Deloach v. Jones

17 La. 447
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedJanuary 15, 1841
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 17 La. 447 (Deloach v. Jones) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Deloach v. Jones, 17 La. 447 (La. 1841).

Opinion

Simon, J.

delivered the opinion of the court.

In this case, an attachment was issued at the suit of a resident of the State of Tennessee, against a citizen of the State of Arkansas. Thomas B. [640]*640Lee & Go., of the city of New Orleans, were made garnishees, and answered the interrogatories propounded to them by the plaintiff, as follows: 1st. That they did receive 208 bales of cotton, marked E. B., per steamer Oampté. [449] 2d. That they believe the cotton was made in the State of Arkansas, and was shipped, as the annexed bill of lading shows, by E. Britton. 3d. (After objecting to answer this interrogatory) they state, that they believe that said cotton was made on defendant’s plantation; that the Beal Estate Bank of the State of Arkansas, at Washington, in said State, owns said cotton, and that the same belongs to said bank. And 4th. That T. B. Lee & Oo. have the proceeds of said cotton in their control, and that it is sufficient to pay the claim of the plaintiff, as set forth in his petition.

On the first of May, 1840, the president and directors of the Branch of the Beal Estate Bank of the State of Arkansas, at Washington, intervened, and alleged that the attachment in this suit having been sued out against the property of Isaac M. Jones, was levied upon the proceeds of 208 bales of cotton, in the hands of T. B. Lee & Oo., by making them garnishees. That said cotton was shipped by the intervenors’ agent, E. Britton, for their use and benefit, and consigned to the house of Lee & Oo., by said Britton, (they refer to the bill of lading,) to secure the payment of a draft drawn by Jones on said Lee & Oo. for $10,201, payable at the Mew Orleans Oanal and Banking Company, due 3d of March, 1840, belonging to the intervenors, and that the proceeds of said cotton belongs to the intervenors, in virtue of the delivery to and possession of said cotton by their said agent, for the purpose of applying the same to the payment of the draft; and that, according to the laws of Arkansas, where the cotton was delivered, they are entitled to the said proceeds, and have a right to apply the same to the payment of said draft, by privilege, and in preference to plaintiff’s claim. They pray accordingly. Plaintiff answered the petition of intervention, by pleading the general issue, and denying specially the intervenors’ alleged privilege or lien on the property attached. There was judgment below in favor of the plaintiff against the defendant for $2500, and in favor of the intervenors for the proceeds of the cotton attached; and the plaintiff, after having vainly attempted to obtain a new trial, took the present appeal.

[450] The facts of the case are merely these: Plaintiff, as the surety of the defendant, paid a debt of his to the amount of $2500, balance due on a note of hand payable on the 12th of August, 1837. In August, 1839, the defendant, whose property was under seizure, made application for assistance to the Beal Estate Bank of Arkansas, and obtained the advance of a certain sum of money ($9,658), to pay the seizing creditor, whereupon the defendant executed the following instrument: “ Whereas, the Beal Estate Bank of the State of Arkansas, at the branch thereof at Washington, Arkansas, has this day advanced and paid over to me the sum of nine thousand, six hundred and fifty-eight dollar’s, and in order to secure the'prompt, e*arly and punctual payment thereof to said bank, I have granted, bargained and sold, and by these presents do grant, bargain and sell unto the said Beal Estate Bank, all of my crop of cotton raised by me at my plantation in Lost Prairie, Lafayette County, Arkansas. And I hereby agree with said bank, and bind and obligate [641]*641myself to pick, gin and bale said cotton crop at tbe earliest possible day, and mark tbe same in tbe name of Edwin Britton, (wbo is tbe mutual agent of myself and said bank in tbe premises,) and deliver tbe same to said Britton on tbe bank of Bed Biver, opposite to my plantation in Lost Prairie, Lafayette County, Arkansas; and tbe said Britton is to skip tbe same at my expense and charges to New Orleans, to tbe commission house of Thomas B. Lee & Co., of the city of New Orleans, to be by them sold, and the proceeds thereof to be paid over by tbe said T. B. Lee & Co. to tbe said Edwin Brit-ton, agent as aforesaid, and by him applied to tbe payment of the said sum of $9,658 aforesaid, and tbe residue, if any, to be paid over by said bank to me. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 28th of August, 1839. (Signed) Isaac H. Jones.” Britton was tbe cashier of tbe bank. On tbe day after said instrument was executed, as a means of repaying tbe sum advanced, Jones made bis draft in favor of 'Wilson & Paup on T. B. Lee & Co. for $10,201, payable at six months, at the New Orleans Canal and Banking Company, (the amount of said draft, interest off, [451] being tbe sum so advanced by the bank of Arkansas,) which draft was indorsed by the said Wilson and Paup, and by Jones himself. In pursuance of the said agreement, about two or three weeks previous to tbe shipment, the cotton crop (208 bales) were placed by Jones on the bank of Bed Biver, marked with the initials E. B. The cashier was about tbe same time informed by Jones, that said cotton was so placed there, ready for shipment; and accordingly, on tbe 5th of March, 1840, said cashier, as accredited agent of the bank, shipped tbe same, for the specific purpose of paying tbe sum advanced. The bill of lading shows that the 208 bales of cotton wore shipped by and in tbe name of Edwin Britton, and consigned to T. B. Lee & Co. These facts are corroborated by the testimony of other witnesses, and by tbe answers of tbe garnishees to the plaintiff’s interrogatories. There is also evidence, from which it may be strongly inferred, that the plaintiff knew and approved of the arrangement between tbe defendant and the Bank of Arkansas some time before tbe cotton was shipped; that be was aware of the application of Jones to the bank, and of the assignment of the crop of cotton for tbe purpose of reimbursing tbe amount of the sum advanced; that be said be was pleased the bank had raised the money for Jones; and that one or two days previous to the attachment, plaintiff was apprised by T. B. Lee that be had received tbe cotton, and was directed by tbe cashier of tbe bank to pay the proceeds into the Oanal Bank.

Tbe first objection made to tbe intervenors’ right of recovery is that the bank had no power or authority to enter into such contract by the laws of the State of Arkansas. Tbe charter of tbe Beal Estate Bank of Arkansas is not before us, but it has been admitted that it was duly and legally incorporated by the legislature of said State; if so, as a bank, tbe institution has undoubtedly tbe power to loan money, and it is conceded, that, as anincidont thereto, it bad tbe power to take security. It is contended however that the bank could not bind itself to the obligations of conveying cotton to market, [452] and to act in tbe capacity of carriers. This objection, it seems to us is untenable : tbe appellant’s counsel appears to confound tbe means with tbe object. [642]

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Bluebook (online)
17 La. 447, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/deloach-v-jones-la-1841.