Benton County Savings Bank v. First National Bank

179 Iowa 993
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedApril 7, 1917
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 179 Iowa 993 (Benton County Savings Bank v. First National Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Benton County Savings Bank v. First National Bank, 179 Iowa 993 (iowa 1917).

Opinion

Preston, J.

Fraudulent CONVEYANCES: grounds of invalidity : intent : knowledge of debtors’ involved conditions : evidence. The substance of plaintiff’s claims is: First, that the chattel mortgage to the defendant bank was a sham and made to hinder and delay creditors; and, second, that the conveyances of lands and chattels were fraudulent, the intent being to hinder and delay creditors, and that the transfers were voluntary, leaving the grantors insolvent and largely indebted. The questions presented are very largely fact questions, and, where there is a large record, as here, it is not practicable, and it is not our custom, to attempt to set out the evidence in detail in the opinion, and try to harmonize the testimony of the witnesses. In this case, many of the facts are not disputed. Appellees have concisely and clearly set out the main facts, and, as to these, appellant says in reply that they find it necessary to challenge but few of counsel’s statements of the facts. They do challenge five of them, which will be referred to after we state the important facts as set out by appellees.

It appears that plaintiff is a banking institution, located for years at Norway, in Benton County, Iowa; the defendant bank and its cashier, Kirby, are located in Esther-ville, Emmet County; the defendants Bergesons formerly lived in Benton County, and were patrons of the plaintiff bank and on intimaté terms with its officers, who loaned the sons money before and after their removal to Emmet County. These loans originated about 12 years before these actions were brought; they were not paid, but renewed from year to year and the interest paid, the mother signing with [997]*997her sons. The family was prosperous during the father’s life, and they were the owners of large tracts, of land in Emmet and Benton Counties. On their removal to Emmet County, the sons undertook farming on a large scale, and were heavy borrowers from defendant bank, increasing their loans, giving mortgages and mortgage deeds on their land to secure the same, and finally mortgaging their chattels, all of which were of public record in Emmet County about December, 1910; and later, they disposed of all their land to defendant’s cashier, asking him to pay debts owed to defendant bank, which transaction was settled in full before any knowledge of plaintiff’s claim. During the year 1911, plaintiff bank, through its cashier, Pick art, visited the Bergesons two or three times, and negotiated with them for payment of plaintiff’s claims, or security, but without success. ' Later, and about December 1, 1911, plaintiff’s cashier, with his attorney, visited the Bergesons, and discovered that their property was disposed of to the defendant bank’s cashier, Kirby, and again tried to get security on their claims. The fact that plaintiff held notes against the Bergesons was never by them or anyone else disclosed to defendant bank or its cashier until after they had taken over the Bergeson property and made full payment and settlement, though plaintiff was aware that the Bergesons were dealing with defendant bank. About January 15, 1912, plaintiff commenced action against the Bergesons, and garnished defendant bank and its cashier, and attached personal property of E. O. Bergeson’s. The proceeds of the lands of Anna S. and E. 0. Bergeson were by them applied in payment of their obligations to the defendant bank, and, when so applied, left them in debt to defendant bank $8,300. When the transfer of the Bergeson lands was made, Anna S. Bergeson, a woman G3 or 64 years old, gave her son, E. O. Bergeson, her order on defendant bank, in words as follows:

[998]*998■ “J. P. Kirby. Dear Sir: You will please pay to Mr. E. 0. Bergeson any funds that may be due me from my loan account or any funds on account of said sale of my farm and personal property, same to be applied on my notes to him.”

It is claimed by appellee that this order was accepted by defendant bank and the money placed to the credit of E. 0. Bergeson, who used the money in paying on his mother’s obligations to the bank, and that the matter of his giving credit to his mother on her notes to him, being a personal matter, is unknown to the defendant bank and its cashier.

We should say here that the conveyance of the land by E. 0. Bergeson of about 800 acres was made prior to the conveyance by his mother. The first conveyance is the one, as we understand the record, that defendants claim was all settled before the defendant bank and Kirby had any knowledge of plaintiff’s claims against the Bergesons. The mother’s land consisted of 319 acres, which was sold at $70 an acre, or a total of $22,330, and her personal property conveyed was $2,000, a total of $24,330;-and the conveyance of the land was subject to the first and second mortgages above referred to, amounting to $14,500, and interest. Out of the balance, interest, other notes, judgments, taxes, etc., were paid, which defendants claim took up all the balance, and that the account was balanced, while plaintiff claims that four items so paid were credited wrongfully, and that these four items, amounting to $5,172.10, should be accounted for. While appellant argues other questions as to the validity of the chattel mortgage, and as to whether it had been paid or settled in the first land deal or by deposits in defendant bank by some of the parties and by notes and renewals thereof, also the question as to whether the first conveyance was valid, we apprehend that their real claim is that what they most rely upon is that [999]*999the four items just referred to, amounting to $5,172.10, were wrongful, and that the defendants, or the defendant Kirby, should account for that alleged surplus, on the theory, we take it, that the conveyances were at least voluntary and without consideration to that extent.

Continuing appellee’s statement as to the facts, it is stated that, in the spring of 1912, E. 0. Bergeson removed to Canada, the fact of his intended removal being- known to plaintiff in June, 1911; that E. 0. Bergeson was his mother’s adviser and manager, and that this was known to the plaintiff. Kirby testified that the price at which the Mrs. Bergeson land was taken over, $70 per acre, was a fair price; E. 0. Bergeson, plaintiff’s witness, testified that the fair price was $75 to $80 an acre; and no other testimony was taken, except that of Mr. Pickart, who testified that his knowledge of values was only from general inquiry. Appellee says that plaintiff, as he understands it, concedes that the attachment on chattels and garnishment should fail, but contends that the money received from Anna S. Bergeson’s lands, after paving her debts, should be applied on plaintiff’s judgment, and that therein lies the present dispute.

Counsel for appellant challenge the appellee’s foregoing statements as to the facts, in the following particulars: They deny that the transaction between. defendant bank, Kirby and the Bergesons, was fully settled before defendants had knowledge of the plaintiff’s claim; and the second is substantially the same: they deny that defendants had no knowledge of the plaintiff’s claim before they took over the Bergeson property or made payment in settlement therefor; they deny that defendants Anna S. Bergeson and E. O. Bergeson are still indebted to the defendant bank as claimed; they deny that Mrs. Bergeson’s order was accepted by the defendant bank and the proceeds of her property disposed of as defendants state; and, last, that the plain[1000]*1000üfí concedes that the attachment and garnishment on the chattel property should fail.

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179 Iowa 993, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/benton-county-savings-bank-v-first-national-bank-iowa-1917.