Coffman v. Hopkins
Coffman v. Hopkins
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
It cannot be doubted upon this record that the appellant (Erasmus Coffman, Jr.) was the surety of David E. Hopkins in the forthcoming bond taken on the execution sued out by the Merchants National Bank of Baltimore. The execution was levied on the property of Hopkins, and the bond shows on its face that the appellant was bound thereon as surety, and it is clearly and distinctly proved by the testimony that he bound himself as the surety of Hopkins. The other obligors were all bankrupt or insolvent, and it was at the special instance and request of Hopkins alone that he entered into the bond. As to this, the proof leaves no room for doubt. Though Hopkins, an accommodation endorser, stood as surety for the original debtors, he was principal in relation to the appellant on the forthcoming bond. Such being the case, as soon as the bond was forfeited the appellant became bound as such surety for the debt. Garland, &c. v. Lynch, 1 Rob. R. 545, 566, 567. If no injunction had been obtained to the enforcement of the judg
But it turns out that this was not the property of the primary debtors, nor of any of- them. An attempt was made to show that it was, but it utterly failed. On the contrary, the proof establishes that it was in truth the property of the appellant, subject to the encumbrance of the deed of trust for the benefit of Miss Bear and others. Hopkins therefore was not prejudiced by the injunction, nor were the appellant’s rights affected injuriously by his becoming the surety in the injunction bond. To be sure, the condition being broken, he became bound to pay the judgment. But this was merely a cumulative obligation. He was already bound to pay that judgment, and both obligations were to pay as surety. He afterwards did pay it—paid it
In any view warranted by the record, the appellant is entitled to the relief sought by his petition filed in the cause, and the decree denying it is erroneous and must be-reversed.
Decree reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Coffman v. Hopkins and als.
- Status
- Published