Roethlisberger v. Bank of Monticello
Roethlisberger v. Bank of Monticello
Opinion of the Court
The facts in this case are neither complicated nor in dispute. During his lifetime Simon Roeth-lisberger owned a real-estate mortgage securing a loan of $30,000, the mortgage debtors being Messrs. Zurfluh, Kaempfer, and Portman. On March 6, 1920, Roethlis-berger, by assignment absolute in form, assigned the mortgage to the defendant bank as collateral security for a loan of $11,000 and any additional amounts that might subsequently be loaned. Thereafter, on February 27, 1927, Roethlisberger assigned the mortgage to Rolph Brothers to secure the payment of a debt of about $12,500, and later he assigned it further to a motor company at Monroe for $500 and to one Kinzie for $1,000. Defendant foreclosed the assigned mortgage, and the real estate incumbered
It is the contention of the defendant that this is an action for tort, based upon an unauthorized or a negligent dealing with a pledged security, and that there is no showing either of negligence or want of authority; that if is an action for damages as a result of such negligent or unauthorized dealing, and that there is no proof of damages. Both of these elements are contended to be a part of plaintiff’s case, as to which plaintiff sustains the burden of proof. If defendant is correct with respect to the burden' of proof, then its conclusions seem clearly to follow in the present state of the record. It is the contention of the plaintiff that this is an action for the conversion of a chose in action, and that the damages in such a case are prima facie the face value of the chose in action. Kalckhoff v. Zoehrlaut, 43 Wis. 373; Dickson v. Cole, 34 Wis. 621. It is asserted that the following cases hold that the burden of proof that a converted chose in. action is worth less than its face value is on the defendant: W. H. Kiblinger Co. v. Sauk Bank, 131 Wis. 595, 111 N. W. 709; Giffert v. West, 33 Wis. 617. It is further contended that it is a rule of law that a pledgee holding a chose -in action as collateral security may recover the entire amount of the chose in action, hold
The position taken by plaintiff is used as a foundation for applying the well-established rule of law that where a person occupying a position of trust deals with property of another, the burden is on such trustee to show that such dealing was authorized. Kluender v. Fenske, 53 Wis. 118, 10 N. W. 370; Biss’ Estate, 4 Pa. Dist. Rep. 251; Dufford’s Ex’r v. Smith, 46 N. J. Eq. 216, 18 Atl. 1052; Alexander v. Fidelity Trust Co. 249 Fed. 1; Walker’s Appeal, 140 Pa. St. 124, 21 Atl. 311; In re Wentworth (Sur. Rep.), 181 N. Y. Supp. 435, 442.
' Before further examining this contention, it is necessary to consider another contention of plaintiff. It has heretofore been stated that Rolph Brothers sold to one Weiss for $12,500, receiving $6,000 cash and a mortgage for $6,500 covering the balance due. Plaintiff asserts, and the evidence shows, that two mortgages, each running from Weiss to Rolph Brothers, are on record, each bearing the same date. Plaintiff contends that this shows, or would authorize the jury to believe, that Rolph Brothers sold the place for $19,000. If this were true it would mean that the total receipts from the sale of the property amounted to $25,400, which, added to the $5,000 realized upon the deficiency júdgment, would mean a total of $30,400 realized upon the security. The application of this sum to the debt owed to the bank, amounting to $14,656.38, and that owing to Rolph Brothers of $12,500, would leave a balance owing Roethlisberger of over .$3,000. If this contention were true in fact, there might be merit to the' contention that the bank, as trustee of the balance over and above the debt, would be liable to account for this excess. But we discover no ground upon which the jury could reasonably conclude from the fact that two mortgages appear of record, that the sale price was more than $12;500. The testimony is
It follows that Rolph Brothers had an interest in the deficiency judgment of about $8,000. In Anglo-California Trust Co. v. Oakland Rys. 193 Cal. 451, 225 Pac. 452, the court stated:
“The rendition of the judgment on the notes in question did not alter or extinguish their character as collateral security. The judgments were as much collateral as the notes were before judgment was rendered. . . . They are the same security in another and higher form. . . . Only the form and not the substance was changed.”
This being true, the bank could act upon the authority of Rolph Brothers in attempting to realize upon the judgment. It is true that the bank owed Roethlisberger a duty
“The general rule has been stated quite uniformly by the authorities that a pledgee is required, in the exercise of ordinary care, to take such action as is necessary to collect such note, and certainly it is to take such steps as presentment, demand, and notice in order to fix the liability of other parties thereto than the maker, and also that ordinarily negligence in collecting and subsequent insolvency of the parties make the pledgee liable.”
See also First Nat. Bank v. Hattaway, 172 Ga. 731, 158 S. E. 565, 77 A. L. R. 375; Charter Oak Life Ins. Co. v. Smith, 43 Wis. 329. With respect to the burden of proof as to loss in cases of failure of the pledgee to sell or collect dioses in action, see Amick v. Empire Trust Co. 317 Mo. 157, 296 S. W. 798, 53 A. L. R. 1064.
In view of these conclusions, we do not find it necessary to consider other contentions and assignments of error.
By the Court. — Judgment reversed, and cause remanded with directions to dismiss the complaint.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Roethlisberger, Administrator v. Bank of Monticello
- Status
- Published