Davis v. Davis

21 N.E. 1112, 119 Ind. 511, 1889 Ind. LEXIS 323
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedJune 27, 1889
DocketNo. 13,365
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 21 N.E. 1112 (Davis v. Davis) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davis v. Davis, 21 N.E. 1112, 119 Ind. 511, 1889 Ind. LEXIS 323 (Ind. 1889).

Opinion

Coffey, J. —

This was an action brought by the appellee in the circuit court against the appellants upon a promissory note. The complaint is in the usual form. The appellant Jacob Davis answered separately in seven paragraphs.

The first paragraph of the answer avers that appellant Jacob Davis is the principal in said note, and that the other appellant is only surety; that, about the time of the execution of the note in suit, the plaintiff and the defendant had a deal in what is known as options or margins with one McKee, and in said transaction plaintiff and defendant agreed to and did purchase together a large quantity of oats, with the understanding and agreement that said plaintiff and this defendant should share equally in the profits and losses of said transaction; that it was required by said McKee that a certain amount of money be advanced by plaintiff and defendant upon said purchase; that this defendant was unable to furnish his part of said money, and it was then agreed between them that plaintiff would advance for the defendant [513]*513the sum necessary to be put up by him, and take this defendant’s note therefor,with Fremont Davis as surety thereon; that, pursuant to said agreement, plaintiff did advance for this defendant said money, with the agreement then made by and between them that said note should be for indemnity and to secure the plaintiff against loss by reason of said .transaction, in case said parties suffered loss by reason of decline in said oats purchased as aforesaid, and wdth the agreement that if there should be no loss then said note should not be enforced or payable, and that said note was executed pursuant to said agreement and understanding; that there was no loss on said transaction, but, on the contrary, when said oats were sold there was a net profit thereon in the sum of $1,500, this defendant’s portion thereof being $750; that the plaintiff collected the entire sum realized as profits on said oats deal, including the portion due this defendant, and retained, and still retains, the same.

The second paragraph avers that plaintiff and defendant purchased a large quantity of oats of one McKee, to hold the same as a speculation and venture, and to share equally the profits and losses thereon; that it became necessary in order to perfect said purchase and bind the bargain to advance a sum of money on said purchase ; that defendant -was unable to advánce the sum of money required of him, and thereupon the plaintiff advanced the whole sum required; that, to reimburse the plaintiff in case of loss, the defendant executed to him the note in suit for $300, with his co-defendant as surety thereon ; that, in case of a profit on said purchase to such an amount accruing to this defendant as equalled said note, it was agreed that plaintiff should collect the same and apply it to the satisfaction of said note, and to pay the defendant the residue of said profits if'any such residue existed; that a net profit of $1,400 was realized on said purchase; that the plaintiff collected said profits, and retained, and still retains, the same; that the share of de[514]*514fendant exceeds the amount due on said note, and that plaintiff has never paid the defendant, any part of the same.

The third paragraph of the answer is substantially the same as the first.

The fourth paragraph avers that the note in suit was given without any consideration.

The fifth paragraph is a plea of payment.

The sixth paragraph avers that about the time said note was executed, plaintiff and defendant had a deal in what is known as options, margins or futures ” ; that they entered into an agreement to purchase together, in the name of the plaintiff alone, a large quantity of oats, with the understanding and agreement that said plaintiff and defendant should share equally in the profits and losses in said transaction'; that, said transaction being carried on in the name of the plaintiff alone, it was required by McKee & Co., with whom plaintiff and defendant were dealing, that plaintiff should advance the sum of six hundred dollars as a margin to protect said deal; that said note was executed to secure the said plaintiff from loss on account of his advancement and payment of defendant’s half of said sum; that it was agreed between plaintiff and defendant that in the event no loss should be sustained by the plaintiff in said deal, then the defendant should not pay said note; that it was the rule of said McKee & Co. that in case of loss to parties dealing in options, futures or margins, the loss would never be greater than the amount of margins put up by the parties so dealing, and in case of profit to parties so dealing, the amount of the margins so put up was returned with the amount of the profits; that plaintiff did advance six hundred dollars as the margins on said oats deal; that there was a profit in said deal in the 'sum of fifteen hundred dollars, seven hundred and fifty dollars of which belonged to the defendant; that the plaintiff collected the whole amount thereof and retained and still retains the same.

The seventh paragraph avers that at the time of the ex[515]*515ecution of said note one Mel. McKee, under the name and style of McKee & Co., was operating in Columbus, Indiana, a place or institution commonly called a bucket-shop,” by and through which parties speculated in grain, such as wheat, oats, corn, and other things, such as hogs and lard, on what is commonly called margins, options or futures, by which parties gamed upon the future price of articles, and paid or secured at a future day the difference between the price of the article then and at the date of the contract; that at said time the plaintiff and this defendant were partners in an oats deal with and through the said McKee & Co., the said deal being made in the name of the plaintiff alone, the plaintiff and this defendant to share equally the profits and losses; that by and through the said McKee & Co. the said plaintiff at said time made an option contract for 30,000 bushels of oats for the plaintiff and this defendant; that the purchase-price of said oats was not paid, and it was not intended by any of the parties to said contract that the purchase-price thereof should be paid by the plaintiff and defendant, or either of them; that said oats were never delivered to the plaintiff, or to any one, by his authority, and it was not the intention of any of the parties to said contract that said oats should be delivered; that it was a venture or speculation upon the future price of oats, to be settled by paying or receiving at a future day the difference between the price of oats then and at the date of the contract; that the said McKee & Co. required of the plaintiff the sum of $600 as a margin to protect the said deal, and the said plaintiff paid the said sum of $600 as a margin on said deal, and took the note in suit for the defendant’s one-half thereof to indemnify him in case of loss; that the said sum of $300, the consideration of said note, was used by the plaintiff as an advancement of a margin to keep the payment of the difference in the price of oats under said contract secure, and for no other purpose ; that said deal in oats, or option contract, was a gambling contract, contrary to public policy, illegal and [516]*516void, and said note is illegal and void, and plaintiff ought not to recover thereon.

The court, on motion of the appellee, struck out the third and sixth paragraphs of the answer of the appellant Jacob Davis, and he excepted.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
21 N.E. 1112, 119 Ind. 511, 1889 Ind. LEXIS 323, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davis-v-davis-ind-1889.