Farmers' Bank v. Strohecker

9 Watts 237
CourtSupreme Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMay 15, 1840
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 9 Watts 237 (Farmers' Bank v. Strohecker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Farmers' Bank v. Strohecker, 9 Watts 237 (Pa. 1840).

Opinion

The opinion>0Fthe courtwas;delivere.d by

Houston, J;

This case has,, been, twice before,- this court, see 6 Watts. 96, and 8 Watts 188. At-the-first trial-most.of; the. facts now in. evidence, were, given, but: all the. points, made-now .were not then, raised.;: at the second: trial, the whole ease- was not gone into. The:- statement in the first.' report; will show that this, court did.not decide all the. points, which arose, in, the second-and-, in-this trial. It very often occurs that on a second, trial, .evidence - is addm ced not known of, or not produced-at .the first. The facts will then be different-; and of course the-law which always, depends o.n-.the facts, may be.different;, or,.as occurred in. t-his-case,. points-of; law, may be raised, at a; second trial not-, mentioned at the first.. At* the first trial; the power, of attorney was.objected tp,.bee.ause;dated- 31st August 1S30, and by the almanac that was on Sunday, and, a-witr ness swore it w.as executed on-Sunday.- Therewere-two -witnesses to it, and it was acknowledged the-same day before-a-justice—none of these were called, and for this reason this: matter was left [244]*244for further proof, as the case was to go back, for other reasons stated in the opinion. When it came back, we heard no objection to the execution by Daniel and Leah Strohecker—but objection was made to the manner in which John Strohecker acting under that power executed the assignment of the bond—and it was decided not to be such as to transfer the legal right to the bank.

The bank having only an equitable interest in the bond, the question was made, whether it could take the money in court from Leah Strohecker, to whom, as a daughter of John Garber, the land was bound for her share of his estate, if it was considered as taken by William Sharman—or whose interest in the land remained in her, if it was considered as taken at the appraisement by Daniel Strohecker, her husband—all the heirs of John Garber released to Sharman except Daniel Strohecker and wife.

The bank called Benjamin Davis, now cashier, who proved there was a note put into the bank in December 1S15, for 2050 dollars, endorsed by John Garber and John Strohecker—that in the following year John Strohecker was the drawer and John Garber indorser, and in 1820 one of the young Garbers was indorser; (he note was renewed from time to time—in 1820,it was for 1672 dollars,and due on the 1st August and was paid off 14th September 1820—and is not now in bank. On his cross examination, he said something about the money having been got first on the note to pay Grant; this was objected to as being improper, as leading to testimony which would be a part of the defence of defendant, and Ellmaker and Buckley were cited. This case seems to have been in great request in that county last year. It may be very improper when a witness is called to state a particular fact, to lead him to a full statement of defendant’s case, which is not yet open to the court and jury; but it is not error to permit him to answer on his cross-examination a single question closely connected with what he has proved, even if the answer may make in favor of the party putting the question.

John L. Hiester was called next, and after stating what passed when John Strohecker gave the bond to the bank, he was asked whether the officers of the bank had not called on William Sharman, the obligor in the assigned bond, and he had stated he had no defence to the bond and would pay it if the bank took an assignment of it; this was objected to as irrelevant, was rejected and exception taken; and it was clearly irrelevant. The bank had sued Sharman and got judgment, and he had paid 750 dollars on it; when his land was sold on another judgment, and the money in court, and this a suit about the application of the money, there could be no use in proving what was asked; it was at best an attempt to incumber the case with that which was .entirely immaterial.

The assignment of the bond of Sharman, concluded as follows:— “ And in case the same cannot be recovered of the within named William Sharman, then I do promise and agree to pay the amount [245]*245thereof, together with all charges thereupon accruing, unto the Farmers’ Bank of Reading aforesaid, or their assigns. Witness.my hand and seal. September 14, A. D. 1820. Signed and scaled by John Strohecker. Sealed and delivered in presence of two witnesses.

Defendants then opened their case, and'called Benjamin Davis again, who stated—John Strohecker owns twenty-eight shares of stock in the Farmers’ Bank of Reading, in his own name; he was an original stockholder—thirty dollars have been paid on each share—shares were 50 dollars each—Strohecker’s estate owes the bank 45 dollars and interest from 12th January 1835—twenty-one dividends are not paid over, none paid since November 182.9—divi-dends amount to 676 dollars and 20 cents—interest on the dividends to this time exceeds 200 dollars. To this, plaintiff objected.; the objection was overruled and exception taken. It will be-seen by recurring to this case in 8 Watts 188, that it was to be inquired into, whether the power of attorney given to assign this bond, was for a good and valuable consideration, or voluntary and without consideration.; if the latter, and John Strohecker got the bond without consideration, he had obligated himself to pay the bank, if the money could not be got from Sharman. The bank, by act of assembly, had John Strohecker’s stock and dividend bound for this debt, and this suit is in fact to ascertain whether-they shall be paid by Leah Strohecker, out of her father’s estate not yet received, or by John Strohecker. It was then- proper to prove, that the bank had in its hands funds of John. Strohecker, who was alleged to be, and who plaintiff undertook to prove, was, the debtor in honesty and conscience. There was no error in receiving the testimony.

The witness continued—William Sharman paid at several times, in April 1822, 500 dollars, and in November 1822, 250 dollars, in all 750 dollars on this bond; when the bond was transferred to the bank, John Strohecker by it paid a note of240 dollars. Daniel Strohecker was not on that note, nor on the 45 dollar note still due.

So that Daniel was not liable for any of the debts which the bond on Sharman went or was intended to go in satisfaction. Daniel in 1S15, was drawer on the large note first given, but on the renewal; it was drawn by John Strohecker, his father, and endorsed by John Garber his father-in-law, and, after his death by John Garber the son. Mr Davis had said something about the money being intended to pay Grant. The next two bills of exceptions were to evidence which will be stated, and which conduced to prove, that though Daniel at first entered into articles with Mr Grant, yet it was for his father and father-in-law, who received the deed and paid the money.

Defendant offered a deed from the executors of Mr Grant, dated 14th of June 1816,. to John, Garber and John Strohecker,. for 275 acres and 61 perches of land, for the consideration of 16,503 dollars and 33 cents.

Defendant next offered in evidence the deposition of George [246]*246Grant, as follows:—In pursuance of the above rule, &c., &c., &c., being first sworn, doth depose and say:—“ Daniel Strohecker first agreed to purchase from my father a tract of land nearly opposite Derrstown, in the county of Northumberland. He paid to my father about 480 dollars, that was all he ever paid. The executors of Thomas Grant (of whom witness was one) made a deed to 'John Garber and John Strohecker.

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Related

Strohecker v. Farmers' Bank
6 Pa. 41 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1847)

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Bluebook (online)
9 Watts 237, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/farmers-bank-v-strohecker-pa-1840.