Findley v. Richards

93 Iowa 789
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedDecember 18, 1894
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 93 Iowa 789 (Findley v. Richards) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Findley v. Richards, 93 Iowa 789 (iowa 1894).

Opinion

Deemer, J.

The plaintiff is the receiver of the Osceola Bank, and he brings this suit against the defendant to recover a sum of money which he claims the defendant had received from the bank, and which was charged to the defendant on the books of the bank as an overdraft. The defendant denies that he had and received any money from the bank, and avers that he closed his account with it on the eighth day of November, 1887. and that since that time he has neither kept nor authorized any one to keep an account for him with the bank. He denies having received any money from the bank after that date, except in the form of drafts issued by said bank, to persons who owed him, who may have purchased drafts of the bank in the customary manner. Denies any overdraft from the bank. Admits there appears upon the bank books an account against him, but denies the bank had any authority to make either the charges or credits appearing thereon. He avers that on November 11, 1887, one George H. Cowles was indebted to him as maker and guarantor upon a large amount of paper, and that the bank was also largely indebted to him upon notes which he had purchased of the bank, [790]*790through lais agent, Jo-lmson W. Richards, and which were guarantied by the bank. He further ayers that on November 11, 1887, said Cowles individually sent him a draft for one thousand five hundred dollars, accompanied with a letter of instructions, which we will hereafter refer to, and that in accordance with said letter he caused to be credited the said sum of one thousand five hundred dollars, as therein directed, and retained the balance to apply on the notes of George H. Cowles. He alleges that this transaction was wholly with George H. Cowles, and that the bank had no right or authority to make any charge against him because thereof, as he was not a borrower from, nor did he authorize any one to borrow from, the bank for him; and that all the charges made against him on the books of the bank were wrongful -and unauthorized. He also avers that certain credits appearing upon the bank books were wholly unauthorized. George M. Boggs intervened in the case, but his petition was dismissed, and no appeal taken. We need not consider his claims. After defendant had disclaimed the credits appearing on the bank books, the plaintiff amended his petition, increasing the claim in his petition by the amount of the credits thus repudiated. The Jury, on the issues thus Joined, returned a verdict for plaintiff, and defendant appeals.

The facts in the case are not seriously in dispute. The difficulties lie in the inferences to be drawn from these facts, and in the application of the law thereto. It is conceded by all parties that prior to about November 21, 1888, a corporation known as the Osceola Bank was doing a general banking business in the town of Osceola, with John W. Richards its president, George H. Cowles its vice president, and C. H. Currier its cashier. Cowles was the active business manager of the bank, and was also quite largely engaged in other business. Richards had but little to do with the active management of the bank. The defendant, Seth W. Richards, is a man of large means, and prior to November 8, 1887, had had an account with the bank, his balance being at all times quite large. John W. Richards acted as agent in the transaction of his business. On the thirty-first day of October, 1887, defendant revoked the agency of John W. Richards, and on November eighth closed his account with the bank, the bank sending him a draft for the balance to his credit at that time. Prior to the time he closed his account with the bank he had discounted a large amount of paper for Cowles individually and for the bank. About the twenty-second day of November, 1886, he discounted for the bank a large number of notes known as the “Canny sale notes,” which the bank guarantied, and agreed to repurchase after eleven months from date. During the year .1887 the defendant also rediscounted for the bank a note of E. W. Bingman & Son for the sum of five thousand and four dollars, and another note of one Eowler for the sum of three thousand nine hundred and [791]*791six dollars and sixty-nine cents, and another of four thousand dollars, signed by one Painter, all of which were guarantied by the bank. Other notes were rediscounted by defendant for the bank upon the bank’s guaranty. During this time the defendant held notes of George H. Cowles for four thousand dollars and five thousand dollars, upon which C. H. Cowles, the father of George H., was surety; also a note of W. C. Needles & Co., signed by George H. Cowles as comaker, for five thousand dollars. He had also rediscounted for George H. Cowles individually ai note for four thousand five hundred dollars, made by one Bond, and another for two thousand dollars, made by one Boggs. This business was conducted for defendant largely, if not wholly, by his nephew, John W. Richards, and the papers were left, up until the time of the dissolution of the agency, with John W. Richards or the bank. About the time of the termination of the agency, defendant withdrew from the bank all his papers, notes, etc., and soon thereafter deposited them with the Iowa National Bank of Ottumwa for collection; and from and after this time kept his account with the Ottumwa Bank. About the time he received the remittance for the balance of his account with the Osceola Bank defendant wrote a letter to John W. Richards with reference to wanting some money. The letter itself we do not have, a'nd can only judge of its contents from what follows. This letter John W. Richards turned over to George H. Cowles, and Cowles answered it by the following communication:

“Osceola Bank of Geo. H. Cowles. Osceola, Iowa, Nov. 11th, 1887. Seth Richards, Esq.., Ottumwa — Dear Sir: John Richards shows me your letter of‘the 9th, saying you want same money. Inclosed I hand you draft for one thousand five hundred dollars, which I debit you on account. You may send us the following notes, and we will give you credit:

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Related

Richards v. Cowles
75 N.W. 648 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1898)

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Bluebook (online)
93 Iowa 789, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/findley-v-richards-iowa-1894.