First & City Nat. Bank of Lexington v. McCrossin
Opinion of the Court
(after stating the facts as above).
The general principle of law applicable to a case of this character is clearly stated by the Supreme Court in the following language:
“An obligation will be enforced, though indirectly connected with an illegal transaction, if it is supported by an independent consideration, so that the-*985 plaintiff does not require the aid of the illegal transaction to make out his case.” Armstrong v. American Exchange Bank, 133 U. S. 469, 10 Sup. Ct. 401, 33 L. Ed. 747.
The bank had the right to lend money to the hotel company notwithstanding it conducted a bar in connection with the hotel business, and the brewing company had, under the Alabama statute, the right to sell it beer, provided it did not violate the exclusive provision of section 28. And although the bank knew that the hotel company sold beer and the brewing company was engaged in its manufacture, and although the loan to the hotel company was made on the recommendation of the president of the brewing company, who was a director of the bank, and notwithstanding the bank took the guaranty of the brewing company to secure the notes, yet these circumstances fall short of tainting the notes with illegality, since the president of the ba.nk, according to his testimony, the truthfulness of which we see no reason to question, states positively that the bank was in no manner a party to any agreement between the hotel company or Mr. Frank, its president, and the brewing company for the sale of any portion of the beer products of the brewing company, and that he knew nothing of any such agreement. He further testified that the loan was made regardless of the sale of beer, and that Mr. Frank informed him he needed the money to make improvements on the hotel and to liquidate its indebtedness.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- FIRST AND CITY NAT. BANK OF LEXINGTON, KY. v. McCROSSIN. In re NEW METROPOLITAN HOTEL CO.
- Status
- Published