Erickson v. Gregory

275 Ill. App. 286, 1934 Ill. App. LEXIS 403
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedApril 25, 1934
DocketGen. No. 8,566
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 275 Ill. App. 286 (Erickson v. Gregory) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Erickson v. Gregory, 275 Ill. App. 286, 1934 Ill. App. LEXIS 403 (Ill. Ct. App. 1934).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Huffman

delivered the opinion of the court.

Appellant, Albert Gregory, was a motorman on the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin Bailway. He lived at Wheaton, Illinois, and was the husband of appellant, Grace B. Gregory. Appellee lived at Elmhurst, Illinois. One spring day in the year 1923, appellee was at the station in Elmhurst when appellant brought his train of electric cars to a stop. Appellee at this time was holding a bouquet of flowers. She took one and tossed it up to appellant with the remark, “Here is a flower for the motorman.” Appellant thanked appellee for her favor. This chance meeting ripened into a warm friendship between appellee and the appellant husband, which continued until the spring of 1926. During this time the evidence shows that appellee and appellant would see each other from time to time, upon which occasions they would discuss flowers and gardening, and would exchange bulbs with each other at appropriate seasons of the year; and that appellee would bring pie and cake, and upon one occasion roast duck, to appellant at the station, where the same were delivered to him for his enjoyment.

This platonic friendship continued until the spring of 1926, as aforesaid, when upon one night, appellant’s wife, Grace R. Gregory, took the family car and drove to the lodge hall where appellant was supposed to be attending a lodge meeting. Upon her arrival at the lodge hall, she was advised by appellant’s fraternal brothers that he had not been to lodge that night. Whereupon appellant, Grace R. Gregory, returned home, and upon the husband’s return, a stormy session was had, wherein the husband admitted to the wife that he had spent the evening at the home of appellee, and further confessed to the acquaintance and friendship with appellee as above set out.

Upon the following morning Grace R. Gregory went to the home of appellee and advised appellee that she knew her husband had been there the night before, and that she had come to settle with appellee. It is claimed by appellee that the said wife stated appellee’s property was worth $14,000 and thereupon demanded the sum of $5,000. The evidence shows repeated and continued visits and messages from the said wife to appellee. Appellee claims the wife stated she was going to make the husband sign over to her everything he had, and divorce him, and make appellee pay her $5,000; that the wife threatened her, stating that she was not born and raised in Canada for nothing; that she was a pretty straight shot; and unless appellee made settlement as demanded there would be a terrible tragedy. The evidence further shows that the wife stated she was going to take appellee’s home away from her in addition to the $5,000, and that she was going to get her job at the Hillman Department Store in Chicago. The evidence shows that the wife did go to the above store where she created a scene. It appears that the wife took appellee from her residence to the home of appellants, in appellants ’ car, and there in the presence of the husband, Albert Gregory, procured an instrument which she stated to appellee was a note, and appellee claims she was there caused to sign the note in the sum of $5,000, because of the threats of the said wife, with the husband present. It is apparent from this record that the husband acquiesced in the conduct of the wife and submitted to such demands and directions as she made. However, the evidence does disclose that the husband when outside of the presence of the wife, in referring to her would use most opprobrious and shocking terms.

After the giving of the note as aforesaid, the conduct and methods employed by the appellant wife continued until appellee gave to said appellant her check for $5,000 in lieu of said note. Appellee claims the said wife advised her that she was a former deputy sheriff, and read to her from a law book for about 15 minutes, all of which appellee claims she did not understand. The evidence shows the wife stated she had not yet found out just how much she was damaged, and that she would have to dig it out of Albert. Albert, upon the trial of the cause, insisted that the friendship between himself and the appellee consisted only of discussions regarding flowers and gardening, together with the exchange of bulbs as aforesaid; and with appellee occasionally bringing food to him, as above set out. He did, however, claim that he and appellee were guilty of one act of indiscretion in the spring of 1925.

Appellee’s check to the appellant, Grace R. Gregory, was presented by appellant to the bank upon which it was drawn, and there paid, on June 11, 1926. The proceeds of this check were deposited to the joint account of appellants, and $4,500 of the money was applied to the payment of a note of which appellants were makers.

Appellee instituted this suit against appellants for the recovery of said money on June 11, 1931. It is insisted by appellants that the statute of limitations had run, but we are of the opinion that appellee had until midnight of June 11, 1931, to bring her suit. Crowley v. Methodist Book Concern, 323 Ill. 215, 216, 220. The check was dated a day or two prior to the day it was cashed, but par. 210 of ch. 98, Cahill’s St. 1931, provides that, “A check of itself does not operate as an assignment of any part of the funds to the credit of the drawer with the bank, and the bank is not liable to the holder, unless and until it accepts or certifies the check.” We therefore do not consider that .payment took place until the day appellants presented the check at the bank and received payment thereof.

Appellants also urge for reversal the fact that in the beginning of this suit, Thomas Gregory, Albert’s brother, was made a party defendant, due to the fact he drove the car for appellant, Grace R. Gregory. Thomas Gregory did not share in any of the money paid and did not endeavor to coerce appellee into the payment of this money. He was dismissed out of the suit at the time of the hearing. Appellants insist this constitutes reversible error because after the dismissal of said defendant, the declaration was not amended; urging that it is improper to dismiss one defendant alleged to be jointly liable, and continue as to the other defendants, without amending the declaration. It does not appear, however, that the appellants made any objection to the dismissal of this defendant and did not object to the testimony offered in the case on the grounds of a variance. No such motion being interposed, nor the point being made in the trial court, where appellee could have amended her declaration, we do not consider the same to now constitute reversible error. Harris v. Humphrey & Co., 103 Ill. App. 45, 47; Mayer v. Brensinger, 180 Ill. 110, 118; Teich v. Ayer, 213 Ill. App. 41, 45.

Appellants urge reversal because of the refusal of the trial court to give appellants’ offered instruction number eight, but upon examination, we find that this instruction is covered by appellants’ given instructions, numbered three and four.

Appellants complain as to appellee’s given instruction number one, which was as follows:

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Bluebook (online)
275 Ill. App. 286, 1934 Ill. App. LEXIS 403, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/erickson-v-gregory-illappct-1934.