Armstrong v. Cache Valley Land & Canal Co.
Armstrong v. Cache Valley Land & Canal Co.
Opinion of the Court
This action was instituted on a promissory note in the words following: “$10,333.00. Ogden, Utah, Dec. 20, 1893. Six months after date, for value received, we promise to pay to the Citizens’ Bank of Ogden, Utah, or order, ten thousand three hundred and thirty-three dollars, at the Citizens’ Bank of Ogden, Utah, with interest from date at ten per cent per annum, payable annually until paid, both before and after judgment; and, if suit be instituted for the collection of this note, agree to pay ten per cent attorney’s fee. And, if interest is not paid when due, it is to become part of the principal, and bear same rate of interest. Cache Valley Land and Canal Co. Theo. Bobinson, Pres. B. H. Whipple, Sec.” And the guaranty written thereon as follows: “For value received, I hereby guaranty the payment of the within note at maturity,
It is claimed, however, that Robison, the vice president
The plaintiff claims, further, that the defendants Robi-son and Whipple, being officers of both corporations, could not make a valid agreement to substitute the collateral security for their guaranty, and discharge themselves. Such an agreement was voidable, but not absolutely void. The bank could repudiate such an agreement, or it could affirm and ratify it. On the trial the receiver tendered to the defendants all the stock he received, but how much that was does not appear from the record. In order to avoid the agreement, the plaintiff should have tendered back all that it received upon it that was of any value. The plaintiff retains the bonds and the new note, and has relied upon it in this case. This the bank cannot do, and insist upon disregarding the transaction, for the reason that its manager was not authorized to make it, or because, as manager of the bank, he made the agreement, and was also one of the persons with whom the agreement was made. The bank could not ratify a part of the transaction and repudiate the rest. It should have adopted the whole, or none. Bank v. Sharp, 43 Am. Dec. 470; Bank v. Blum, (Or.) 41 Pac. 659; 4 Thomp. Corp. §§ 5286, 5317.
The plaintiff also insists that defendants Robison and ■Whipple were joint makers of the note with the Cache Valley Land & Canal Company; that the term “President,” that’ follows the one name, and the term “Secretary,” that follows the other, should be treated as sur-plusage. It appears from the record that the loan by the plaintiff was to the corporate defendant, and that defendants Robison and Whipple received no part of it; that, five days after the execution and delivery of the note and collaterals, they signed the guaranty on the note. These facts, as well as the use of the names of their respective offices, unmistakably indicate an intention not to execute the note as joint makers, and that they signed their names with their official designations under the name of the corporation, with an intention simply to make the note binding upon the latter. Bank v. Colby, 64
On tbe trial of tbe case tbe plaintiff offered in evidence a paper bearing date August 10,1893, in wbicb tbe plaintiff acknowledged tbe receipt of tbe $75,000 of bonds, wbicb, with tbe $30,000 stock, constituted tbe collateral security of tbe note sued on. To this offer tbe court sustained defendants’ objection, and plaintiff excepted, and assigns the ruling of tbe court as error. Tbe purpose of the evidence was to contradict tbe testimony that tbe bonds were given in part to secure tbe last note, and in lieu of tbe guaranty of Robison and Whipple. While «the ruling of the court sustaining the objection to this receipt was erroneous, we do not think it would have changed tbe result bad it been admitted, in view of tbe fact that tbe plaintiff relies on tbe note obtained by tbe transaction, and tbe same bonds, with tbe stock, were taken as collateral security for tbe note in suit. Though tbe ruling was wrong, we do not regard it as reversible error. We find no reversible error in this record. Tbe judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- JAMES C. ARMSTRONG, Receiver of the Citizens' Bank of Ogden, Utah v. THE CACHE VALLEY LAND AND CANAL COMPANY
- Status
- Published