Griffin v. Keeney

50 N.Y.S. 721

This text of 50 N.Y.S. 721 (Griffin v. Keeney) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Griffin v. Keeney, 50 N.Y.S. 721 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1898).

Opinion

HARDIN, P. J.

On the 19th of October, 1896, this action was commenced; and the plaintiff, in his complaint, alleges that on the 12th day of May, 1896, the defendant, “maliciously, wrongfully, and unlawfully, and without any reason or probable cause, and maliciously intending to injure the plaintiff in his good reputation, appeared before one H. E. Dudley, at the town of Angelica,” a justice of the peace of said town, and charged this plaintiff, before said justice, with the crime of grand larceny in the first degree, “and with having feloniously stolen one thousand dollars, lawful money of the -United States, from said defendant, and, maliciously and without probable cause, procured said justice of the peace to grant and issue a criminal warrant for the arrest of this plaintiff upon said charge.” It is alleged that a warrant was issued upon the application of this defendant, and delivered to a constable, and that the plaintiff was arrested and imprisoned under said warrant at the town of Covington, Wyoming county, on the 30th of May, 1896, and taken thence by the constable to Angelica, “and there kept and imprisoned under said warrant until the- 1st day of June, 1896,” when the plaintiff was taken before the justice, and an examination was had upon the charge, and the justice held the plaintiff to answer the same before the grand jury, and the plaintiff gave bail. It is alleged that the defendant ^caused this plaintiff to be charged before the grand jury of the county of Allegany with the said crime of grand larceny in the first degree; and the grand jury of said county before the commencement of this action dismissed the said charge against this plaintiff, and acquitted and discharged this plaintiff of the same, and said prosecution was fully determined and ended.” The answer of the defendant contained several denials, and alleged “that he had good and reasonable cause for said prosecution.” Upon the trial it appeared that the defendant had presented to a justice of the peace an information charging the plaintiff with the crime of grand larceny, in having, about the month of January, 1895, feloniously stolen about the sum of $1,000, the property of the defendant; that the plaintiff was arrested under the warrant issued by the justice May 30, 1896, at Pearl Creek, in the county of Wyoming, about 40 miles from the justice’s office, on Saturday; and on Saturday and Sunday, May 30th and 31st, he was taken to Angelica, and had his examination, and the justice required him to give bail, and he gave bail; and subsequently the grand jury dismissed the charge. It appeared by the evidence: That in the fall of 1892 the plaintiff and defendant entered into an agreement to carry on the business of buying and selling hay at Cuba, and in that vicinity. Under that agreement the plaintiff was to put in $450 of the capital for two hay presses, and to furnish one horse and buggy and harness to use in the business. That the defendant was to furnish the balance of the capital. The plaintiff was to buy the hay, and the defendant was to sell it. The plaintiff was to pay for the hay, and the expenses of the business; and the defendant was to collect the pay for the hay, when sold, and to furnish money as needed from time to time. There was some evidence tending to show that, by the terms of the arrangement, each was to share in the profits and losses equally.' The books were kept by [723]*723the defendant, in which the business transactions were entered under the heading of “Keeney & Griffin,” and charges were made therein, and credits given, under that firm name. The defendant kept accounts of the business under that name, in which were shown the prices upon the sale of the hay. Upon the trial the defendant alleged that the plaintiff was not to share the losses, and insisted that the arrangement was that the plaintiff was to have one-half the profits for doing the work. That position was controverted by the plaintiff, and considerable evidence was given tending to show that the parties were partners, and that, when they figured up the business on the basis that the plaintiff was to stand one-half the losses, they treated the relations between them as that of co-partners. The testimony given by Morgan was to the effect that in the forepart of January, 1893, he went with Keeney and Griffin to purchase hay, and to introduce them to the farmers, and stated repeatedly that they were a new firm in Cuba, that was responsible, and such statements were made in the presence of Keeney, who in no way objected to the same. Evidence was given in behalf of the plaintiff tending to show that a part of the arrangement was that he was to draw out for his household expenses, from time to time, such money as he should require. The defendant controverted that part of the alleged arrangement. The transactions were looked over between the parties at the end of each season, the first looking over being in June, 1893; and the amount of money furnished by Keeney and paid out by Griffin on different occasions was ascertained and posted in Keeney’s books, and the defendant then estimated the profits at $2,300 for the preceding year. It appeared that Griffin had drawn out about $816.56. Griffin kept no entries showing what moneys were received from the sale of hay, relying wholly upon the record of sales kept by Keeney at his office. At the end of the second season, and in the summer of 1894, the parties again went over the business, and had a settlement, and found that Griffin was charged with $1,414.01 more than he had paid out for hay and expenses; and at the time of that looking over it was ascertained that the business had not been as profitable as the preceding year; and the plaintiff then sought to withdraw, and offered to turn over some property to balance his account, but the defendant insisted that he should continue in the business, in the faith that they would have better results later on; and the business was continued until the spring of 1895, when a further settlement was had, and it was then found that the plaintiff had received only $444.50 more than he had paid out in the business that season; and on the conclusion of that settlement the plaintiff turned over to the defendant $1,145 in property, and gave the defendant his note, signed by the wife of the plaintiff, for $1,000,—allowing, apparently, the only profits to the plaintiff for the entire period, of something less than $600. The note was subsequently put into a judgment, and proceedings supplementary to execution were had. Prior to April 30, 1896, the plaintiff wrote to the defendant, and inclosed him $15 to apply on the judgment. That draft was returned to the plaintiff, in a letter written by the defendant to the plaintiff, dated April 30, 1896, which contained the following language:

[724]*724• “Mr. M. E. Griffin, Pearl Greek, N. Y—Dear Sir: Inclosed find your dft. for §15.00 returned. My patience is exhausted. I will wait until May 6th for you to pay me what you owe. Yours, truly, F. B. Keeney.”

When the settlement of May 14, 1895, was made, the defendant executed a receipt to the plaintiff in the following words and figures: “§1,000.00. Cuba, May 14th, 1895.

' “Received of M. E. Griffin a note for one thousand dollars, bearing date of April 15, 1895, in full of accounts to date. F. B. Keeney.”

When the defendant was examined before the justice, he testified, viz.:

“I fully made up my mind to institute criminal proceedings about early in May last,—soon after I received the §15 and returned it.”

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Bluebook (online)
50 N.Y.S. 721, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/griffin-v-keeney-nyappdiv-1898.