Benjamin v. Rogers

10 N.Y.S. 777, 32 N.Y. St. Rep. 626, 57 Hun 588, 1890 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 973
New York Supreme Court·Decided July 1, 1890·Published

Opinion

Hardin, P. J.

1. Plaintiff’s complaint alleges that the note in suit was made for $4,000, on the 5th day of January, 1880, and “that before the said note became due, and in due course of business, the said note was for value sold and delivered to this plaintiff, who is now the owner and holder thereof,” while the defendant does allege in his answer that Calkins never delivered it to Hellie Petit, and that it did not have any inception “until the same was by said Leman Calkins delivered to the plaintiff in this action.” It is then alleged that it was transferred by Calkins “to the plaintiff for an amount less than the amount due upon the note, and by its terms at the time of said transfer. ” It then alleges that it was transferred upon a usurious consideration of at least $5; and it is alleged, “said transfer was void for usury, and the note is invalid in the hands of the plaintiff, and he has no right of action thereupon by reason of the same upon a contract void under the statute of usury.” Under this somewhat indefinite answer no evidence was given to establish a corrupt agreement to take and receive more than lawful interest for the loan of money. The trifling interest of one day or so, which may have accrued upon the note when it was taken by the plaintiff, may not have been taken into account by the parties at the time the note was taken by the plaintiff. There is no evidence, however, to indicate the omission to consider it was by reason of a usurious corrupt agreement, or that any devise or trick was resorted to for the purpose of exacting usury. The mistake or inadvertence did not constitute usury, and under the pleadings and evidence the court did not err in holding that no usury was establised, and in refusing to submit the case to the jury in that regard. Insurance Co. v. Sturges, 2 Cow. 664; Marvine v. Hymers, 12 N. Y. 231. The learned counsel for the defendant calls our attention to Marvin v. McCullum, 20 Johns. 288, and upon an examination of that case we find the trial court, upon proof being given [779] that the defendant was an accommodation maker, who offered evidence that it was “bought at a discount from the sum due thereon at the time of the purchase, rejected the evidence which was offered to prove the note usurious;” and the court, in review of the rulings, held it was erroneous, “as the defendant offered to prove the agreement between Hudson (the purchaser) and the maker was usurious, and the note was first given to H. as security for a usurious loan.” We think the case does not sustain the contention of the defendant here. We think Hall v. Wilson, 16 Barb. 554, does not sustain the defendant’s position. In that case Biglow became the owner of the note upon a usurious consideration expressly agreed upon as he took the note of $120 for $115, and Allen, J., says at page 554: “The agreement upon which he obtained the note was usurious and void.” Bundy had stolen the note, and it had no inception until he sold it to Biglow upon a usurious agreement, and the plaintiff had no better rights in the note than Biglow acquired by such usurious agreement, and therefore could not recover. Under the facts disclosed in that case, “ the note never had an inception so as to enable any person to become Abona fide holder of it.” In Eastman v. Shaw, 65 N. Y. 528, Dwight, G., approves of the position j ust stated when considering a case where the note was sold at a usurious rate, and the note was therefore void for usury. We think there was no evidence to show any reservation beyond the legal interest upon a mutual agreement between the parties, and that the trial judge properly disposed of the question as to the alleged usury. Matthews v. Coe, 70 N. Y. 242; Guggenheimer v. Geiszler, 81 N. Y. 293; Morton v. Thurber, 85 N. Y. 556; Bevier v. Covell, 87 N. Y. 54.

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Benjamin v. Rogers, 10 N.Y.S. 777, 32 N.Y. St. Rep. 626, 57 Hun 588, 1890 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 973 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1890).

10 N.Y.S. 777 (Benjamin v. Rogers) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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