Holvick v. Black

221 N.W. 71, 57 N.D. 270, 1928 N.D. LEXIS 123
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 24, 1928
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 221 N.W. 71 (Holvick v. Black) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Holvick v. Black, 221 N.W. 71, 57 N.D. 270, 1928 N.D. LEXIS 123 (N.D. 1928).

Opinion

Burr, J.

The defendant John E. Black is the father of the defendant Frank J. Black and they are known hereafter as father and son with reference to their own personal relations. On January 20, 1920, the father was the owner of the real estate involved herein and on that day gave a mortgage thereon to the State Bank of Berthold to secure his note to the bank for $1,500, due December 1, 1920 and payable at the bank. This mortgage was duly recorded April 17, 1920. The note was not paid and on January 30, 1923 he executed a demand *272 note for like amount, also payable at the bank. On February -20, 1923 the bank sold the two notes to the plaintiff, executed an assignment of the mortgage, and delivered the mortgage and the assignment to him. The plaintiff kept the notes, mortgage and assignment in his possession and later, -for safe-keeping, deposited them in another bank; but did not record his assignment of the mortgage until November 12, 1925. After the plaintiff received his assignment of the notes and mortgage, the father and the defendant, Troxel, had negotiations for the sale and purchase of the major portion of the mortgaged premises. Black was to deed the land free of encumbrance but to do this was to get the money from Troxel and Troxel to get the necessary money, was required to borrow it. Consequently on July 20, 1923, he made application to the defendant, The Federal Land Bank, through the Carpió National Farm Loan Association, whose secretary-treasurer was E. T. McGovern. On December 24, 1923, Troxel and his wife executed a mortgage for $3,500 to the Federal Land Bank and the mortgage was recorded December 28, 1923. On the same day a satisfaction of the first mortgage was filed for record, which satisfaction was signed by the State Bank of Berthold through C. L. Stevenson, its president, and attested by TY. J. Hughes, its cashier. The plaintiff in this case knew nothing about these transactions and did not authorize the bank to execute the satisfaction. On January 5, 1924 the defendant bank issued its draft on the First National Bank of St. Paul, for the sum of $3,500 less some expenses for abstract, filing fees, etc., making the draft payable to E. F. McGovern and the defendant Troxel. The draft was indorsed by McGovern and Troxel and paid on January 11, 1924, the proceeds being deposited by McGovern in the First National Bank of Oarpio. Neither McGovern, Troxel, nor the Federal Land Bank, knew the plaintiff had any interest in the first mortgage or the notes secured thereby. Prior to obtaining the money from the Federal Land Bank, McGovern and Troxel had some conversation with the officers of the State Bank of Berthold regarding a satisfaction of this first mortgage1 and were told such satisfaction would be furnished by the bank upon payment of the amount due. No request was made for inspection of the notes or mortgage, no inquiry as to the ownership or where the instruments were, nor was any information given regarding plaintiff’s rights. The record shows the plaintiff at no -time made *273 the State Bank of Berthold his agent for collection nor for any other purpose.' After McGovern had deposited the money in the First National Bank of Carpió he proceeded to disburse the proceeds of the draft at the request of the defendant Troxel. The record shows that so far as the defendant Troxel was concerned he made McGovern his agent to look after his rights and interests. The agreement between mortgagor Black and Troxel was that the former would receive a portion of the draft in order to pay off the first mortgage and Troxel directed McGovern to pay to C. L. Stevenson, president of the State Bank of Berthold, the amount due. McGovern issued his check on the First National Bank of Carpió to C. L. Stevenson, personally, and not to the State Bank of Berthold and Stevenson deposited the amount in the open account of Black, where it remained until the bank closed. For some reason or another Black issued three checks to the State Bank of Berthold, two dated December 11, 1924 and one May 27, 1925 and for $350, $751.50 and $543.94, respectively.. Whether this was an attempt to juggle the account so as to show payment to the bank as plaintiff claims, or whether it was for some other purpose is not clear. None of the checks are marked cashed or otherwise show payment thereon, but the bank closed in December, 1924.

Owing to the fact that a sufficient loan could not be had, Troxel could not pay Black, Sr., in full for the land and so Black took his note for the amount remaining unpaid. No remittance of any kind was made to the plaintiff.

On April 10, 1925 the defendant, Frank J. Black, the son, recorded a deed from his father for the portion of the mortgaged premises not sold to Troxel, having received the deed some time between March 15, 1925 and the date of record. However, the record shows both father and son knew, on March 6, 1925, that the plaintiff claimed an interest under his mortgage, but both of them concluded plaintiff had no interest because a satisfaction was on record.

The further facts claimed by the plaintiff to show the inferiority of the mortgage held by the Federal Land Bank will be noted when we determine the bank’s interest.

The plaintiff commenced this action to foreclose his mortgage. The issues involve the question of the priority of plaintiff’s claim over the subsequent deeds and mortgage. The. defendants set forth allega *274 tions to the effect that their interests are superior and the plaintiff’s mortgage paid and discharged. The district court entered judgment in favor of the plaintiff against all of the defendants and the latter appeal — the Federal Land Bank separately and the other defendants jointly — all demanding a trial de novo.

The finding of the lower court that the notes and mortgage were not paid is amply sustained by the evidence, hence there is no merit in the appeal of John E. Black the mortgagor. He is bound by his note. The money paid by Troxel' and McGovern for the satisfaction was deposited in Black’s account and never disbursed by him to the holder of the note. He has not paid his note.

The evidence shows that shortly before the father sold the remainder of the land to his son, both father and son had an interview with the plaintiff and the three of them with Mr. Stevenson, the president of the State Bank of Berthold. At this meeting more or less discussion was had regarding plaintiff’s claim and Stevenson stated it would all be cleared up. The Blacks knew the satisfaction had been recorded and felt that this disposed of the plaintiff’s claim on the land. It was after this that the son received the deed from the father. Therefore the son’s interest in the land is subordinate to that of the plaintiff.

There is no dispute but what McGovern was intrusted by Troxel to take charge of the loan proceedings with the Federal Land Bank for the clearing of the title and discharge of the mortgage. In other words, McGovern was made the general agent of Troxel.for this purpose. Hence the latter is bound by whatever his agent did within the scope of his authority. The defendant Troxel relies upon the case of Robinson v. Swenson, 54 N. D. 573, 209 N. W. 982, as justifying the action of McGovern and relieving him from any liability. But the case cited is not in point.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

In Re Ewles' Estate. Crane v. Federal Land Bank
143 P.2d 903 (Utah Supreme Court, 1943)
Geel v. Valiquett
289 N.W. 306 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1939)
Worrell v. Federal Land Bank of Baltimore
3 S.E.2d 402 (Supreme Court of Virginia, 1939)
Byrne v. Federal Land Bank of St. Paul
237 N.W. 797 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1931)
Putnam v. Broten
232 N.W. 749 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1930)
Thompson v. State Bank of Lisbon
225 N.W. 788 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1929)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
221 N.W. 71, 57 N.D. 270, 1928 N.D. LEXIS 123, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holvick-v-black-nd-1928.