Dewey v. . Hotchkiss

30 N.Y. 497

• Court: New York Court of Appeals
• Decided: June 5, 1864
• Status: Published

Opinions

The only question made is whether the referee decided correctly in admitting the books in evidence on the part of the plaintiffs. This point would seem to have been distinctly disposed of by this court. In the case of Low v. Payne (4 Coms. 247), the court said: The rule undoubtedly is that the private entry of the party himself, in his favor, is not available to sustain a charge for cash lent, but only those entries which are made in the regular and usual course of his business. In that case, however, the books comprise a series of entries made in the usual course of business, in the midst of which, at considerable distances apart, are the two exceptionable items. The defendant made no proof, but would appropriate to himself the benefit of the credits appearing in his favor, upon the same books, while he denies to the plaintiff the full benefit of all his charges. The court below were right in the position held by them, that if the defendant would make the books evidence in his favor, he can not do so without taking the whole account together. The accounts are received in that case in like manner as the oral admissions of the party, the whole of which, or none, must be received. The defendant is precluded by it, unless he wholly disproves the items. In the case at bar the defendant availed himself of the plaintiffs' books, to establish certain credits in his favor. Clearly the plaintiff was at liberty to use the same books to show the amount of charges against the defendant, also contained therein. He can not use the books to establish credits in his favor, and uno flatu deny to the plaintiff the full benefit of the charges therein against him. He must take the whole or none, and having elected to put the books in evidence for his benefit, he can not be now permitted to deny the plaintiff the benefit of any charges therein in his favor.

In Pendleton v. Weed (17 N.Y. 72), upon the trial the plaintiff called a bookkeeper who testified that he had examined the books of the two firms of the defendants, and then referred to certain entries in the ledger, and also in the journal of one of the firms of the defendants. On his cross-examination, he testified that he had examined all their books that contained notes mentioned in the entries referred to would in a regular course of business be entered in the bill book, and that one of the entries referred to a cash book. The witness was then asked to turn to the cash book and read the entry referred to; also to the bill book, and read the corresponding entries in it in regard to the notes. Objection was made, but overruled by the court, and the plaintiff excepted, and the entries were read. The counsel for the plaintiff then called for the books of Rhodes, Weed Co., the other firm of defendants which were produced, and the bookkeeper read certain entries in the ledger and journal of that firm. On his cross-examination, the witness was permitted by the court, under an objection and exception, to read from the cash and check books of that firm, upon the subject of the payment of the judgment in controversy; the court ruling that the witness might read from any of the books that were kept cotemporaneously. In the opinion, concurred in by all the judges of this court except one, upon this point, it is said: The entries which were objected to as evidence, in the books of N. . H. Weed Co., proved nothing material beyond what had already been proved by the plaintiff; but in regard to all the entries, the reading of which was objected to, both those in the books of N. H. Weed Co., and those in the books of Rhodes, Weed Co., the plaintiffs having given in evidence entries in some of the books of each firm on the question of payment, it was proper to allow the defendants to refer to other entries on the same subject, about the same time, in other books essential to a complete system of bookkeeping then kept and used by those firms respectively. The books of each firm must be regarded as one for the purposes of evidence, and the question is the same as if the entries objected to had been in the same books with the entries used by the plaintiff. If a party uses books of account against his adversary, he makes them evidence for him on the same subject. They are like any declaration or admission, by writing or orally; if part is used, the whole relating to the same matter is admissible. In the case now under consideration the plaintiffs' offer was to read from the same books which the defendant had read from. The portions proposed to be read by the plaintiffs related to the same subject matter as the parts read by the defendant, namely, the dealings between the parties. The defendant had read entries forming a part of the plaintiffs' account with the defendant. Other entries, in the same books, containing items of said account were pertinent to a full understanding of the accounts and to their completeness. The defendant had read items of credit to him from the books, and it was clearly competent for the plaintiffs to read from the same books charges and entries, which showed that these credits had been exhausted by counter-charges of debts made at about the same time and afterwards.

No inquiry was or could have properly been made as to the handwriting of the entries in the plaintiffs' books put in evidence by the defendant. The inquiry would have been quite immaterial, as they did not derive their character as evidence from that circumstance, but from the fact that they were found in the books of the plaintiffs in the regular course of their business, and were, therefore, to be deemed and regarded as the acts and admissions of the plaintiffs themselves. It was of no importance, therefore, that the entries offered in evidence by the plaintiffs were in the handwriting of one of the plaintiffs. They were admissible, on the ground that the defendant had put in evidence a portion of the admissions made by the plaintiffs which were favorable to him, and it followed from thence that the plaintiffs were entitled to put in the residue which favored their views. It was wholly unimportant, whether the whole or any portion of the entries were in the hand-writing of the plaintiffs, or either of them. The judgment appealed from should be affirmed.