Peacock v. Aug. A. Busch & Co.
Peacock v. Aug. A. Busch & Co.
Opinion of the Court
On the trial oí this case, the appellees, plaintiffs below, offered in evidence the following instrument:
“Whereas, Frank Peacock and wife Alice Peacock has conveyed to Aug. A. Busch & Co., Adolphus Busch and Edw. A. Faust, doing business under the firm name of Aug. A. Busch & Co., by deed dated October 5th, 1914, part of lots No. 10 and No. 20, block No. 4 according to the official town map of Marlin, Falls county, Texas, said property being described in said deed. Now it is agreed by Aug. A. Busch, Adolphus Busch & Company, acting through H. H. Hartman, Manager Dallas Branch of Aug. A. Busch & Company that said Aug. A. Busch, Adolphus Busch and Edw. A. Faust, doing business under the firm name of Aug. A. Busch & Company, will reconvey said property to Frank Peacock and Alice Peacock within a reasonable time after the amount due Aug. A. Busch & Co., by said Frank Peacock is reduced by payment to twenty five hundred dollars.
“Signed this the 5th day of October, 1914.
“Aug. A. Busch & Co.,
“By H. H. Hartman, Mgr.”
The only assignment in the record complains of the admission of this instrument, on the ground (copying from bill of exception) that said instrument “came from the possession of the plaintiff, was not signed by the defendant, and was in the nature of a self-serving declaration.” The instrument did come from the possession of the plaintiff, and was not signed by the defendant.
Appellee instituted this suit against ap'pellant to recover the balance due on a note for $2,500, dated the 8th day of March, 1916. It was their contention that this note represented the balance due on an old account, which, on the 5th day of October, 1914, amounted to $8,409.52. The record shows that this account was closed by a note on that date, and, to secure the payment of the note, appellant deeded to appellees certain valuable real estate. Appellees reconveyed all this property to appellant on the 24th day of February, 1916.
We do not think this testimony was subject to the criticisms urged. At the time this instrument was offered in evidence, it was properly in the hands of appellees. If their theory of the case is correct, when they, executed their obligation by redeeding the property to appellant, they had the right to demand that he surrender to them this written obligation. Appellant no longer had any rights under it, and had no rights to its possession.
The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
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Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.