Allen v. Riddle

141 Ala. 621
Supreme Court of Alabama·Decided November 15, 1904·Published·Cited by 16 cases

Opinion

DOWDELL, J.

When this cau-r was here on a former appeal, 129 Ala. 562, being then styled as the Southern Home Building & Loan Association v. Riddle, the charge of usury in the loan by the Association to Sallie B. Allen, which the mortgage in question was executed by Sallie B. and James B. Allen to secure, was was not denied, the contention by counsel for appellant being that the question of usury was immaterial under the authorities of Loucheim v. First National Bank, 98 Ala. 521; Harris v. Russell, 93 Ala. 59, and Howell v. Carden, 99 Ala. 100, but it was then held that the principle stated in these cases were not applicable to the case at bar. The decree of the chancellor having been reversed for other reasons there stated; after remandment of the cause, the. Association amended its answer by de[625] nying tlie allegations of the bill as to usury, and further setting up the fact that the contract of loan by the Association to the said Sallie B. Allen was one, which by its conditions and terms Avas to be performed in the State of Georgia, and by the laws of that State Avas free from any taint of usury. In this respect the issues as now presented are different from Avhat they Avere on the former appeal. The case as made by the bill Avas thaf James B. Allen AAras indebted to the complainant, Riddle and, Avhile so indebted, procured a conveyance of certain real estate, he furnishing the purchase money for the same, to be made to his wife, Sallie B. Allen, which was afterwards conveyed to the Southern Home Building & Loan Association to secure an indebtedness of the said Sallie B. Allen; and the bill further charges that the Association had actual notice of the fraudulent intent of James B. Allen, in procuring the conveyance of the property to be made to his wife. The bill also alleged that said Association Avas not entitled to protection, as a purchaser for value,.for the1 reason, that the debt, Avhich the mortgage Avas given to secure, Avas infected with usury. The answer of the Association denies any lcnoAvledge or notice of the alleged fraud, and as amended also, denied the charge of usury. The loan Avhich constituted the consideration of the bond, and Avhich the mortgage to the Association was given to Secure Avas not disputed. It is shown by the record that Bailie B. Allen Avas a stockholder in, and member of, said Association, and as such obtained the .loan in question. It is also shoAvn that she held stock and procured the loan under the by-laws, rules and regulations of the Association. Section 8 of the by-laAvs, provides; “All money due from members to the Association, or from it to the members, shall be payable at the home office, in Atlanta, Georgia.” And section 15, provided as follows: “All contracts made by or with this Association shall be deemed to have been made at the home office, in Atlanta, Fulton county, Georgia.” Furthermore, it is stipulated. in the bond in question, that Sallie B. Allen shall pay to the Association in clues on her stock, and the prer inium and interest on her loan, as provided in the by[626] laws, rules and regulations of the Association. From this it would appear that the contract of loan was to be performed in the State of Georgia, and by the laws of that State to be determined whether or not the contract

is usurious. — Farmers Building & Loan Association v. Kent, 131 Ala. 246; Pioneer Savings & Loan Association v. Nonnemacher, 127 Ala. 521; Hays v. Southern Home Building & Loan Association, 124 Ala. 663; Bedford v. Eastern Building & Loan Association, 181 U. S. 227. It was shown by the duly accredited reports of the de cisions of the supreme court of Georgia, which were introduced in evidence, that the contract before us, under the laws of that State was not an usurious one. There is no pretense here, that the contract was made to- be performed in another State as a shift or device to avoid the usury laws of this state, on the contrary the contention was, and is, that the contract is an Alabama contract, and the chancellor so held, but we think, under the authorities cited above, he was in error in so holding.

The remaining question is, whether it was shown as charged in the bill that the Association had notice of the fraudulent intent of James B. Allen in procuring the conveyance of the land to be made to his wife, which was afterwards mortgaged by her to the Association, he joining with his said wife in the mortgage.

The rule is, that where the payment of a valuable consideration is shown, the burden is cast upon the complaining creditor to prove the existence of a fraudulent intent, and that such intent was known to the grantee of the conveyance assailed. — Hodge v. Coleman, 76 Ala. 103; Shealey v. Edwards, 75 Ala. 411; Lipscomb v. McClellan, 72 Ala. 151.

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Allen v. Riddle, 141 Ala. 621 (Ala. 1904).

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