Brooks v. American Nat. Bank of Beaumont

103 S.W.2d 246, 1937 Tex. App. LEXIS 401
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 18, 1937
DocketNo. 3053
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 103 S.W.2d 246 (Brooks v. American Nat. Bank of Beaumont) 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
Brooks v. American Nat. Bank of Beaumont, 103 S.W.2d 246, 1937 Tex. App. LEXIS 401 (Tex. Ct. App. 1937).

Opinion

WALKER, Chief Justice.

On February 8, 1927, Brooks Supply Company, a corporation, by T. D. Brooks, president, executed and delivered to the American National Bank of Beaumont the following note, indorsed on the back by T. D. Brooks and W. D. Gordon:

“$1,325.00
“Beaumont, Texas, February 8, 1927.
“Ninety Days after date, I, we, or either of us promise to pay to the order of The [247]*247American National Bank of Beaumont the sum of $1,325 and 00 Cts Dollars for value received, with interest at the rate of 6 per cent per annum after maturity until paid. And in the event default is made in the payment of this note at maturity and it is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection, or if collected by suit or through the Probate Court, an additional amount of ten per cent shall be added to the same as attorney’s fees.
“The drawers and Endorsers severally waive presentment for payment, protest and notice of protest for non-payment of this note.
“Payable at The American National Bank of Beaumont, Texas.”

This note was not paid when due, nor protested nor presented to the indorsers for payment, nor were the indorsers “given notice of dishonor.” On the 1st day of March, 1927, Brooks Supply Company filed its petition in bankruptcy, and on that day was adjudged a bankrupt; J. Zorn, Jr., was subsequently appointed trustee. T. D. Brooks died on the 10th day of March, 1929, leaving a will whereby he devised all his property, except $1,000, to his wife, Mrs. Pearl Brooks, and named her “independent executrix” ; this will was admitted' to probate on the 23d day of April, 1930.

On the 15th day of August, 1929, the American National Bank instituted this suit against Mrs. Pearl Brooks, executrix of the estate of T. D. Brooks, deceaséd, Pearl Brooks, individually, and W. D. Gordon; ■and for cause of action alleged the execution and delivery of the note copied above, .copying the note in the face of the petition; the bankruptcy of Brooks Supply Com.pany, and the payment on the 28th day of July, 1927, of $265 by J. Zorn, Jr., trustee; the maturity of the note; the failure of the defendants to pay it “though often requested” ; a count on attorney’s fees; the prayer was for the amount due on the note, principal, interest, and attorney’s fees, and for general and special relief, both in law and equity. Mr. Gordon answered by general demurrer, general denial, and by plea of cross-action against his codefendant to the effect that he and T. D. Brooks, by their mutual contract, were liable as indorsers in proportion to their stock holdings in Brooks Supply Company, and in the event the plaintiff recovered against him, that he had' judgment under that contract over against his •codefendant for any sum he might be forced to pay in excess of his liability under his contract with T. D. Brooks. Mrs. Brooks answered by general denial and by cross-, action against Mr. Gordon. On the 15th day of October, 1935, the American National Bank filed its first amended original petition, pleading and praying as in the original petition with these additions: (a) The Brooks Supply Company “was actually and notoriously insolvent, it having theretofore to-wit filed a petition of bankruptcy in the United States District Court,” etc; (b) after describing the note, it was further alleged :

“ * * * Whereby defendants, each and all, became liable and bound to plaintiff, and promised plaintiff to pay it the sum of money in said note specified, together with all interest and attorney’s fees due thereon, according to the face and tenor, effect and reading; said note being in words and figures substantially as follows, to-wit.”

Defendant, Mrs. Brooks, having married Thomas Minyard since the institution of this suit, he was made a party defendant on the suggestion of Mr. Gordon; he answered by general demurrer and general denial.

The case was tried to the court without a jury on the 28th day of October, 1935, all parties appearing except Mr. Gordon, and judgment was entered' in favor of the American National Bank against Mr. Gordon and Mrs. Brooks, independent executrix, for the sum of $1,499.56, being the amount of the note, principal, interest, and attorney’s fees, less two credits of $265 each paid by J. Zorn, Jr., trustee, one on July 28, 1927, and the other on the 6th day of June, 1933. The plaintiff was denied recovery against Mrs. Brooks, individually, and also against her husband, Thomas Min-yard, and Mr. Gordon’s cross-action against Mrs. Brooks was dismissed without prejudice.

On the 21st day of December, 1935, Mr. Gordon filed his motion to vacate the judgment rendered against him on October 28, 1935, construed by him and the court as a bill of review and by the American National Bank as a motion for new trial,, which was in all things granted on the 28th day of December, 1935, after overruling the motion of the American National Bank to strike. The case was set for trial on its merits on Monday, the 30th of December, 1935; it was not tried on that date, but went over to the next term of court. On the 27th day [248]*248of January, 1936, the American National Bank filed its plea to the jurisdiction of the court to try the case a second time; on that day the case came on for trial on its merits to the court without a jury. The plea to the jurisdiction and the demurrers of the defendants were overruled. On the 31st day of January, 1936, judgment was rendered in favor of the American National Bank against Mr. Gordon and' Mrs. Brooks, independent executrix, jointly and severally, for the sum of $1,397.88, the amount due on the; note, principal, interest, and attorney’s fees, less the two payments set out above and a third payment of $104.27 by J. Zorn, Jr., trustee; Mr. Gordon was given judgment on his cross-action against Mrs. Brooks, independent executrix, for $1,232.46; he and the bank were denied recovery against Mrs. Brooks, individually; Mrs. Brooks’ cross-action against Mr. Gordon was denied; no recovery was allowed against Mr. Minyard.

The case is before us on appeal by writ of error, prosecuted by Mr. Gordon and Mrs. Brooks, independent executrix, against both the judgments described above; the parties will be referred to as appellants and appel-lee.

Opinion.

Since appellee, the American National Bank, stated in open court on oral argument that it was satisfied with the relief granted it in the second judgment dated January 31, 1936, we pretermit a discussion of its cross-assignments that the court erred in setting aside the judgment entered in its favor on the 28th day of October, 1935.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Bandy v. FIRST STATE BANK, OVERTON, TEX.
835 S.W.2d 609 (Texas Supreme Court, 1992)
Langson v. Scholl Lumber Co.
590 S.W.2d 528 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1979)
Nichols v. International Harvester Credit Corp.
533 S.W.2d 896 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1976)
Upton v. Heiselt Const. Co.
208 P.2d 945 (Utah Supreme Court, 1949)
Wright v. White
110 P.2d 948 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1941)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
103 S.W.2d 246, 1937 Tex. App. LEXIS 401, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brooks-v-american-nat-bank-of-beaumont-texapp-1937.