First National Bank of Alex v. Godwin

1935 OK 349, 47 P.2d 116, 173 Okla. 169, 1935 Okla. LEXIS 570
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedApril 2, 1935
DocketNo. 24784.
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 1935 OK 349 (First National Bank of Alex v. Godwin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
First National Bank of Alex v. Godwin, 1935 OK 349, 47 P.2d 116, 173 Okla. 169, 1935 Okla. LEXIS 570 (Okla. 1935).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

This is an action on appeal from the district court of Grady county, Okla. The action was brought by the Fmst National Bank of Alex, Okla., against O. Godwin on a promissory note, originally in the sum of $800, bearing date of October 28, 1931, and due May 1, 1932. Judgment was in favor of the defendant below, from which judgment plaintiff below has appealed to this court.

The facts show that about April 15, 1930, the defendant, C. Godwin, signed a note with J. E. Cruse in favor of the plaintiff bank for $1,000. This money was used by J. E. Cruse to pay off certain indebtedness owed by him. On or about January 16, 1931, the bank renewed the note signed by Cruse and Godwin, both Cruse and Godwin signing the renewal note. Cruse, on or about the 2nd day of June, 1931, was adjudged a bankrupt on a voluntary petition. Certain dividends were received by the bank from the referee and credited on said note and same was reduced to approximately $800. On or about October 28, 1931, plaintiff bank called cm Mr. Godwin for a new note, which, after ,-ome negotiations, was given, and the note was signed by C. Godwin, but was not signed by J. E. Cruse. On February 2, 1932, the referee in bankruptcy paid to the plaintiff bank a second dividend of $111.40, which was credited on the said $800 note, and plaintiff below brings suit for the balance due thereon. The defendant, in due time, filed his answer alleging, among other things, that at the time he signed the original note of $1,000, he signed in the capacity of surety; that the plaintiff bank represented to him that it held as collateral, certain notes belonging to J. E. Cruse to secure said $1,000 note, and that said notes *170 were of the face value of $2,500; that the cashier of said bank showed the defendant these notes, called off the amounts and names, and stated that the notes were collectible and worth 100 cents on the dollar, and that same were up as collateral to the said original note; that relying upon these representations, the defendant signed said $1,000 note as surety; that later, when the defendant signed the $800 note sued on herein, the said cashier of plaintiff bank represented that he still held the said collateral notes as security, and thereupon, relying upon said representations, the defendant signed the note sued on herein. Defendant further alleges in his answer that the said representations were fraudulent and made for the purpose of inducing the said defendant to sign the said notes; that the said collateral, i}f collected;, Jwould have been sufficient to satisfy the said note, but that same was either relinquished, misapplied, or that plaintiff bank now holds same, and that it should be required by the courf'to make an accounting of said collateral security. To the answer of the defendant below, the plaintiff filed a general denial. The cause was submitted to the jury and the jury found for the defendant.

Plaintiff in error contends that the trial court erred in overruling the general and special demurrers of the plaintiff to the answer of the defendant below. After examining the said answer of the defendant, we think he states a defense to the action. This brings us to the consideration of the sufficiency of the evidence and whether the court erred in its instructions to the jury.

The defendant testified that the payee told him he had various notes belonging to the principal, and showed the notes to the defendant and read off the names and the amounts and represented that these collateral notes were already in his hands as security for the principal - note, and that they were placed with the payee by the principal as collateral to secure the $1,000 note, which the defendant was asked to sign, and that by reason of these statements and representations, the defendant signed as surety, and without which he would not have signed; that later, the defendant signed the renewal note sued on herein, believing at said time that the collateral notes were still intact, and the payee so represented.' The evidence of the defendant is corroborated in part by other witnesses. The cashier of the plaintiff bank denies that he made any such representations or statements in regard to collateral securities at the time the original note was signed by the surety, and the principal also testified that nothing was said about collateral securities being put up. Plaintiff admits that the money advanced on the original note was paid to J. E. Cruse, principal, and that C. Godwin, surety, received no part of the said money. We think, from the evidence, that there is little or no contention as to the capacity in which C. Godwin signed the note. That all the parties to said transaction knew at the time and were fully aware that O. Godwin signed said original note as surety. After analyzing the pleadings and the evidence in this case, and after stripping it of 'all the immaterialities, it resolves itself into- but one issue — fraud and misrepresentation on the part of the payee.

On the question of fraud and misrepresentation, the trial court instructed the jury as follows:

Instruction No. 3.

“When you come to writing your verdict, if you should find that the cashier falsely represented to the defendant that he had the collateral notes of Cruse on hand sufficient to secure the indebtedness, you should simply find for the defendant. If you find that' the cashier made the statement to him that he had collateral notes sufficient to secure the indebtedness and that the bank has allowed the notes to go elsewhere and hasn’t applied them to this indebtedness, then you will allow the defendant credit on the indebtedness for such amount as he has been damaged by reason of the bank’s not keeping the collateral as security for this indebtedness. If you find there was no such statement made, to Mr. Godwin by the cashier, you will find for the plaintiff'for the full amount sued for with interest.
“Excepted by the plaintiff. Exception allowed.”

Instruction No. 4.

“The law of this state is that where a man signs a note, even though there is fraud and deceit in procuring it, or where there is a failure of consideration, if the maker of the note, with knowledge of the fraud, renews the note, he waives the fraud or the other defects in it. But if at the time he renews the note he doesn’t know of the fraud or doesn’t know of the defect, or if promises are renewed or statements are renewed which would be calculated into misleading him into signing the renewal note, and he renews it, he hasn’t waived them.
“Excepted to by plaintiff. Exception allowed.”

We think the trial court fairly instructed the jury on the law- of suretyship as applied *171 to tlie facts in the ease. The jury found for the defendant on this issue. While the evidence is conflicting, yet we believe that the evidence is sufficient to support the verdict.

We have examined the cases cited in the brief of the plaintiff in error on its theory of the case, but do not believe they are in point with the facts in the case at bar.

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Bluebook (online)
1935 OK 349, 47 P.2d 116, 173 Okla. 169, 1935 Okla. LEXIS 570, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/first-national-bank-of-alex-v-godwin-okla-1935.