Francis v. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

69 S.W.2d 441, 1934 Tex. App. LEXIS 1410
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 1, 1934
DocketNo. 2903.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 69 S.W.2d 441 (Francis v. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Francis v. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, 69 S.W.2d 441, 1934 Tex. App. LEXIS 1410 (Tex. Ct. App. 1934).

Opinion

PELPHREY, Chief Justice.

On January 1, 1931, John Francis executed to the Citizens’ National Bank of Odessa, Tex., his note in the sum of $2,725 payable six months thereafter. The note was given in renewal of another note, besides including a small overdraft and some interest due. Some time thereafter the note was criticized by the bank examiner, and Henry Pegues, president of the bank, requested plaintiff in error to sign the note along with his brother, John Francis. On March 21, 1931, plaintiff in error furnished the bank a financial statement, and it appears that shortly before so doing he signed the note -in question. The bank, on March 23d, made application to defendant in error, through its El Paso Branch, to rediscount certain negotiable paper held by it, among them being the note involved in this suit. April 23, 1932, defendant in error filed this suit against both John and A. C. Francis, seeking to recover the principal of, and interest, on, the note, together with attorney’s fees.

John Francis made no defense, but plaintiff in error filed a general demurrer, a general denial, and specially pleaded that the note was signed by him after its execution by John Francis alone and acceptance by the bank; that he added his name thereto solely as an accommodation to the bank and that such signing by him was without consideration; that the bank was guilty of fraud in the procurement of his signature to the note; and that defendant in error had notice of the defects in the note and lack of his liability thereon. He specially denied that the note was transferred by the bank to defendant in error for a valuable consideration and that defendant in error was a bona fide holder in due course.

The cause was submitted to a jury on two special issues:

“Special Issue No. 1: Do you find from the preponderance of the evidence that at the time Henry Pogues requested the defendant, A. G. Francis, to sign the note in question that Henry Pegues represented to the defendant, A. 0. Francis, that A. 0. Francis would never be held liable on the note? Answer yes or no.
*442 “Special Issue No. 2.: Do you find from the preponderance of tlie evidence that at the time the plaintiff, Federal Reserve Bank, accepted the note in question that it had knowledge of any, facts or circumstances that would have caused a reasonably’ prudent person to make inquiry as to the liability of A. 0. Francis upon said note? Answer yes or no.” *

The jury answered both issues in the negative and, upon such findings, the court rendered judgment against John and A. 0. Francis, jointly and severally, for $3,440.25, being $3,127.50 principal and interest, and $312.75 as attorney’s fees. A. 0. Francis sued out his writ of error to this court.

Opinion.

Plaintiff in error moved the court for judgment in his favor notwithstanding the verdict on the ground that the issues submitted were immaterial to any issue necessary to a rightful determination of the case; that the undisputed evidence showed that he had signed the note after it had been executed, delivered, and accepted by the bank; that no consideration was given for his signature by the bank; and that defendant in error was not a holder in due course.

The overruling of such motion is made the basis for plaintiff in error’s three assignments of error and his two propositions thereunder.

The propositions are:

“First Proposition. The note having been duly executed and accepted by the Citizens National Bank of Odessa, Texas, before plaintiff in error signed the same, and there being no new consideration for plaintiff in error’s signature on the note as between the original parties, plaintiff in error could not be held liable thereon.”
“Second Proposition. Under the undisputed evidence in this case defendant in error’s title to the note was not such that made it a holder in due course and its rights were no greater than the rights of the original payee.”

It is true that the signature of a person, placed upon a note after its completion and delivery as between the original parties, in order to be effective, must have the support of a new and independent consideration. King v. Wise (Tex. Com. App.) 282 S. W. 570; Central Nat. Bank v. Lawson (Tex. Com. App.) 27 S.W.(2d) 125. But, as said by the Commission of Appeals in King v. Wise, supra, this would not be true where the signature is for the accommodation of the payee and the paper has been further negotiated. This being true, then a proper .decision of the question as to plaintiff in error’s liability to defendant in error will depend upon whether or not defendant in error is a holder in due course of the noté here sued on and entitled to be protected as such.

J. L. Hermann, managing director of the El Paso Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, testified:

“Q. Mr. Hermann, when did the Federal Reserve Bank acquire this note? A. It was sent ,to us in an application for Odessa dated the 21st of March. We received it on the 23rd of March and credited it to the account of the Citizens National Bank on the 31st, of March.
“Q. What was the consideration, if any,, paid for that note? ⅜ ⅜ * A. We credited the account of the Citizens National Bank of Odessa, Texas, with $2725.00, less three and one-'half per cent discount for ninety-two-days.
“Q. Did you credit them with twenty-seven hundred dollars and some odd cents? A. Yes,, sir.
“Q. Was that the standard rate at which you purchase notes? A. Yes, that is the standard rate at which we purchase at all times, or at that time.
“Q. 1-Iow did you make payment to the Citizen’s National Bank for that note? A. The Citizens National Bank carries an account with us on their books and the amount was credited to them for this note, together with five other notes on the 31st of March, the total credit being $6751.20.
“Q. Do you or not, by saying ‘credited to the account,’ mean you gave them credit on your books .as having that much money in the bank, the same as if I would make a deposit in the Citizen’s National Bank and they gave me credit for what I deposited? A. Yes, their account was increased by that amount.
“Q. Could they have drawn on that account?. A. Yes, they did draw on it the same day. * ⅜ ⅜
“Q. You gave them credit on March 31st for that? A. Yes.
“Q. It (meaning the Citizens National Bank) closed its doors about ten days later, didn’t it? A. I think it was the 14th of April.
“Q. How much account did it have with the Federal Reserve at the time it closed its doors on the 14th of April? A. I didn’t bring the account past the 31st of March and do not remember.
“Q. From your general knowledge of the situation, do you know approximately what *443 the amount of its balance was ? A. I can tell you the balance on the 31st. That is the last I have.
“Q. What was it? A. $24,776.32. * * *

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Bluebook (online)
69 S.W.2d 441, 1934 Tex. App. LEXIS 1410, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/francis-v-federal-reserve-bank-of-dallas-texapp-1934.