Field v. Noblett

56 N.E. 841, 154 Ind. 357, 1900 Ind. LEXIS 46
Indiana Supreme Court·Decided March 15, 1900·No. No. 18,665·Published·Cited by 18 cases

Opinion

Monks, J.

Appellee sued upon a note executed by appellant Eebruary 14, 1891, and to foreclose á mortgage securing the same executed by appellant and her husband. The complaint was in two paragraphs against appellant; her husband having deceased before the commencement of the action. An answer in five paragraphs was filed, the first being a general denial. Appellee’s demurrer for want of facts to each paragraph of said answer except the first was sustained as to the second, and third, and overruled as to the fourth, and fifth. A reply was filed, and the case, being at issue, was tried by the court, and a finding made in favor of appellee; and, over a motion by appellant for a new trial, judgment was rendered in favor of appellee against appellant on said note and a decree of foreclosure on said mortgage. The errors assigned, and not waived, call in question the action of the court in sustaining appellee’s demurrer to the third paragraph of answer, and in overruling appellant’s motion for a new trial.

It is alleged in the first paragraph of complaint, in substance, that appellant, on Eebruary 14, 1891, by her note of that date, which is filed with and made a part hereof, and marked Exhibit A, promised to pay appellee $3,000, with interest at six per cent, per annum from date; that said note is now due and wholly unpaid; that at the same time appellant and her husband, Joseph J. Eield (then in full life, but now deceased), executed to appellee a mortgage, a copy of which is filed with and made a part hereof, and marked Exhibit B, to secure the payment of said note upon the following real estate (describing it). Prayer for judgment and decree of foreclosure. The same facts are alleged in [359] the second paragraph, and it is also averred that “the said plaintiff, at the special instance and request of said defendant, loaned her the sum of $3,000; that prior to making said loan to said defendant she informed him (said plaintiff) that she wanted to borrow said sum of $3,000 for her own use and benefit; that he on said day paid over to said defendant, in her own proper person, said sum of $3,000.” It was also averred in said paragraph that the real estate described in the mortgage was the separate property of appellant.

It was alleged in the third paragraph of answer that “the said defendant at the time the,note and mortgage sued on were executed was the owner in fee simple of the real estate described in said mortgage; that at the time said note and mortgage were executed she was a married woman, the wife of Joseph J. Eield; that the note was given for the debt of her said husband; and she says she signed the same as his surety, receiving no part of the consideration for the same, and that she executed said mortgage solely to secure his said debt; that she did not receive any consideration for said note and mortgage, nor did the same inure to the benefit of herself or her estate.”

In an action on a note and mortgage executed by a man and his wife, the rule in this State is that, if it appears from the allegations in the complaint that the mortgage is upon the separate real estate of the wife, it must also be shown by proper allegations that the contract was one the wife had power to make; in other words, that she was principal, and not surety, ok the complaint will not b.e sufficient to withstand a separate demurrer of the wife for want of facts. The burden of proving such facts is upon the plaintiff in such case. Crisman v. Leonard, 126 Ind. 202, 203, and cases cited; Vogel v. Leichner, 102 Ind. 55; Cupp v. Campbell, 103 Ind. 213, 217-223. But when the complaint is upon a note executed by the wife alone, and secured by a mortgage upon her separate real estate, there is no presumption that she is-surety, and the burden is upon her to allege and prove that [360] she executed the note and mortgage as surety, and not as principal, and the complaint in such case is sufficient, although no special facts showing that she was principal, and not surety, are alleged. Crisman v. Leonard, supra, and cases cited; Miller v. Shields, 124 Ind. 166. As the note sued upon was executed by appellant alone, it is clear, under the rule stated, that as to each paragraph of the complaint the burden was upon her to aver and prove that she was surety and not principal.

The allegations in the second paragraph that appellant solicited the loan and represented that it was for her own use and benefit, and that appellant paid the same over to her, may be true, and appellant’s contract be one of suretyship only. It is settled in this State that whether or not a married woman is surety will be determined, not from the form of the contract, nor from the basis upon which the transaction was had, but from an inquiry as to whether or not the wife received, in person or estate, the benefit of the consideration upon which the contract rests. Vogel v. Leichner, 102 Ind. 55, 60; Nixon v. Whitely, etc., Co., 120 Ind. 360, 362, and cases cited; Crisman v. Leonard 126 Ind. 202, 203; Lackey v. Boruff, 152 Ind. 371, 376, and cases cited.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Field v. Noblett, 56 N.E. 841, 154 Ind. 357, 1900 Ind. LEXIS 46 (Ind. 1900).

56 N.E. 841 (Field v. Noblett) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Cartwright v. State
289 N.E.2d 763 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1972)
Ferguson v. Cleveland, Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis Railway Co.
122 N.E. 14 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1919)
Gillett v. Citizens National Bank
104 N.E. 775 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1914)
Taylor v. Griner
104 N.E. 607 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1914)
Calahan v. Dunker
99 N.E. 1021 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1912)
Davis v. Neighbors
73 N.E. 151 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1905)
Bartholomee v. Town of Lowell
72 N.E. 1030 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1905)
Penn Mutual Life Insurance v. Norcross
72 N.E. 132 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1904)
Coulter v. Bradley
71 N.E. 903 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1904)
Harbaugh v. Tanner
71 N.E. 145 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1904)
Webb v. John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance
66 L.R.A. 632 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1904)
John C. Groub Co. v. Smith
68 N.E. 1030 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1903)
Guy v. Liberenz
65 N.E. 186 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1902)
Cook v. Buhrlage
64 N.E. 603 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1902)
Andrysiak v. Satkoski
63 N.E. 854 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1902)
Beidenkoff v. Brazee
61 N.E. 954 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1901)