Ives v. Jacobs

1 N.Y.S. 330, 17 N.Y. St. Rep. 843, 1888 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1321
CourtCity of New York Municipal Court
DecidedJune 11, 1888
StatusPublished

This text of 1 N.Y.S. 330 (Ives v. Jacobs) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering City of New York Municipal Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ives v. Jacobs, 1 N.Y.S. 330, 17 N.Y. St. Rep. 843, 1888 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1321 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1888).

Opinion

Pitshke, J.

The answer distinctly sets up that the transfer unto the plaintiff of the notes in suit, though before maturity, was not for value, and theindorsement by Jacobs was solely for the maker’s accommodation, for which Mr. Jacobs received no consideration whatever. If the plaintiff is not an indorsee for a valuable consideration, the question as regards his having had notice of the averred “diversion” of said notes becomes immaterial; for, if not such an indorsee, he stands just where his transferrer stood. That is the whole of this case, even were the plaintiff a transferee without notice of any diversion of said paper. It must be kept in mind that Ives was not an indorsee directly from Jacobs, but from the payee (Lindau) of the notes. Jacobs’ indorsement was upon the notes before the maker (Lindau) delivered them; that is, Jacobs indorsed eacli note before its payee did so.

1. Defendant Jacobs, therefore, was prima facie a second indorser only; that is, presumably, subsequent to the indorsement over of each note by the payee unto plaintiff. Phelps v. Vischer, 50 N. Y. 69. Hence evidence dehors each instrument would be requisite to enable this plaintiff (as the payee’s-successor) to recover if not an “indorsee for value without notice.” Lester v. [331]*331Paine, 39 Barb. 616; Ellis v. Brown, 6 Barb. 282. The payee is presumptively to become the first indorser; so that Jacobs (as indorser before delivery) is necessarily the next succeeding indorser, against whom, ordinarily, no suit can be brought by a preceding indorser. Therefore there must be paroi proof that such indorsement was made to get the maker of the note credit. Coulter v. Richmond, 59 N. Y. 478; Jaffray v. Brown, 74 N. Y. 393. The transferees from the payee, in order to recover from Jacobs, as such indorser before delivery and presumptive “second indorser, ” must rebut such presumption by pleading as well as proving facts showing that the indorser, Jacobs, indorsed the notes to give the maker “credit,” with the knowledge and on the-understanding that in the hands of the plaintiff thereon each such note was to be a valid obligation against such indorser, Jacobs. Moore v. Cross, 19 N. Y. 227; Bacon v. Burnham, 37 N. Y. 614; Coulter v Richmond, 59 N. Y. 478. The complaint herein contains no such allegations, and therefore exhibits no cause of action.

2. Mr. Jacobs was entitled to treat the present indorsements herein as undelivered and invalid until the surrender and- return to him of his outstanding indorsements on the previous notes, whereof the notes in suit were in renewal. Lindau, as both maker and payee to his own order, meanwhile possessed such present indorsements simply in trust, or in a sort of escrow and as fiduciary holder. Chit. Bills, 210, 248; Jones v. Port, 9 Barn. & C. 764;, Baker v. Bank, 100 N. Y. 33, 2 N. E. Rep. 452; and see Comstock v. Bier,. 73 N. Y. 277. If a note indorsed for the accommodation of the maker is diverted from the purpose for which it was left with the maker, and so is fraudulently put in circulation, there can be no recovery against such accommodation indorser without proof that the holder received it bona fide, and paid for it a valuable consideration. Moore v. Ryder, 65 N. Y. 441; Bank v. Noxon, 45 N. Y. 762, 765; Wardell v. Howell, 9 Wend. 172; Cardwell v. Hicks, 37 Barb. 458; Bank v. Bill, 39 Barb. 577, 580; Weaver v. Barden, 49 N. Y. 293, 294. And one who receives a negotiable note for a precedent debt takes it-subject to all equities existing between the original parties. Rosa v. Brotherson, 10 Wend. 85; Stalker v. McDonald, 6 Hill, 93,100. The present notes-were indorsed for the purpose of taking up other notes. The present plaintiff parted with nothing upon the strength of the notes, but merely sold to his transferrer, (Breck,) on general account, a bill of merchandise, accepting the said notes in part payment; and he therefore took the notes, according toBreck's testimony, for a precedent debt.

3. It is a good defense to a renewal note (like the ones in suit) that the former note has not been returned. Miller v. Ritz, 3 E. D. Smith, 253. And the common pleas, general term, in Beauford v. Patterson, 63 How. Pr. 81, reiterated that decision, and further held that the statement and proof that the note was lost at the time would be no excuse. Even an offer to surrender the old notes at the trial would have been insuificient, in view of the wrongful transfer of the paper. Bank v. Dill, 39 Barb. 579. To like effect, that non-surrender of the antecedent note is a “diversion,” defeating any recovery, Wardell v. Howell, 9 Wend. 172. But on this point Nickerson v. Huger, 76 N. Y. 280, is decisive of the present case. There, as herein, a renewal note, (at page 282,) delivered for accommodation, was deemed “diverted” by not being used to take up the precedent note; and held Danforth, J., the “burden of proof” is on the plaintiff to show he is a bona fide holder for value, though presumably without notice; and, (page 284,) “if the note was thus diverted, the jury must determine to what extent the plaintiff has paid value for it; for only to that extent can the plaintiff recover, and not for that, even, if defendant could affect him with notice.” See Dalrymple v.Hillenbrand, 62 N. Y. 6.

4. The plaintiff entirely failed to establish he was a bona fide holder as indorsee. The burden of proof rests upon the indorsee to show that he took the [332]*332particular note bona fide and for a valuable consideration, (Ordiorne v. Woodman, 39 N. H. 541;) that is to say, proof of a diversion of commercial paper ■from the purpose for which it was delivered casts on the holder of it the onus ■of establishing that he is a bona fide holder, or has succeeded to the rights of ¡such a holder. Bank v. Noxon, 45 N. Y. 762, 765; Benedict v. Begroot, 3 Trans. App. 66. The burden is not on the defendant to impeach the plaintiff’s title; but when there is proof of a fraud or diversion concerning the note, or its indorsement or delivery, the plaintiff must prove he gave value for the note, and also the manner in which he took it. A plaintiff suing upon a negotiable note or bill acquired before maturity is in the first instance presumed ■to be a bona fide holder; but, when the maker or indorser has shown that the note or indorsement was fraudulently or wrongfully obtained or so used, the plaintiff then has to show under what circumstances and for what value he ¡became the holder. Bank v. Green,43 N. Y 300, 301. The law on this subject is plainly collated in Comstock v. Hier, 73 N. Y 273, 274, in the following language: “ Where the bill or note is void in its creation, or was unduly •obtained or wrongfully diverted from its purpose and fraudulently negotiated, the party suing on it is bound to show himself to be a bona fide holder. The .affirmative thereon is with the plaintiff. If received overdue, or with notice •of the circumstances under and purposes for which it was issued, he, although he pays a valuable consideration, is not a bona fide holder.

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Bluebook (online)
1 N.Y.S. 330, 17 N.Y. St. Rep. 843, 1888 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1321, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ives-v-jacobs-nynyccityct-1888.