Brown v. C. Rosenstein Co.

120 Misc. 787
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1923
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 120 Misc. 787 (Brown v. C. Rosenstein Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brown v. C. Rosenstein Co., 120 Misc. 787 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1923).

Opinion

Burr, J.

Motion for summary judgment, under rule 113 of the Rules of Civil Practice. The plaintiffs are copartners carrying on [789]*789business as bankers under the firm name of Brown Brothers & Company. Plaintiff’s complaint for a first cause of action alleges: On or about the 26th day of August, 1922, at defendant’s request they issued a letter of credit authorizing Georges Yemian, of Varna, Bulgaria, to draw upon plaintiffs at three months’ sight for account of defendant for any sum or sums not exceeding in all $4,500 for eighty-five per cent cost of merchandise to be shipped to New York, the bills to bo drawn and shipments completed on or before September 30, 1922. At defendant’s request and risk the issue of said credit was advised by telegraph through Brown, Shipley & Company of London to said Georges Yemian, Varna, Bulgaria. A copy of the said letter of credit is attached to the complaint. In order to induce the plaintiffs to issue the said letter of credit the defendant executed and delivered to the plaintiffs prior to the issue of the letter of credit a receipt and obligation by the terms of which the defendant agreed to provide plaintiffs previous to the maturity of all drafts drawn under said credit with sufficient funds in cash to meet the payment of the same, together with a commission of three-eighths per cent on the drafts so drawn. A copy of the receipt and obligation is attached to the complaint. On or about September 25, 1922, Georges Yemian drew upon the plaintiffs under the said letter of credit, at three months’ sight, a draft for $4,500. A photostat of the draft is annexed to the complaint. The said draft was accompanied by all the documents specified in the letter of credit, including a bill of lading and properly certified invoice covering fifty tons millet seed and fifty tons canary seed and a marine policy satisfactory to plaintiffs. A photostat of the bill of lading, invoice and insurance policy is attached to the complaint. On or about October 13, 1922, said draft, with the accompanying documents, was presented by the holders thereof, Messrs. John Munroo & Company, to the plaintiffs for acceptance, and plaintiffs thereupon accepted said draft and obtained from the holders for account of defendant the said accompanying documents. On or about October 13,- 1922, plaintiffs notified the defendant that the said draft had been drawn by Georges Yemian under said letter of credit and that plaintiffs had accepted same and had obtained for defendant’s account the accompanying documents. At defendant’s request the plaintiffs thereupon delivered to defendant a trust receipt, a copy of which is attached to the complaint. The plaintiffs thereafter and prior to the maturity of the said draft requested the defendant pursuant to the terms of the said obligation to provide plaintiffs with funds sufficient to meet the payment of the said draft, together with the plaintiff’s commission. At the maturity of the said draft on or about January 15, 1923, the same was pre[790]*790sented to plaintiffs for payment by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the then holder thereof, and thereupon plaintiffs paid the same. Defendant has refused and neglected to provide plaintiffs with the amount of the said draft at or prior to the maturity thereof and the agreed commissions of plaintiffs. For a second cause of action plaintiffs allege the issuance of another letter of credit at defendant’s request on or about September 12, 1922, authorizing the said Georges Vemian to draw upon plaintiffs at three months’ sight for account of defendant for any sum not exceeding $2,750 in the same manner and under the same conditions, under which letter of credit the said Georges Vemian drew upon the plaintiffs at three months’ sight a draft for $2,735, which was presented and paid in the same way as was the draft in the first cause of action. Copies of all the papers are attached to the complaint in the same way as the first cause of action. The total amount claimed to be due under both drafts from defendant is $7,262.13. The defendant in its answer admits the obtaining of the letter of credit for $4,500 and that it executed the receipt and obligation as alleged. It denies upon information and belief that Georges Vemian drew upon the plaintiffs under the said letter of credit at three months’ sight a draft for $4,500; denies knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief of the presentation of said draft to plaintiffs by John Mun-roe & Company; admits the notification set forth in the complaint, but denies that the documents referred to were delivered at defendant’s request and denies the implication therein contained that in said alleged “ trust receipt ” the defendant receipted for actual merchandise; and alleges that said trust receipt ” only applies, if at all, to the documents received, which said documents as hereinafter alleged being fraudulent, cannot create any legal or equitable obligation upon the defendant herein.” Defendant admits the notification and request to provide the funds to moot the draft; denies any knowledge that said draft was presented to plaintiffs for payment and that plaintiffs paid same; denies that it neglected ” to provide the plaintiffs with the amount of the said draft and admits it has not paid plaintiffs, although duly demanded, the sum of $4,516.88 claimed by plaintiffs, representing the amount of said draft and plaintiffs’ commissions. Defendant’s answer to plaintiffs’ second cause of action is similar to the answer to tho first cause of action. For a complete defense ” to each cause qf action defendant alleges that all the terms and conditions stated in the letter of credit set forth in the complaint were not and have not been duly performed at any time prior to or since the alleged acceptance and alleged payment of the draft; that all the terms and conditions upon which the guaranty worked alleged to have been [791]

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Bluebook (online)
120 Misc. 787, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brown-v-c-rosenstein-co-nysupct-1923.