Gantz v. American National Bank

420 S.W.2d 8, 1967 Mo. App. LEXIS 605
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 2, 1967
DocketNo. 24733
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 420 S.W.2d 8 (Gantz v. American National Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gantz v. American National Bank, 420 S.W.2d 8, 1967 Mo. App. LEXIS 605 (Mo. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinion

MAUGHMER, Commissioner.

This suit is based upon a claim filed by plaintiff against the estate of Willard F. Wilkinson, deceased. It was tried to a jury. The result was a verdict and judgment for plaintiff in the sum of $6600. The executor has appealed.

The plaintiff, Gordon A. Gantz, claims that deceased at the time of his death on April 14, 1965, was indebted to him in two categories: First, in the sum of $5,240.23, based upon a 7½ percent commission on the volume of business done by deceased from 1952 until the date of his death, pursuant to the terms of a written contract and; second, in the sum of $1440.76 for supplies furnished to deceased which were not paid for by him during his lifetime. There was a ten member jury verdict in favor of plaintiff for: “Recovery under contract, $5200. Recovery for account, $1400”. Judgment accordingly was entered for plaintiff in the total amount of $6600. At the close of plaintiff’s evidence, defendant filed a motion for directed verdict, which was overruled. The defendant offered no evidence.

We believe this story can best be told by presenting the evidence on plaintiff’s part which was offered and received, and then subjecting such evidence to examination under the light of defendant’s assignments of error and determining if the evidence was properly received. The assignments relate directly and entirely to alleged error in the reception of evidence on behalf of plaintiff.

The plaintiff at all times hereinafter mentioned was a tax consultant and accountant. His office was in St. Louis. In his work he used form books and record forms made up during the early years by Simplified Tax Records of New York and later by its successor Systematic Tax Records, Inc. He had representatives which he called Section Managers in various counties in Northwest Missouri, including DeKalb County. These Section Managers bought from or through plaintiff such forms which were produced by Systematic Tax Records, Inc. These representatives furnished tax services and consultations to a clientele in their county or area. Mr. Gantz was available for consultation as to any problem cases and he occasionally visited them at their offices. For supplying this tax service know-how, forms, supervision and advice, Mr. Gantz charged a commission of 7½ percent on the [10]*10business done — at least that was his contract with Mr. Wilkinson, who from 1952, until his death maintained such an office at Stewartsville in DeKalb County, Missouri.

The plaintiff’s evidence consisted of the following: Exhibits 1, 2, and 3, the oral ■testimony of seven witnesses and Exhibits 34, 35 and 36. Exhibit 1 is a six page written agreement, dated ^August 1, 1954, bearing the signatures of plaintiff and Mr. Wilkinson, under the provisions of which Wilkinson formally signed up as a Section Manager and agreed to pay to plaintiff 7½ percent of “amounts collected from customers”. The contract also provided for supervision and consultation by plaintiff. The signature “Willard F. Wilkinson” was declared by plaintiff to be that of the testator Wilkinson. There was no objection to this testimony. Exhibit 2 is a ledger sheet which lists in total dollars the “Volume of Business” done by “Willard F. Wilkinson, Stewartsville, Missouri”, from January 10, 1953 until April 14, 1965. This exhibit also contains a computation at 7½ percent on the volume of business reduced to dollars, and a third computation lists the balance (7½ percent) as $5240.23, the amount sued for under the contract. Exhibit 3 consists of four ledger sheets listing “Systems and Supplies” furnished during the same period to Mr. Wilkinson. In these three columns of figures which are designated debits, credits and balance, the balance due as reflected by the exhibit is $1440.76, the amount claimed for supplies furnished. Plaintiff, his wife Lee Gantz, and Charles Ellis; an accountant employed in plaintiff’s St. Louis office, each testified without objection that these three exhibits were in the handwriting of plaintiff, were made “at or near” the time of the transaction therein referred to, were kept in plaintiff’s St. Louis office and as “a part of the files and records of the office”. Exhibits 4 to 33, additional office records, were identified but withdrawn and not received in evidence.

In addition, plaintiff testified that at the request of Mr. Harold G. Baughman, trust officer and Vice-President of the;American National Bank, Executor, he furnished to Mr. Baughman a complete statement of his claim against the estate, that the same was true and correct and no part of it had been paid. Counsel for defendant allowed plaintiff (without objection under the Dead Man’s Statute, Section 491.010, V.A.M.S.) to testify as to his occupation, acquaintance with deceased, the fact he represented and sold Systematic Tax Records to Section Managers, and that Mr. Baughman requested a statement of the account with Mr. Wilkinson, and he supplied same. Then defendant objected to a question as to the amount due under the account submitted. The objection was that plaintiff “was an incompetent witness”. The objection was overruled. Then counsel for defendant cross-examined plaintiff as to Mr. Baugh-man’s request and as to the contents of the account furnished. On cross-examination plaintiff was asked if he removed any records from Mr. Wilkinson’s Stewartsville office after his death. He denied that he had done so. He was also asked if the entries on Exhibits 2 and 3 were made at or near the time of the alleged transactions.

Mr. Dean Curnitt testified that he had been associated with Mr. Wilkinson during the last ten years of his life and had worked with him in tax and accounting matters. He said he had seen plaintiff and Mr. Wilkinson working together on tax matters and expressed his opinion that the charges made by plaintiff for forms and supplies were fair and reasonable, and that Mr. Wilkinson had “acknowledged an indebtedness to Mr. Gantz”.

Mr. Glen Rollett, former Stewartsville city clerk, shared offices with Mr. Wilkinson for a short period and said he “knew they (Gantz and Wilkinson) were together” on the bookkeeping and tax service work.

Myrtle Schleicher worked for a time in Mr. Wilkinson’s office in Stewartsville. She said Wilkinson referred questions on tax work and auditing to Mr. Gantz — made telephone calls and wrote letters to him and sent income tax returns to his St. Louis office.

[11]*11Mr. Harold G. Baughman, trust officer for the executor, testified that he “handled the details of the Wilkinson estate”. He said he “suggested” that Mr. Gantz furnish him some statement or proof supporting the amount of the plaintiff’s claim. Exhibits 34, 35 and 36 are copies of income tax returns prepared for Mr. Wilkinson and his estate by his executor and by the attorney for the estate after testator’s death.

Appellant says it was error to receive “evidence pertaining to an account with Systematic Tax Records * * * as the named claimant was Gordon A. Gantz * * * and no admissible evidence was offered by plaintiff to show any authority of Gantz to prosecute any action on behalf of Systematic Tax Records, Inc.” Appellant cites Section 351.385(2), V.A.M.S., giving corporations the right to sue, and Rule 52.01, V.A.M.R. providing that actions shall be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest. We fully recognize this procedural requirement. However, under the evidence before us plaintiff appears to be the real party in interest. He bought or procured the forms and supplied or sold them to Mr. Wilkinson. The debt was due plaintiff and not to Systematic Tax Records, Inc.

In Andrae et al. v.

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Bluebook (online)
420 S.W.2d 8, 1967 Mo. App. LEXIS 605, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gantz-v-american-national-bank-moctapp-1967.