Terrell v. Commercial Nat. Bank of El Paso
Terrell v. Commercial Nat. Bank of El Paso
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff in error, trustee in bankruptcy for the Goldoft Biquor Company, brought this suit against the Commercial National Bank, the State National Bank, both of El Paso, Tex., and the Gila Valley Bank & Trust Company of Globe, Ariz., to recover the amount of a draft in the sum of $2,000, drawn by the liquor company against C. A. Adams, of Globe, Ariz., same having been drawn through the Commercial National Bank on September 7, 1914. The case was tried without a jury, and judgment rendered for the plaintiff against all defendants in the sum of $1 and costs. There is no statement of facts in the record. Findings of fact, however, were filed by the trial court. A condensed statement of the findings is as follows:
C. A. Adams was indebted to the liquor company in the sum of about $4,000, and on September 7, 1914, the liquor company drew a draft upon him in the sum of $2,000 through tho Commercial National Bank. The bank passed the amount of the draft to the credit of the liquor company. The draft was a protest item, and the Commercial Bank turned same over to the State Bank. The State Bank on September 8, 1914, sent same through the mail to the Gila Valley Bank & Trust Company. The State Bank directed the Gila Bank to wire if same was not paid. The Gila Bank received the draft on September 10,1914, and held it until October 7,1914, when it returned same to the State Bank, which in turn returned it fo the 'Commercial Bank, and the latter bank then charged the liquor company’s account with the amount thereof. When the Gila Bank presented the draft to Adams it was not paid. The Gila Bank failed to wire the State Bank of its nonpayment, and the liquor company had no notice of nonpayment until October 9, 1914. Upon receipt of the draft the Gila Bank went to Adams’ place of business, but did not find him. Some days later, however, Adams promised that bank that he would pay the draft, but never did so. On the morning of October 10, 1914, the liquor company sent a representative to Globe. From and after September 15, 1914, Adams has been insolvent. From’ September 8 to September 28, 1914, Adams had on deposit in the First National Bank of Globe, Ariz., various sums of money varying from $1,314.85 to $3,440.31. On September 28, 1914, this was reduced to $14.85, and on October 1, 1914, to 85 cents. Shortly after October 1st Adams left Globe, and his whereabouts have since been unknown. On September 7, 1914, most, if not all, of Adams’ assets were covered by a chattel mortgage, which, together with the lien for rent, about equalled the value of his property.
Upon the facts so found, the court concluded as a matter of law that the defendant banks were bound to use due diligence in the presentation of the draft and to promptly notify if same was not paid, and failure to exercise due diligence in this respect rendered them liable for any resulting loss; that the burden of proof rested upon plaintiff to show the extent of his damages arising from the breach of duty on the banks’ part; and that while the three banks were negligent in handling the draft, they were liable for nominal damages only because the plaintiff had failed to show with reasonable certainty the damages which it had sustained.
It is very clear that plaintiff in error is *1135 not entitled to recover on account of the negligence of the hanks in the presentation and handling of the draft, unless it has sustained damage in consequence thereof. In-juria absque damno will not sustain an action. Story on Agency, § 236; 2 Bouvier’s Law Diet. (Rawle’s Third Revision) p. 1580. The burden of proof rested upon plaintiff in error to show substantial damage and with reasonable certainty the amount thereof. Unless this was done, nominal damages only could be awarded.
The trial court made a general finding that it does not appear from the evidence whether the liquor company would have realized anything on its debt against Adams, or what sum it would have realized, had it pursued the remedies available to it. In that state of the evidence, the court could not have rendered a judgment for more than nominal damages. In the absence of a statement of facts this court cannot review that finding. But in this connection, plaintiff in error insists that other facts found by the court rebut the finding indicated above. This insistence is based upon the finding with respect to funds belonging to Adams on deposit in the First National Bank of Globe and the finding that plaintiff would have exercised due diligence to collect its debt had it been promptly notified of its nonpayment. But it does not necessarily follow, as a matter of law, that in the exercise of due diligence the plaintiff in error would have garnished those funds in time to have impounded same. Nor does it necessarily follow, if it had promptly garnished, that it woulfl have prevailed in the garnishment and recovered such funds. This court has no knowledge of all the evidence adduced upon the trial upon which the court based its finding that plaintiff had failed to show whether it would have realized any-tfiing upon its debt, or the amount it would have realized. The state of the evidence may have been such as to justify and support this finding, notwithstanding the fact that Adams had considerable funds on deposit in the First National Bank. In the absence of a statement of facts this court must uphold the general finding made by the trial court indicated above, unless its incorrectness is shown by other specific findings made.
No case has been called to our attention directly in point upon the facts here presented, but in support generally of the conclusions reached see the following: Bank v. Bank, 12 Tex. Civ. App. 318, 34 S. W. 458; Sahlien v. Bank, 90 Tenn. 221, 16 S. W. 373; Givan v. Bank (Tenn. Ch.) 52 S. W. 923, 47 L. R. A. 270; Bank v. Huggins, 3 Ala. 206; Exchange National Bank v. Third National Bank, 112 U. S. 276, 5 Sup. Ct. 141, 28 L. Ed. 722.
Finding no error, the judgment is affirmed.
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Reference
- Full Case Name
- TERRELL v. COMMERCIAL NAT. BANK OF EL PASO Et Al.
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published