Finley v. First State Bank

13 Tenn. App. 128
Court of Appeals of Tennessee·Decided January 17, 1931·Published

Opinion

CROWNOYER, J.

The original bill in this cause was filed to have a judgment of the Circuit Court of Cannon County, in favor of the First State Bank and against I. C. Howeth, personally, and as administrator of R. B. Howeth, deceased, set aside on the grounds of fraud, accident and mistake, and to recover the amount that had been collected on said judgment.

On July 23, 1927, Eunice Mildred Finley (one of the heirs of R. B. Howeth, deceased), a minor, by her next friend, filed this bill in the Chancery Court of Cannon County to have an administrator ad litem appointed to properly represent the interests of the estate of R. B. Howeth, deceased; to have said judgment set aside on the grounds of failure of consideration and because I. C. Howeth forged the name of R. B. Howeth on the two notes to the bank, which bank fraudulently obtained a judgment on said notes in the Circuit Court against R. B. Howeth’s estate; to have said cause re-tried and to recover all moneys collected from the estate of R. B. Howeth, deceased, on said judgment.

The First State Bank became insolvent on or about August 8, 1923, and H. L. Grigsby, Superintendent of Banks for the State of Tennessee, was appointed receiver, hence he was made a defendant in this case.

Defendants, Jesse Davenport, First State Bank and H. L. Grigs-by, Receiver, filed demurrers to the bill, and later filed answers.

The court appointed Walter Hancock administrator ad litem for the estate of R. B. Howeth, deceased, and he filed an answer and a cross bill, making the First State Bank and H. L. Grigsby, Receiver, defendants to the cross-bill, in which he asked that said judgment be set aside and he asked for a recovery of the money collected, as prayed in the original bill.

Depositions were taken by both sides, and on January 8, 1930, the cause was heard upon the pleadings, proof and stipulations filed.

The Chancellor found and held that R. B. Howeth directed I. C. Howeth to sign his name to the two notes upon which judgment was rendered in the Circuit Court, and that R. B. Howeth was an [130] accommodation surety for bis son, I. C. Howeth, who executed the notes to the bank for borrowed money and to cover overdrafts.

The Chancellor found that I. C. Howeth did not forge his father’s name to the two notes, that R. B. Howeth was an accommodation endorser, and there was no fraud on the part of the bank in obtaining the judgment in the Circuit Court.

The Chancellor dismissed the original bill and cross-bill, but rendered judgment against the defendant, I. C. Howeth, in the sum of $13,509.23 and the costs of the suit.

From the Chancellor’s decree the complainant and the administrator ad litem appealed to this court and have assigned errors, which are, in substance, as follows:

“The Chancellor erred in dismissing complainant’s bill and the cross-bill of the administrator ad litem:
“(1) Because there was no evidence to support the findings and the decree of the Chancellor.
“(2) Because the judgment in the Circuit Court against I. C. Howeth, administrator of the estate of R. B. Howeth, deceased, was based upon two notes, one for $3481.42, and the other for $5012.88, sued on, and the name of R. B. Howeth, deceased, nowhere appears on said two notes.
“ (3) Because the signature of R. B. Howeth to the two notes sued on, was forged, or was signed thereon without his authority or consent.
“(4) Because as to said note for $3481.42, if signed by R. B. Howeth, or if his signature was authorized, the same was attached to said note long after it had been executed, delivered and accepted by the bank, and he was merely an accommodation surety thereon, hence the note was executed by him without consideration and is not binding on his estate, and therefore the judgment based thereon was void.
“ (5) Because, as to the note for $5012.88, if signed by R. B. Howeth, or if his signature was authorized, the same was attached to said note long after it had been executed, delivered and accepted by the bank, and he was merely an accommodation surety thereon, hence the note was executed by him without consideration and is not binding on his estate, and therefore the judgment based thereon was void.
“ (6) Because the time of payment was extended many times after maturity of said notes and after the death of the accommodation surety, R. B. Howeth.
“(7) Because there was collusion between the First State Bank and I. C. Howeth to have the name of R. B. Howeth signed on said two notes and in extending the time of payment beyond the dates of maturity, without the knowledge and consent of R. B. Howeth, which released his estate.”

[131]*1311. "We are of the opinion that there was not only evidence to support the decree of the Chancellor, but that the preponderance of the evidence was in favor of his decree.

I. C. Howeth was a merchant of Cannon County. His father, R. B. Howeth, was a well-to-do farmer of that county. I. C. Howeth had a bank account in the First State Bank of Woodbury in Cannon County.

Some time in the year 1918 I. C. Howeth acquired the morphine habit as the result of illness, and was a morphine addict. During the years from 1918 to 1923 he was to some extent under the influence or morphine, and it is claimed could not properly look after his affairs, which fact was well known in that community.

The bank was in the habit of permitting I. C. Howeth to overdraw his account and then requiring him to come in, and execute notes for the overdraft.

On February 15, 1920, a note of I. C. Howeth’s for $3481.42 fell due, and a note for this amount with $140 interest added to the face of it, making $3621.42, dated February 15, 1920, due in six months, was filled out and delivered to the bank, but was not accepted, and on June 28, 1920, I. C. Howeth signed this note and his father, R. B. Howeth, authorized I. C. Howeth to sign his name to said note as surety.

On June 28, 1920, I. C. Howeth executed another note to the bank, a new note, for $5012.88, due in ninety days. Hi's father, R. B. Howeth, was present and authorized I. C. Howeth to sign his name as surety to this note. The two notes thus executed were delivered to and accepted by the bank at that time.

When the $3621.42 note fell due on August 15, 1920, the time of payment was extended one year, on payment of interest, to August 15, 1921, and afterwards the time of payment was extended, on payment of interest, to August 15, 1922.

When the $5012.88 note fell due, on September 28, 1920, the time of payment was extended to December 30, 1922, on payment of interest.

R. B. Howeth died intestate in December, 1920, and I. C. Howeth qualified as his administrator.

In January, 1923, the bank brought suit on said notes in the Circuit Court of Cannon County against I. C. Howeth, individually, and as administrator of the estate of R. B. Howeth, deceased. No defense was made to said action and on February 12, 1923, judgment by default was entered for $9569.88 and $500 attorney’s fee.

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Finley v. First State Bank, 13 Tenn. App. 128 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1931).

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