Davis v. Cilley

44 N.H. 448
CourtSupreme Court of New Hampshire
DecidedJuly 1, 1860
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 44 N.H. 448 (Davis v. Cilley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of New Hampshire primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davis v. Cilley, 44 N.H. 448 (N.H. 1860).

Opinion

Bellows, J.

The bill is brought to set aside an award, upon the ground that the arbitrators, intending to decide according to law, mistook it, and allowed the defendant large sums which were not due him; and also upon' the ground of fraud, partiality and corruption in the arbitrators, or one of them. Among other things the bill alleges that the sum of $2,246.08 was so allowed for an amount paid to Cross & Topliff upon a $2,000 note, made by the plaintiff and defendant as partners; when in fact the defendant paid only $1,000, which was received in full payment and discharge of the note; and that this was shown to the arbitrators ; the bill alleging that the arbitrators decided, that, as matter of law, the [449]*449defendant had the same right to buy the note that any third person would have, and might recover one half of the original amount of the plaintiff.

The answer admits that the note was given by them as partners, and does not deny that the defendant paid only §1,000 for it; but does deny that in allowing the amount the arbitrators intended to decide according to law. On the contrary, the answer alleges that in respect to this, as well as all other items, the arbitrators decided according to what they considered right and just.

It not being denied, then, that only §1,000 was paid — this fact being distinctly alleged in the bill — must, by the rule, be taken to be admitted; and this accords also with the proofs.

We are also of opinion that the weight of evidence is in favor of the allegations in the bill, and establishes the fact that in respect to the item in question the arbitrators intended to decide according to law, but that, by mistake, they assumed, without discussion or investigation, that the defendant, like any third person, might buy up such partnership debt at a discount, and charge the firm with the whole amount of it, and that the whole amount was thus allowed, when, without such mistake, there would have been allowed the $1,000 only, There is, to be sure, some conflict in the evidence, but taking into consideration the utter want of any just or equitable foundation for such a claim, we can not but regard the proofs as preponderating very decidedly in favor of the position that the allowance of the whole amount was occasioned purely by a mistake of the law. We think, therefore, that there was an error in the allowance of this item, and that it ought to be corrected; and the same views apply also to the claim for the payment of the bill of Dr. Hawkes, for which $10 should have been allowed instead of $19.67.

Upon this state of facts it is well settled that a party is entitled to relief. Greenough v. Rolfe, 4 N. H. 358 ; Bean v. Wendell, 20 N. H. 219 ; Severance v. Hilton, 32 N. H. 292; Pierce v. Hobbs, 33 N. H. 31; White Mountains R. R. v. Beane, 39 N. U. 108; Prescott v. Fellows, 41 N. H. 9 ; 2 Story Eq., secs. 1455, 1456, and cases cited ; Young v. Nutter, 9 Ves. 304, and notes; Kent v. Elstob, 3 East 10 ; Chase v. Wetmore, 13 East 357; Richardson v. Noon, 3 B. & Ald. 237 ; 1 Atk. 63; 3 Atk. 494 ; Carpenter v. Green, 2 Vern. 705; Herrick v. Blair, 1 Johns. Ch. 101; Underhill v. Van Cortlandt, 2 Johns. Ch. 363, 364.

It is also alleged in the bill that there was an error of more than $100 against the plaintiff, in computing the amount paid by the defendant to the Union and State Capital banks, and the amount of the error appears to be §112.44, which the answer admits should be corrected.

It is further contended by the plaintiff that the award should be set aside, for fraud and partiality in one of the arbitrators ; and also because the arbitrators refused to adjourn on “the plaintiff’s application, to give him an opportunity to procure important testimony; and also because testimony was taken in his absence, and also because the defendant falsely and knowingly testified before the arbitrators to material facts.

[450]*450TJpon a careful examination of the proof we think that although the evidence shows some irregularities that ought not to have been permitted; and that might even excite some suspicion, and also may tend to show some mistake in the defendant’s testimony, yet it is not sufficient to establish either of these grounds of relief.

It remains then to consider whether the errors -which are found to exist can be corrected without setting aside the entire award. The bill charges that the arbitrators allowed Cilley $2,246.08 on account of the Cross & Topliffi claim, when in fact Cilley paid for it only $1,000; and that this was known to the arbitrators, but that the whole amount was so allowed because the arbitrators held, as matter of law, that Cilley was entitled to it.

The answer does not deny that the whole sum was allowed, but impliedly admits it. It says, however, that it was not allowed as matter of law, but upon views of equity and justice. The proof also shows that the -whole sum was allowed; and we think it was passed upon and decided as a separate and independent item; and there is no evidence tending to show that its allowance affected any other item. But it appears that an account was stated by the arbitrators, each item separately adjudicated and entered, and the balance struck and awarded in a gross sum to Cilley.

The amount of the error, then, is quite well established by the bill, answer and the proofs, although not apparent upon the face of the award. Nor is there any reason to suppose that the allowance of this item was so connected with the rest as to affect the justice of the case. In fact it appears clearly that it could not, because the amount was settled by itself, and the costs of the reference appear to have been equally divided. The question, then, is, whether in equity an award can be adjudged bad in part and good for the residue, where a gross sum is allowed, and nothing appears on the face of the award to distinguish between them. In this case it will be observed that the same evidence which shows the mistakes, shows also the amount of them, and what the award would have been had the mistakes not been committed. So the correction of these mistakes has the effect only to reduce the amount awarded the defendant, and with that he is satisfied. And this brings the case within the principle of Richardson v. Huggins, 23 N. H. 113, 124, where the means of distinguishing the bad part from the good part did not appear upon the face of the award, and yet the court, ■ by Bell, J., say: “We have no doubt that where it appears, by the same evidence which proves the allowance of a demand, not submitted, that the same demand has been paid or released, or in any way discharged, the award should not be set aside for that cause, in case the allowance of such claim has merely the effect to increase the amount of the award against the party objecting, and the other party is satisfied. In such case the award should be held valid and effectual for the residue, just as a judgment exceeding the amount of the ad damnum of the writ will not be set aside for that cause, in case the excess is remitted.”

With these views we are entirely satisfied, and they are decisive of this case. It is true, it has been laid down in general terms that [451]

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Bluebook (online)
44 N.H. 448, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davis-v-cilley-nh-1860.