Baltimore Trust Co. v. Sanders

105 S.W.2d 710, 1937 Tex. App. LEXIS 1014
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 17, 1937
DocketNo. 8428.
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 105 S.W.2d 710 (Baltimore Trust Co. v. Sanders) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Baltimore Trust Co. v. Sanders, 105 S.W.2d 710, 1937 Tex. App. LEXIS 1014 (Tex. Ct. App. 1937).

Opinion

McCLENDON, Chief Justice.

Suit by Sanders and wife against the bond company (National Bond & Mortgage Corporation), the trust company (Baltimore Trust Company), and Henry *711 H. Laithe, trustee, to cancel three notes and trust deeds securing them, executed by Sanders and wife in favor of the bond company; on the ground that the transaction was usurious and the payments made by Sanders and wife when properly credited to the principal debt discharged it. The trust company by cross-action sought recovery on notes 1 and 2, with foreclosure of the trust deed lien. The trial was to the court without a jury; and, upon findings supporting the plea of usury, judgment was rendered cancelling notes 2 and 3 and the trust deed securing them, crediting note 1 with payments reducing the principal thereof to $202.50, and giving the trust company judgment for that amount plus $20.25 attorney’s fees, with foreclosure of the trust deed lien. There was also recovery over in favor of the trust company against the bond company. That portion of the judgment, however, is not brought in question, the appeal being only by the trust company and Laithe.

The governing facts follow:

February 27, 1928, Sanders and wife executed three notes in favor of the bond company, securing note 1 by a first trust deed on business property in San Angelo upon which they were erecting a store building; and securing notes 2 and 3 by a second trust deed upon the same property. Note 1 was for $6,000, bearing 6 per cent, interest per annum from date, interest payable monthly for the first 36 months. Thereafter $87.66 a month was to be paid and credited first to interest and the balance to principal until the note was discharged. Note 2 was for $1,112.70 and bore interest at 6 per cent, per annum from date. It was payable in monthly installments of $26.22 until February 27, 1931, and monthly installments thereafter of $4.-38 until the note was paid. These installments were to be credited first upon the interest, and the balance upon the principal. Each of these notes had an acceleration clause maturing it at the option of the holder upon default in payment. Note 3 was for $622.08 and was payable, without interest, in 36 monthly installments of $17.-28. This note recited that it represented “compensation to the payee hereof in negotiating, handling and supervising during its continuance for us a loan represented by our note” (No. 1); and that “if the maturity of said note No. 1 shall be accelerated in whatever manner, no part of this note shall be collectable except the installments thereof accrued to the date of the acceleration of said Note No. 1.”

Compton was the agent of the bond company at San Angelo, with whom Sanders negotiated in the transaction. Sanders testified that his agreement with Compton was for a loan of $6,000 to be paid off at the rate of $90 per month; and he exhibited canceled checks showing that he had made 61 such payments ($5,490). No money was paid to Sanders, but the bond company paid out for his account: To a lumber company $5,430; for recording fees $15.50; to Maryland Casualty Company, “for warranting mortgage” $30; to Century Trust Company (later merged with appellant trust company) for “commission for sale of bonds” $360; for abstract of title $42.50; for appraiser’s fee $10; for insurance $194.50. The court disallowed the'$360 and $30 items for commission and premium on surety bond, but allowed all the others, making the total amount paid for Sanders’ account $5,692.50. Deducting from this Sanders’ payments of $5,490 gives the amount of the judgment $202.50.

Appellants rely upon an application for the loan by Sanders as freeing the transaction of any taint of usury. Since in large measure the controlling issues in the case involve a proper construction of this instrument, we quote in full the provisions in any way bearing upon the questions presented:

“M. Sanders and wife, Hortensia (hereinafter referred to in the plural number, whether one or more), hereby apply to you to obtain a loan for us for Six Thousand and no/100 Dollars ($6,000.00) for which we will execute our three promissory notes, dated as of the date of your acceptance hereof, as follows: Note No. 1, Principal $6,000.00, interest six per cent per annum from date, payable monthly as it accrues until the 38th month, and on the 27th day of each month from the 38th month to the 121st month, both inclusive, $87.66 to be paid and to be applied first to the interest and any balance to the principal until the note is fully paid; Note No. 2 for $1,112.-70 with interest at six per cent per annum from date, payable in installments of $26.-22 each month on the 27th day of each month from the second to the 37th month, and $4.38 on the 27th day of each month, from the 38th to the 121st month, both inclusive, to be applied first to the interest and the balance to the principal, Note No. 3 for $622.08, without interest, payable in *712 installments of $17.28 each, on the 27th day of each month from the second month to the 37th month, both inclusive.
“We understand our total monthly payments will be $73.50 on the first day of each month from the second to the 37th month, both inclusive, and $92.04 monthly thereafter.
“You are to retain the payments made upon our Note No. 3 as compensation to you for services to us in negotiating, handling and supervising this loan for us during its continuance.
“We understand you are not loaning your own money but will obtain this loan for us by pledging our Note No. 1 as collateral under the terms of one of your collateral assignments or deeds of trust under which you issue and sell your certificates or bonds secured by our notes and other notes, which notes before being so pledged must be guaranteed by a bond of a casualty or surety company. We understand you will incur certain expenses in preparing, printing and selling your bonds or certificates, having our note guaranteed, as compensation to the Trustee of your assignments of deeds of trust, handling the collections on our note and keeping records of same, and keeping informed as to the payment of taxes and insurance on our property, and general supervision of the loan and its security, and other costs to you in connection therewith. To reimburse you these expenses you are authorized to have deducted from the proceeds of our loan $-, and further to apply thereon the payments made on our Note No. 2. If at any time the amount paid by us to you on our Note No. 2, together with interest paid thereon, should exceed your said expenses, you are to hold same and pay therefrom your actual reasonable expenses of the kind specified above incurred by you thereafter in connection with this loan. If said amounts paid on said Note No. 2 at the first of any month after the 37th month exceed your said expenses to such current month you may apply a sufficient amount thereof monthly thereafter to pay you an additional compensation for negotiating, handling and supervising this loan during its continuance equal to two per cent interest on the unpaid balance of said Note No. 1, it being understood that said Note No. 3 and said additional two per cent is compensation to you for your said services and is not additional interest on said loan. If at the final payment of Note No. 1 any balance of the payments made on Note No. 2 remains after paying said expenses and compensation, you are to return the same to us.

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Bluebook (online)
105 S.W.2d 710, 1937 Tex. App. LEXIS 1014, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/baltimore-trust-co-v-sanders-texapp-1937.