Conroe v. Case

48 N.W. 480, 79 Wis. 338, 1891 Wisc. LEXIS 99
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 17, 1891
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 48 N.W. 480 (Conroe v. Case) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Conroe v. Case, 48 N.W. 480, 79 Wis. 338, 1891 Wisc. LEXIS 99 (Wis. 1891).

Opinion

Taylor, J.

This action was brought by the respondent to recover the amount of a promissory note, of which the following is a copy:

“$2,000.00. Racine, Wisconsin, February 5,1879.
“ Five years after date, for value received, we promise to pay A. C. Fish, or order, at --, two thousand dollars, with interest at the rate of seven per cent, per annum till paid, interest payable annually.
“ [Signed] Fish Beds. & Co.
“ No. 1911.”

The plaintiff sought to recover in the action upon the ground that the signature to said note of “ Fish Bros. & Co.” was in fact the signature of the defendant, Jerome I. Case, and that he was as much liable for the payment of said note as though the same had been signed by the proper signature of said defendant Jerome I Case. The plaintiff, in her complaint, alleges as follows:

First. That the defendant above named, from 1873 until December, 1880, was carrying on the business of manufacturing and selling wagons at the city of Racine, Wis., under the firm name and style of Fish Bros. & Co., Agents, and Fish Bros. & Co., which business at all the times hereinafter mentioned was managed and conducted' [341]*341by John 0. Huggins, Titus G. Fish, and Edwin B. Fish, as agents of the defendant, Jerome I Case, and were by him authorized to purchase goods, borrow money, and incur indebtedness, and to give promissory notes and other evidences of debt on behalf of said defendant, under said business or firm name of Fish Bros. & Co., and Fish Bros. & Co., Agents.
Second. That said firm of Fish Bros. & Co. were engaged in no other business during the years above mentioned except in conducting the business of the defendant, and had no partnership existence or business save as agents for defendant, and that said parties, under said firm name, were in the habit of giving large numbers of promissory notes therein, to the knowledge and with the approval of the defendant, and the defendant at all the times gave out and represented to the public, and also to the agent of this plaintiff, that he was liable for all debts contracted by the parties above named, whether notes were executed by them in the name of Fish Bros. & Co., Agents, or in the name of Fish Bros. & Co.
Third. That the plaintiff is informed and believes that on or about the 5th day of February, 1879, said firm of Fish Bros. & Co. made, executed, and delivered one certain promissory note in the words and figures following:
“ $2,000.00. Racine, "Wisconsin, February 5, 1879.
“ Five years after date, for value received, we promise to pay to A. C. Fish, or order, at-, two thousand dollars, with interest at the rate of seven per cent, per annum till paid, interest payable annually.
“ £ [Signed] Fish Beos. & Co.
“‘170.1911.’
“ That in the ordinary course of business, and with knowledge of the above facts, and relying upon the defendant’s responsibility, the plaintiff purchased said promissory note before maturity, and for full value, without notice of any [342]*342defenses thereto or defects therein, and the same was on or about December 4, 1830, duly indorsed, transferred, and delivered to this plaintiff.
“Fourth. The plaintiff further alleges on information and belief- that before purchasing said note the agent of this plaintiff, who had dealt largely in the paper of the defendant given by his said agents under the business name aforesaid, made inquiries of the defendant whether or not he was liable upon the notes given by the said firm of Fish Bros. & Co., in form and signed as the note aforesaid, in response to which inquiry the defendant stated that he was liable; and in purchasing said note in behalf of this plaintiff the agent of this plaintiff and the plaintiff herself relied upon such statements, and paid the money for said note.
"Fifth. That in purchasing said note the plaintiff relied upon the facts hereinbefore set forth, and upon said statements of the defendant, and upon the credit and responsibility of the defendant, and understood and believed the said promissory note to be the note and obligation of said defendant.”

And then concluded by alleging its non-payment, except as to a part of the interest, and demands judgment.

The defendant, in his answer, denies all the material allegations in the complaint, and then makes the following statement as to his connection with the business carried on in the name of “ Fish Bros. & Co.: ”

, “ Sixth. That prior to the year 1868 the said Titus Gf. Fish and Abner C. Fish, in said complaint mentioned, were engaged in the business of manufacturing and selling wagons and carriages at Racine, Wisconsin, under the firm name of Fish Bros., and in the prosecution of such business became indebted in upwards of $100,000 in amount, and to this defendant in the sum of $25,000, and in the latter part of the year 1867 became and were insolvent and unable to [343]*343pay tbeir said indebtedness in full, and bad not property or assets to pay more than forty per cent, of their said indebtedness ; that thereupon the said Titus G. Fish and Abner C. Fish entered into a contract or agreement with this defendant, whereby this defendant agreed to purchase all the outstanding indebtedness of said Fish Bros, at the rate of forty cents upon the dollar thereon, and to acquire and become the owner of all the property and assets of the said firm of Fish Bros., and thereafter to carry on the said business of manufacturing and selling wagons in his own name, the said Titus G. and Abner 0. Fish to act therein as his agents, and that when this defendant should realize from the said business the said indebtedness of the said Fish Bros, to him, and such amount as he should pay to purchase the said indebtedness of the said Fish Bros., and such advances as he should from time to time make in the conduct of the said business thereafter, with interest at a rate agreed upon for all such indebtedness and advances, and compensation for the use of his name and credit in the said business, and for his time and services in the said business, that then the residue, if any, should be returned to the said Titus G. and Abner 0. Fish, and they should thereafter own the said business; that thereupon this defendant acquired the title to all the property of the said Fish Bros., and continued and carried on the said business under such arrangement and agreement, the said Titus G. and Abner 0. Fish acting therein as the agents of this defendant, and this defendant was personally responsible for the liabilities of the said business as then conducted, and said business was conducted under the name and style of Fish Bros., agents for J. I. Case, until about the year 18T3, when John 0. Hug-' gins and Edwin B. Fish acquired the interest of the said Abner C. Fish in said business, and became interested with the said Titus G. Fish as the agents of this defendant in the conduct of such business, and entitled to the residue thereof, [344]*344as hereinbefore alleged, and that said business was thereafter continued by the said Titus G-. Eish, Edwin B.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
48 N.W. 480, 79 Wis. 338, 1891 Wisc. LEXIS 99, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/conroe-v-case-wis-1891.