Allen v. Smith Brand

133 So. 599, 160 Miss. 303, 1931 Miss. LEXIS 161
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedApril 6, 1931
DocketNo. 29200.
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 133 So. 599 (Allen v. Smith Brand) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Allen v. Smith Brand, 133 So. 599, 160 Miss. 303, 1931 Miss. LEXIS 161 (Mich. 1931).

Opinion

*306 Anderson, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

Appellees filed their bill in the chancery court of the Second district of Chickasaw1 county against appellant and his mother, Mrs. Annie Allen, and her husband, D. B. Allen, who was an uncle of appellant, to foreclose two mortgages on land, one of which was executed to appellees by appellant’s mother and stepfather, and the other by the same parties to appellant; the lattet having been transferred to appellees. The cause was heard on original bill, answers, and cross-bill of D. B. Allen and wife, *307 and appellees’ answer to the cross-bill and proof, resulting in the decree prayed for by appellees. From that decree appellant prosecutes this appeal. D. B. Allen and wife prosecuted no appeal from the decree against them.

Since we have reached the conclusion that under the law and facts of this case the decree appealed from must be reversed, and a decree rendered here for appellant, in stating the case it will be stated most strongly in favor of appellees. In other words, every material fact favorable to appellees which is shown by the evidence, either directly or by reasonable inference, will be set out.

D. B. Allen and his wife, Mrs. Annie Allen owned in Chickasaw county about one hundred eighty acres of land, which was their homestead. As stated, Mrs. Allen was the mother of appellant, and her husband, D. B. Allen, was appellant’s uncle. On January 10, 1921, D. B. Allen and wife executed a deed of trust on their land to secure their note for four thousand five hundred dollars, payable to appellant. There was a prior deed of trust on the land to secure a note for eight hundred sixty-four dollars, which was held by Mrs. Hinds. D. B. Allen and wife failed to pay the note due appellant at its maturity. There was due appellant on this note at maturity, principal and interest, five thousand four hundred dollars. Appellant needed funds with which to purchase an ice- plant in the town of Houston. His mother and stepfather were unable to pay the indebtedness due him, and he did not want to foreclose the deed of trust, and turn them out of their home. Appellant procured appellees to lend his mother and stepfather enough money to- pay off both deeds of trust on their homestead. When this loan was made there was. due on appellant’s note five thousand four hundred dollars, and on the note secured by the prior deed of trust held by Mrs. Hinds enough to make the aggregate indebtedness against the land six thousand six hundred ninety-six dollars. On the 12th day of February, 1924, appellees lent D. B. Allen'and *308 wife that amount of money, talcing their note therefor, payable January 1, 1925, with six per cent interest, and a deed of trust on their homestead to secure the same. Appellees thereupon gave their checks for the amount of the entire loan, one payable to appellant for the sum of five thousand four hundred dollars, and the other for the, amount of the first mortgage on the land payable to* the holder of the note secured thereby. None of the loan, therefore, went to D. B. Allen and wife in cash.

On the same day I>. B. Allen and wife executed the note and deed of trust to appellees, and as a part of the same transaction, appellees had appellant to' transfer to them the note and deed of trust which he held against D. B. Allen and wife, and for the payment and discharge of which they were advancing the money' as aforesaid. This transfer was indorsed below the acknowledgment on the deed of trust in this language: “Flor a valuable consideration I hereby transfer the within trust deed and note to Smith and Brand. This 2 — 12—24. [Signed] J. H. Allen.” The deed of trust was thereupon delivered to appellees; and appellant, not having the note there in his possession, agreed to deliver it later, but failed to do so.

Appellant went to appellees, and°told them that he had bought an ice plant,-and could not finance it unless he could realize on this loan due him by his mother and stepfather; that he would not foreclose the mortgage against his mother and stepfather, and thereby turn them out of their home; that they were unable to discharge the mortgage indebtedness, and probably never would be able to do so. He asked appellees to take up the indebtedness for him, and agreed that he would “guarantee I will pay up the loan in two years, if you will get it for them.”-In other words, he agreed with appellees to take the loan off their hands at the end of two years. Appellees, in consideration of that promise, as well as the execution of a new note by D. B. Allen and wife, covering *309 the entire indebtedness against their land, secured by a deed of trust thereon, and the further consideration that appellant would transfer and deliver to them the note and deed of trust, which was being discharged by appellees’ loan to D. B. Allen and wife, made the loan to the latter.

Appellees, when they filed their bill, conceived that the land covered by their deed of trust might be insufficient in value to pay the mortgage indebtedness, and sought to hold appellant liable for any deficiency,‘upon two grounds, namely: (1) That his transfer to them of the note and deed of trust which he held against B. B.. Allen and-wife was in law an indorsement of the note, thereby rendering appellant liable thereon; and (2) that appellant was bound by his verbal promise to take up, and discharge, the mortgage indebtedness of his mother and stepfather to. appellees at the end of two years from the date thereof.

Appellant contends: (1) That the transfer of the note and deed of trust did not render him liable thereon as an indorser, but only had the effect of transferring the title'thereto; and (2) that under the Statute of Frauds appellant’s verbal'promise to pay the debt of his mother and stepfather at the end of two' years was void, because it was an undertaking to answer for the debts, default, or miscarriage of other persons. "We will consider these contentions in the order stated.

The note of B. Bi. Allen and wife was not a negotiable instrument when transferred to appellees' — it was past due. It is. true that the holder of a negotiable instrument payable to his order, who transfers it for value without indorsing it, vests in the transferree the title of the transferror, and, in addition, the right to have the indorsement of the transferror. Section 2705 of the Code of 1930. But the transferee’s right to> the transferor’s indorsement. does not exist where the paper is nonnego *310 tiable, or'is payable to- bearer, as was the note here involved. Marlar v. Smith, 126 Miss. 842, 89 So. 667.

Appellees argue that the transfer of the note and deed of trust amounted to' a general indorsement as defined in section 2722 of the Code of 1930. "We think the contention is without merit. That provision of the Negotiable Instruments Act has reference, in the first place, to negotiable paper; and, in the second place, it has reference to an indorser, not a transferor for value of overdue paper. We are unable to see how-appellees got anything by the transfer of the note and deed of trust, except the legal title thereto, and a warranty on the part of appellant of their genuineness. 41 C. X, sec. 729, pp. 703, 704, and section 699, p. 683.

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Bluebook (online)
133 So. 599, 160 Miss. 303, 1931 Miss. LEXIS 161, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/allen-v-smith-brand-miss-1931.