First National Bank v. Security National Bank

15 L.R.A. 386, 51 N.W. 305, 34 Neb. 71, 1892 Neb. LEXIS 72
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 24, 1892
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 15 L.R.A. 386 (First National Bank v. Security National Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska 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. Security National Bank, 15 L.R.A. 386, 51 N.W. 305, 34 Neb. 71, 1892 Neb. LEXIS 72 (Neb. 1892).

Opinion

Norval, J.

This suit was brought in the court below by the defendant in error upon four certificates of deposits issued by the plaintiff in error, payable to the order of John W. Rose, and by him indorsed to- the Security National Bank of [74]*74Sioux City, Iowa. Three of the certificates were for $200 each, and one for $150.72.

The defense is failure of consideration, and that the defendant in error acquired the certificates after maturity, and under such circumstances as to charge it with notice of the maker’s defense. On a trial to the court there was judgment for the defendant in error for the full amount of the certificates.

Two questions are presented for consideration:

First — Is the defendant in error a bona fide purchaser of the certificates, for a valuable consideration, before maturity, in the ordinary course of business, without notice of dishonor or of facts which impeach their validity as between the original parties?

Second — Has the consideration failed?

The certificates are alike, except as to amounts and numbers, and in the following form:

[In border line:] “Dakota.
“$200. First National Bank,
“Rapid City, Dak., Oct. 8th, 1887.
“John-W. Rose, Esq., has deposited in this bank two hundred dollars, payable to the order of himself on the return of this certificate properly endorsed.
“This certificate is not subject to check.
“No. 8006. Richard C. Lake,
“No. 10729. President.”
[On margin:] “ Certificate of deposit.”
[Across the face in red ink:] “This certificate payable 3 months after date with 6 per cent interest per annum for the time specified.”

The proofs show that John W. Rose on or about the 5th day of October, 1887, called at the b inking hoiwe of Lake & Halley, private bankers at Buffalo Gap, South Dakota, with three certificates of deposit issued to him by Morton E. Post & Co., of Cheyenne, Wyoming, one for $739.38, [75]*75one for $67.35, and one for $77, each bearing interest and maturing at different dates, and instructed G. C. Smith, the acting cashier, to send the certificates to the First National Bank of Rapid City, and request that bank to issue four of their certificates, payable to Mr. Rose’s order, as follows: Three certificates for $200 each and one for $150.72, in exchange for the Morton E. Post & Co.’s certificate for $739.38, on which interest expired October 8, 1887. Mr. Rose instructed Cashier Smith to treat the other two certificates in like manner as their interest matured.

On October 5, 1887, Lake & Halley sent the three certificates, duly indorsed by Mr. Rose, to the First National Bank of Rapid City, enclosed with the following letter:

“Banking House of Lake & Halley,
Buffalo Gap, Dakota, Oct. 5, 1887.
“James Halley, Esq., Cashier, Rapid City, Dak. — Dear Sir : Herewith time C. D’s, Morton E. Post & Co., Cheyenne, Wyo., drawn in favor of John W. Rose, and indorsed to you, as follows:
No. 12,300, expiration of 3 mos. Oct. 8, ’87..................................... $739 38
Int.................. 11 34 — $750 72
No. 12,335, expiration of 3 mos. Oct. 20, ’87................................... 67 35
Int.................. 1 01— .68 36
No. 12,337, expiration of 3 mos. Oct. 21, ’87................................... 77 00
Int.................. 1 15— 78 15
“When the first C. D. matures send us your time C, D’s, 3 mos., to order John W. Rose, as follows: Three for $200 each and one for $150.72 for the balance. Treat the others as they mature in like manner.
“Yours truly, G. C. Smith, A. Cas.
“Would not take our C. D’s, as this is not a national bank.”

This letter and the certificates were received by the plaintiff in error on the 6th day of October, 1887, and on [76]*76the same day forwarded the $739.38 certificate for collection, through the First National Bank of Omaha. On the 8th day of the same month the First National Bank of Rapid City issued the four certificates of deposit in suit, and sent them to Lake & Halley on the same day, who delivered them to Mr. Rose. There was no other consideration for the issue of the four certificates in controversy. They were issued for the exact amount of the principal and interest called for by the Post & Co. certificate first maturing.

When the Post & Co. certificate reached- Cheyenne and was presented for payment the makers had failed, having suspended and assigned on the morning of October 10, 1887. The certificate was protested on the following day, and due notice given to all parties. Rose was requested at once to take back the dishonored certificate and return the four certificates issued in exchange therefor, which he declined to do.

On June 7, 1888, Rose sold the certificates to the Security National Bank, of Sioux City, Iowa, for $750.72, the face value, in cash, and indorsed them to it “ without recourse.” The defendant in error at once presented the certificates to plaintiff in error and demanded payment, which was refused. Thereupon this suit was instituted.

The defendant in error insists that it is an innocent holder of the paper. The established doctrine is that a certificate of deposit in the usual form issued by a bank and made payable to order or bearer, is negotiable, and a bona fide purchaser thereof for value before maturity, without notice of equities, is protected to the same extent as an innocent holder of other negotiable paper. (Bank of Peru v. Farnsworth, 18 Ill., 563; Laughlin v. Marshall, 19 Id., 390; Bean v. Briggs, 1 Ia., 488; Huse v. Hamblin, 29 Id., 501; Kilgore v. Bulkley, 14 Conn., 363; Drake v. Markle, 21 Ind., 433; Bank v. Ringel, 51 Id., 393; Johnson v. Henderson, 76 N. Car., 227; Pardee v. Fish, 60 N. [77]*77Y., 265; Miller v. Austen, 13 How. [U. S.], 218; Curran v. Witter, 68 Wis., 16; Moore v. Gano, 12 O., 300; Howe v. Hartness, Hill & Co., 11 O. St., 449.)

It is also equally well settled that where a certificate of deposit is transferred when overdue, the purchaser takes it subject to all defenses that could have been made had it not left the hands of the payee. (Supra; Coye v. Palmer, 16 Cal., 158; Tripp v. Curtenius, 36 Mich., 494.)

It cannot be successfully claimed that the plaintiff below, when it purchased these certificates, had actual notice of the facts surrounding their execution, or that it acted in bad faith in their purchase. It paid Rose the face of the certificates in cash, discounting only the interest. True, they were indorsed by the payee “without recourse,” but notice cannot be implied from such an indorsement alone. (Eppler v. Funk, 8 Pa. St., 468; Stevenson v.

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Bluebook (online)
15 L.R.A. 386, 51 N.W. 305, 34 Neb. 71, 1892 Neb. LEXIS 72, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/first-national-bank-v-security-national-bank-neb-1892.