John Hancock Mut. Life Ins. Co. v. Houston

76 S.W.2d 176
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 12, 1934
DocketNo. 13025
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 76 S.W.2d 176 (John Hancock Mut. Life Ins. Co. v. Houston) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
John Hancock Mut. Life Ins. Co. v. Houston, 76 S.W.2d 176 (Tex. Ct. App. 1934).

Opinions

DUNKLIN,'Chief Justice.

The question to be determined in this case is whether or not the contracts involved were • tainted with usury.

On December 1, 1917, C. C. Houston, joined by his wife, Jennie B. Houston, executed their promissory note in favor of the Maxwell Investment Company for the principal; sum of $5,000, payable January 1, 1928, with interest thereon at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum according to the terms of nine-coupon notes attached to the principal note.. The first of those coupon notes was for the-smn of $325, payable on January 1, 1919.. Each of the other eight coupon notes were for the sum of $300, the first of which was [177]*177payable January 1, 1921, and the remainder on January 1st of succeeding years, the last maturing January 1, 1928. Each of those coupon notes recited that it was executed according to the tenor of the principal note and stipulated for the payment of 10 per cent, interest after maturity until paid.

On the same date the notes were executed and as a part of the same transaction, the makers executed to the Maxwell Investment Company a deed of trust to secure the same, J. E. McPherson being named as trustee, covering 141.57 acres of land situated in Den-ton county.

All those notes, with the lien securing thé same, were transferred and assigned by the Maxwell Investment Company to the Central Life Assurance Society on April 5, 1918, and on January 13, 1928, the assignee transferred and assigned the same to the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company. On December 27, 1927, C. C. Houston executed to the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company his promissory note in the sum of $5,000, payable as follows: $500 on January 1, 1§29; $250 on January 1, 1930; $250 on January 1, 1931; $4,000 on January 1,1938, with interest at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum payable annually on the 1st day of January of each succeeding year, as evidenced by ten interest coupon notes attached to the original note as a part thereof. Each of said coupon notes bears interest after maturity at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum. At the same time said notes were executed and in order to secure the same, C. C. Houston and wife executed a deed of trust in favor of the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company covering the same land that was covered by the deed of trust to the Maxwell Company. The deed of trust last mentioned recited that it was executed in renewal and extension of the note in favor of the Maxwell Investment Company, fully described in the deed of trust executed to secure the same, with the further recital that said note had been assigned to the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company and that the Hancock Company is subrogated to all the rights and equities growing out of the deed of trust in favor of the Maxwell Company, which is recited to be a vendor’s lien, and an assignment of the Maxwell Company note to the Hancock Company was written across the face of the note and delivered to the Hancock Company.

This suit was instituted by C. C. Houston and wife against the Johii Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company to enjoin the sale of the property under the deed of trust executed to the defendant by the trustee named in that instrument, and in the alternative to cancel the deed that had already been made by the trustee, Bennett, acting under the stipulations in the said deed of trust; the defendant John Hancock Company having become a purchaser at that sale.

The basis of plaintiffs’ claim for the relief prayed for was the contention presented in their pleadings that the notes executed in favor of the Maxwell Company were usurious and that the same taint inured in the notes in favor of the Hancock Company. It was further alleged that plaintiffs had paid a total of $5,025 to the Hancock Company on the notes executed to that company, and plaintiffs prayed that the same be applied as credits on the principal, and that the payments so made had liquidated the principal of the Hancock note. There was a further prayer for recovery, as a penalty, double the amount of $450, which was paid as interest in the spring of 1932.

In addition to a general denial, the defendant pleaded estoppel against plaintiffs, based upon allegations that it had taken up the Maxwell note at plaintiffs’ special instance and request and upon representation made at the time that that note was secured by a valid lien on the property.

Upon the trial of the case without a jury, the court rendered judgment sustaining plaintiffs’ plea of usury and canceling the sale made under the deed of trust in favor of the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company. The judgment further recites a finding that plaintiffs had paid on the Hancock note the sum of $4,585.97, which was applied by the court on the principal of that note, leaving a balance of $414.03, to secure which the court decreed a valid lien on the property in controversy. But the court did not render a judgment in the defendant’s favor for that sum by reason of the further finding that the same was not due at the time the property was posted for sale by the trustee. There was a further decree that, upon the payment by plaintiff of that balance, the property should be free and clear of any lien under either of the deeds of trust. As shown by the recitals in the judgment, the court found that the notes in favor of the Maxwell Company were usurious and that the note in favor of the Hancock Company was tainted with the same vice. But there was no finding that the Hancock notes were of themselves usurious.

The defendant has prosecuted this appeal.

[178]*178We will first review the transaction with the Maxwell Investment Company, and we shad quote only such portions of those instruments as are pertinent to the issue of usury.

The principal note for $5,000 which plaintiffs executed to the Maxwell Company contained this stipulation:

“In the event of default in the payment of this note or any interest thereon, both note and coupons shall be payable at the office of said company, Dallas, Texas.
“Partial payments may be made in accordance with privilege endorsed on the back of this note.”
The indorsement on that note read as follows: “The makers of this note have the; privilege to pay One Hundred Dollars, or any multiple thereof at any interest paying date on and after January 1, 1919, provided, sixty days written notice is given.”

The deed of trust given to secure the Maxwell note recites that it was given to secure the payment of the $5,000 note and the coupon interest notes attached thereto. Following that recital are these provisions:

“Now, therefore, it is mutually agreed between the parties hereto that if the said grantors shall faithfully keep and perforin all the covenants and agreements above set forth, and w$U and truly pay off and discharge all notes and other indebtedness secured and intended to be secured herein, then and in that case only, this conveyance shall, be null and void, and shall be released in due form at the expense of the grantors; otherwise it shall remain in full force and effect.

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76 S.W.2d 176, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/john-hancock-mut-life-ins-co-v-houston-texapp-1934.