Hastings v. Hugo Nat. Bank

81 Okla. 189
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedApril 12, 1921
DocketNo. 9916
StatusPublished

This text of 81 Okla. 189 (Hastings v. Hugo Nat. Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hastings v. Hugo Nat. Bank, 81 Okla. 189 (Okla. 1921).

Opinion

HARRISON, C. J.

This cause is here on a transcript of the record. It was a suit on [190]*190a bank deposit slip. Plaintiff in error, Mrs. J. S. Hastings, bad a deposit slip showing that $10,000 bad been deposited for ber in tbe Hugo National Bank by ber husband, J. S. Hastings, in October, 1907. In November, 1916, she brought this suit against tbe bank for $10,000. In tbe meantime tbe money bad all been checked out.

Tbe facts as they appear in - the pleadings are: On October 19, 1907, J. S. Hastings, husband of plaintiff in error, bad approximately $10,000 on deposit in tbe Hugo National Bank. On said date be and bis wife were in tbe bank and he requested tbe bank to temporarily carry $10,000 in bis wife’s name. The request appears to have been verbal merely, and not by check or written order. Upon such request the bank charged J. S. Hastings’ account with $10,000.00, and placed said amount to tbe credit of Mrs. J. S. Hastings, and gave her tbe following deposit slip:

Deposited With The Hugo National Bank
By -
For Mrs. J. S. Hastings,
Hugo, Okla., 10/19, 1907.
Please list each cher*c separately.
Currency __
‘Silver _j_1_
Gold _I_
Checks as follows; $10,000.00
Ten Thousand Do ’^rs.
C. G. Shull a/c Total
‘'Exhibit A”

It is alleged in tbe answer of the bank that Mr. Hastings did not mean to part with title to the money, and did not do so, but wished only to temporarily place it in bis wife’s name until after tax assessing time; that a few months thereafter, March, 1908, and after the assessing period bad passed, be requested the bank to transfer tbe amount back to bis own account. This request also was merely oral so far as tbe record discloses. In compliance with same tbe bank transferred tbe deposit to bis account. It does not appear whether any checks were drawn against tbe deposit while in bis wife’s name, but after it bad been credited back to bis account it was all checked out, partly by himself and partly by bis wife. Subsequent to these transactions, but prior to the filing of this suit, there was a mortgage foreclosure suit by tbe 'bank against these same parties. Tbe suit was instituted against Hastings, but, being for foreclosure of a mortgage which she also bad signed, she was made a party thereto. Tbe date of this suit does not appear in tbe pleadings, but during tbe proceedings therein tbe bank was required to render an accounting to Mr. and Mrs. Hastings as to this particular deposit. Tbe materiality of this fact will appear further on.

In 1916, Mrs. J. S. Hastings presented a cheek to tbe Hugo National Bank payable to ber order for $10,000. Tbe bank refused payment for lack of funds, whereupon she instituted this suit against tbe bank for $10,000, basing ber cause of action upon tbe deposit slip above copied. In ber amended petition she alleged that in October, 1907, J. S. Hastings deposited in said bank tbe sum of $10,000 for ber, and that ber account was credited by said bank with tbe sum of $10,-000; that $5,000 of said sum was her own money, originally and individually, and that tbe other $5,000 was a gift from' ber bus-band, J. S. Hastings, and that she was tbe absolute owner of tbe entire sum of $10,000; that she bad drawn no checks against said deposit, and bad drawn out none of said funds. She filed copy of deposit slip as “Exhibit A” to her petition, and as a part thereof. She alleged that she and ber husband bad appeared in the 'bank and in tbe présence of each other had requested tbe bank to place said sum to tbe credit of ber account; that tbe bank bad done so and bad delivered to ber tbe said deposit slip. That in November, 1916, she drew a cheek in favor of herself for $10,000 on said bank, and presented same for payment and payment was refused. Tbe check is also made a part of tbe petition and marked “Exhibit O.” Wherefore, she prayed judgment for $10,000, and interest at 6 per cent, per annum.

Tbe defendant bank answered, and in its amended answer alleged in substance: First, by general denial; and for further answer alleged that in October, 1907, Hastings was a depositor in said bank, and bad been for a period of time prior thereto, and bad carried a deposit of approximately $10,000. That on October 19, 1907, be and bis wife appeared in tbe bank, and in tbe presence of each other be requested tbe bank to charge bis account with $10,000 and credit Mrs. Hastings’ account with said amount; that be said nothing to indicate that be was parting with title and control of bis money, but in substance stated that he was not parting with tbe title to said money, nor putting same beyond bis control, bu,t was placing same to ber account for bis own convenience and accommodation in order that said money might not 'be in bis name when tbe time came for rendering bis property for taxes. That on March 27th thereafter, be requested tbe bank to retrans-fer said sum back to bis own account, and said sum was thereupon charged to Mrs. Hastings’ account and credited to Mr. Hastings’ account; that subsequent thereto said sum bad been checked out, partly by J. 'S. [191]*191Hastings and partly by Mrs. J. S. Hastings, and that she had thereby ratified and confirmed the transfer of the money. The bank further alleged that each year after' statehood, about the time for the rendering of property for assessment, said J. S. Hastings-similarly transferred his money with the full knowledge of plaintiff, in order that he might not have same in his possession during the assessing period, and that Mrs. J. S. Hastings never rendered said amounts for taxes.

Defendant further alleged that J. S. Hastings so transferred his money as long as he kept deposits with the bank, and that his wife, plaintiff, never undertook to exercise any control over same, and never -acquired or claimed any title thereto.

As a further defense, in the third paragraph of the bank’s answer, it is alleged that in ease No. 2665 in the district court of Choctaw county, the Hugo National Bank was plaintiff, and J. S. Hastings and his wife were defendants, and that in said suit the said J. S. Hastings sued the bank for an accounting as to the deposit of the $10,000 in question, and that said fund was involved in said controversy and judgment ’rendered in favor of the Hugo National Bank, and that said funds having been adjudicated in a suit wherein Mrs. J. S. Hastings was defendant, she is now estopped by the judgment therein rendered.

To the first paragraph of the answer, or to so much thereof as constituted a general denial, the plaintiff, Mrs. Hastings, filed a motion to strike upon the grounds that her suit being based upon a written instrument, a general denial not verified constituted no defense thereto. The motion to strike was overruled and exceptions taken. She thereupon filed a demurrer to paragraphs two and three of the answer for failure to allege a defense to her cause of action. The demurrer was likewise overruled, and she thereupon filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings. The motion for judgment was also overruled. The plaintiff, Mrs. Hastings, declined and refused to plead further, but elected to stand on her demurrer and motion for judgment on the pleadings.

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Bluebook (online)
81 Okla. 189, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hastings-v-hugo-nat-bank-okla-1921.