question I cannot hesitate.
For these reasons, I dissent from the opinion of the majority of the court in this case.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- First National Bank of Nashville v. Hugh L. McClung
- Status
- Published