First National Bank v. Currie

110 N.W. 499, 147 Mich. 72, 1907 Mich. LEXIS 869
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 5, 1907
DocketDocket No. 48
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 110 N.W. 499 (First National Bank v. Currie) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
First National Bank v. Currie, 110 N.W. 499, 147 Mich. 72, 1907 Mich. LEXIS 869 (Mich. 1907).

Opinion

McAlvay, C. J.

Defendants were in partnership as brokers at Detroit. They dealt in stocks and bonds on the New York Stock Exchange and elsewhere. They executed orders for dealings in the New York market through other brokers. Frank C. Andrews was their [74]*74largest customer. On February 5, 1903, they had bought for Andrews and on his order, but in their own name, as was customary, #90,000 par value of Union Pacific convertible 4 per cent, bonds for $95,000, in New York, through Ladenburg, Thalman & Go., who were to make delivery on payment. Shortly after noon February 6, 1903, Mr. Andrews asked Mr. Case, defendants’ office manager, to arrange to wire the price of these bonds to New York. Mr. Case arranged with the State Savings Bank to wire $45,000, and then asked Mr. Smith, plaintiff’s assistant cashier, if they would wire $50,000 to New York for Frank C. Andrews, and was told that they would for 75 cents per $1,000. It was plaintiff’s custom to charge for remittances made by wire for Andrews, but not to charge for remitting for defendants. When Andrews returned, Case reported to him that the arrangement could be made, and Andrews gave him two checks on the City Savings Bank, payable to defendants’ order, for $50,000 and $45,000, respectively, directing him to have Ladenburg, Thalman & Co. deliver the bonds to the firm of Warren, Andrews & Co., of New York, of which firm Andrew^ was a member. The $50,000 check, being the one involved in this litigation, reads as follows:

“$50,000. Detroit, Mich., Feb. 6, 1903.
“ Pay to the order of Cameron Currie and Co.
? Fifty Thousand......Dollars.
“ Yalue received, and charge the same to account of
“F. C. Andrews.
“Tothe City Savings Bank, Detroit.”

Defendants indorsed this check as follows:

“ Pay First National Bank, Detroit, Mich., or order.
“ Cameron Currie & Co.”

' Mr. Case deposited this check to the credit of defendants’ account in plaintiff bank and at the same time drew and gave to the bank defendants’ check for a like sum payable to the order of plaintiff’s cashier, and directed the plaintiff to wire its New York correspondent to pay that [75]*75amount to Ladenburg, Thalman & Co., and paid the amount of plaintiff’s charge for transferring the funds. Immediately upon the deposit of the Andrews check in the plaintiff bank, defendants wired Ladenburg, Thalman & Co., as follows:

“ Please deliver to Warren, Andrews and Co., 90,000 Union Pacific convertibles free. National Park will pay you $45,000, National Bank of Commerce for our credit.
“Cameron Currie & Company.”

This was received by Ladenburg, Thalman & Co. at 1:12 p. m. eastern standard time. Upon receiving the deposit of the Andrews check indorsed by defendants, and defendants’ own check with their directions for wiring money, the plaintiff sent the Andrews check to the City Savings Bank for certification. It was presented by plaintiff’s messenger to Joseph Schrage, paying teller of said bank, who had authority to certify checks drawn on ids bank, and who certified by writing across its face the words “ Good, Schrage, Teller.” The check was then returned to plaintiff, which then, at 12:35 p. m. central standard time (1:35 p. m. eastern standard time) sent to its New York correspondent, the National Bank of Commerce, a telegram as follows:

“Deposit to the credit of Cameron Currie & Co., Fifty Thousand dollars with Ladenburg, Thalman & Co. and charge to our account.
“First National Bank of Detroit.”

After payment was made by the National Bank of Commerce, as ordered by this telegram, the payment of $45,000 having been made through another bank, the bonds were delivered between 2 and 3 o’clock eastern standard time, by Landenburg, Thalman & Co., to Warren, Andrews & Co.

Defendants had previously had numerous transactions with Andrews in which they took his check but never had his check certified. Plaintiff had previously received at different times checks given by Andrews to defendants, [76]*76given, as it supposed, for stocks, and did not understand anything different about this transaction. Plaintiff had itself had a number of transactions with Andrews shortly before this date, and one for a large amount on this same day, in which it received Andrews’ check on the City Savings Bank. In every'case it procured certification of the check before parting with the securities in payment for which •it was given. Plaintiff and the City Savings Bank were members of the Detroit Clearing House. Plaintiff received this check after 12:15 p. m., the time of the noon meeting of the Clearing House at which checks payable at the different banks were ordinarily presented, and this check in the usual course of business would not be presented through the Clearing House until the next day. Defendants knew of this method of presenting through the Clearing House. On the next day this check and other certified checks amounting to $662,000, drawn by Andrews on the City Savings Bank and held by different banks, were, by agreement between them, not presented through the Clearing House on account of Andrews’ statement that the presentation would embarrass the City Savings Bank. This certified check was on that day (February 7th) presented by plaintiff at the City Savings Bank, payment refused, and the check protested. Andrews’ account at this bank, both when the check was certified and when payment was demanded, was overdrawn more than $900,000. The City Savings Bank had, on February 6th, when the check was certified, and on the 7th, when it was presented, funds of its own ample in amount to pay the check. Notice of protest was duly given by Mr. Smith personally handing the same to Mr. Osborne, one of the defendants. Whether Mr. Osborne saw the check at this time is not certain. There is no evidence that he ever saw it before or had anything to do with taking it. On February 8th the plaintiff received from defendants the following paper signed by Mr. Osborne in the firm name:

[77]*77“We hereby consent that the time of the payment of the check of Frank C. Andrews for $50,000 dated Feb. 6th, 1903, and indorsed by ns and deposited with the First National Bank for credit on onr account on that date, be extended pending the action of the Bankers’ Committee.
“Detroit, Mich. Feb. 8th, 1903.
“ Cameron Currie & Co.”

No further presentation was ever made. A verdict was directed for plaintiff for the amount of the check, with interest. Defendants claim that the court erred in directing such a verdict. The contentions on their behalf are:

“ 1. That the certification of the check for plaintiff at its request was equivalent to payment, and operated to release them as indorsers.
“ 3. That plaintiff, on presenting the check, elected to take certification which is the obligation of the drawee bank to pay, and deferred formal presentation of the certified check for payment until the next day. Had it demanded payment instead of certification, or upon 'certification, as it should, the check would either have been paid or dishonored.

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Bluebook (online)
110 N.W. 499, 147 Mich. 72, 1907 Mich. LEXIS 869, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/first-national-bank-v-currie-mich-1907.