Eubanks v. W. H. Hodges & Co.

180 So. 2d 922, 254 Miss. 376, 1965 Miss. LEXIS 956
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 13, 1965
DocketNo. 43721
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 180 So. 2d 922 (Eubanks v. W. H. Hodges & Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Eubanks v. W. H. Hodges & Co., 180 So. 2d 922, 254 Miss. 376, 1965 Miss. LEXIS 956 (Mich. 1965).

Opinion

Lee, C. J.

The bill of complaint in this cause was filed October 17, 1963 by W. H. Hodges & Company, a Louisiana corporation, and its substituted trustee, William E. Andrews, Jr., in the Chancery Court of Lamar County against P. T. Eubanks.

The grounds therefor were substantially that Eubanks, on July 11, 1962, for a valuable consideration, executed the promissory note and chattel deed of trust to the trustee therein named for the use and benefit of W. H. Hodges & Company to secure an indebtedness of $8,~ 328.24, as evidenced by certified copies of the instruments. One hundred and ninety-three head of cattle, as described in the deed of trust, were conveyed to the trustee, subject to a prior deed of trust in favor of another mortgagee. Payment thereof was due April 1, 1963. William E. Andrews was substituted in the place of the original trustee. Default was made in the payment of the indebtedness. The property was of such character [379]*379and class that it could not be specifically described so as to enable the trustee to replevy it. In addition, if the property was no longer in existence, or beyond the jurisdiction of the court, then the complainant was entitled to recover a money judgment for the amount of the note, interest thereon at the rate of 8% per annum, and attorney’s fees in the amount of 10% of the indebtedness. There was a prayer for the establishment of a lien, the possession of the property, and the award of a judgment, interest, and attorney’s fees in the amount demanded.

The answer of the defendant, in effect, denied that the note and deed of trust represented a valid indebtedness. It alleged that the property had been sold and disposed of; that the deed of trust was void and unenforceable; and that the complainants were entitled to no relief whatever. The defendant made his answer a cross bill and charged in effect that W. H. Hodges & Company, during 1959, furnished him a number of black angus cattle under a plan for reimbursement to the corporation to be effected through the increase of calves; that, when the first crop of 1960 calves began to show, it appeared that the cattle, so sent him, were contaminated with liver flukes and Bang’s disease; that in early 1961, he had the cows tested, and, at that time, a number of cows, brought to the farm by W. H. Hodges & Company, were reactors, and it was necessary to sell them at a loss; and that this infection spread, and finally, during 1962-63, it was necessary to dispose of the entire herd at great loss. He further charged that this loss was occasioned on account of the wilful and false representation of the complainant regarding the condition of the animals at the time of delivery to the farm. The prayer was for dismissal of the original bill, the award to him of actual damages in the sum of $23,620, less any credits that might be due as set-off, and punitive damages in the sum of $25,000.

[380]*380To the allegations of the cross bill, the complainants moved that the same be stricken and dismissed because, in effect, (1) the basis of the counterclaim related to transactions that occurred during 1959 and prior to July 11, 1962, and that the claim, involved in this cause, originated after any right, claim or defense that the defendant could have asserted and was therefore waived; and (2) the defendant, by his pleading, alleged and admitted that he discovered the alleged disease in the cattle early in the year 1961, but that thereafter on July 11, 1962 he executed the note and deed of trust, and this constituted a waiver of any defense which he might assert on the ground of fraud or lack of consideration of the note and deed of trust.

The decree, entered thereon, recited that “after hearing oral evidence, documentary testimony, and argument by counsel” for both parties “the counterclaim is denied, and the defendant is granted until March 16, 1964 to file his answer.”

Defendant’s amended answer contained substantially the same affirmative defense set out in the original answer and cross bill, and also averred that he had been charged in excess of 8% interest, thus subjecting the complainant to a forfeiture of all interest, and, besides, that he had not received full credits for all payments made by him.

P. T. Eubanks, called as an adverse witness, admitted that he signed the note in question dated July 11, 1962, and also the deed of trust of the same date. He stated that he did not, at that time, own a cow and has not had one since this trouble with Bang’s disease in 1963. The cattle are no longer in existence. He has made no payment on the July 11, 1962 note, and he made no claim of any payment since the suit was brought.

Ray Hodges, secretary-treasurer-general manager of W. H. Hodges & Company, offered in evidence the original note by Eubanks to W. H. Hodges & Company [381]*381of date of August 31, 1959 in the sum of $7,783.64. He explained that New Orleans Auto Buyers, Inc., had bought some cows for Eubanks, and that complainant paid that firm the amount stated in the note. In other words, the purchase of the cattle had been financed by the complainant and the cost of such cattle was the consideration for the note, which was the only evidence it had of the indebtedness. This note was renewed a number of times, as shown by the records which were offered by the witness. Finally, on July 11, 1962 Eubanks had his attorney to prepare the note, dated July 11, 1962, together with the accompanying deed of trust, executed the same, and mailed them to the complainant in New Orleans. The cattle were also named and described on the back of the ledger card of the July 11, 1962 note.

When the complainants rested, the defendant proposed to offer and prove by Dr. Whitfield that when the cattle were first tested, 28 cows were infected and the herd was quarantined. In the early part of 1963, the herd was again tested and 48 were found to be infected and could not be sold in interstate commerce. For that reason, their delivery to Eubanks by W. H. Hodges & Company constituted a fraud. There was the offer also to show by the defendant, evidence of the same factual situation.

The complainants objected to those offers because the defendant, by his own pleading, alleged and showed that he had knowledge of the existence of the alleged disease in the herd as early as 1960, two years prior to the execution of the note and deed of trust, and such defense, as might be claimed therefrom, had therefore been waived. This objection, on the part of the complainants, was sustained.

At the close of the evidence, while the chancellor made no separate finding of fact, the final decree particularized the finding, and pointed out clearly his idea on the issues before the court. In effect, he found that W. H. [382]*382Hodges & Company, a corporation, is the holder of a valid, legal, and outstanding promissory note, dated July 11, 1962, bearing interest from September 1, 1962, subject to a setoff of $401.91 as an overcharge of principal, together with credits of $1,752.33 and an offset of $276.02 on account of a finance charge, which he held was not proper for it to receive. The court fixed the attorney’s fee at $500. In other words, there was a decree for $7,650.31 together with interest thereon at 8% from September 1,1962 and an attorney’s fee of $500, aggregating a total of $8,150.31.

From the decreé entered, Eubanks appealed.

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Related

Eubanks v. W. H. Hodges & Co.
207 So. 2d 640 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1968)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
180 So. 2d 922, 254 Miss. 376, 1965 Miss. LEXIS 956, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/eubanks-v-w-h-hodges-co-miss-1965.