Jones v. Berryhill

25 Iowa 289
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedJuly 23, 1868
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 25 Iowa 289 (Jones v. Berryhill) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jones v. Berryhill, 25 Iowa 289 (iowa 1868).

Opinion

Wright, J.

The errors assigned, as far as possible or consistent with an intelligent understanding of the case, will be noticed in their order.

I. Those relating to the action of the court in sustaining plaintiff’s motion, for a more specific statement of the fraud alleged in a certain clause of the answer, and sustaining a demurrer to other parts of said answer, need not be specifically noticed, as the same questions are substantially raised by the instructions. If this is not so as to the motion for a more specific statement, then- we only need remark, that the alleged error is not insisted on in argument, and the ruling was so manifestly correct, that it is useless to give it further attention, or to set out the clause in the answer struck at by the motion.

i. pbaotioe: tones. II. Defendant annexed to his answer certain interrogatories to be answered by the plaintiff, which, on plaintiff’s motion, were struck from the files, and of this defendant complains. The bill of exceptions shows that this order was made because “ the interrogatories were filed as the case was called for trial.” When we c'onsider that the plaintiff resided seventy-five or a hundred miles from the place of trial; that he was not present; that the petition had been on file some months; that to make the order claimed, would have worked a continuance; it will be seen at once, in view of the time the same were filed, that the court very properly refused to make the order asked by defendant. Then [293]*293again, tbe depositions of plaintiff and tbe payee (Wesley Jones), were on file and had been for some time, most conclusively and completely answering and meeting any and every matter covered by these interrogatories. See Rev. 2985, 2987, 2988, 3009; State v. Tilghman, 6 Iowa, 496; Widner v. Hunt, 4 id. 355; Fulmer v. Same, 22 id. 230, and cases there cited.

3. pbohxssoet of ™¿rae-snre ment' III. On the trial defendant objected to the introduction of the note in evidence and also of the notarial certificate °f protest. It seems, that the payee indorsed the note in blank, and that plaintiff in sending it to New York for collection, wrote over this indorsement the words, “ pay cashier Chemical National bank or order;” which latter words were erased when the note was offered in evidence. The objection is, that this erasure was not explained. And we ask why should it be ? So far as defendant was concerned, plaintiff being the holder, and all the time the real owner, had a right to erase these words and insert his own name even at the time of trial. Goddard v. Cunningham, 6 Iowa, 400; Pilmer v. Branch State Bank of Des Moines, 19 id. 112.

3. — protest: notarial certiacate. As to the notary’s certificate, the objections are quite numerous, it being claimed that there is no reference to his seal; that notices referred to are not set out; that the word “ Iowa ” is inserted in different ink and by a different hand, without explanation; no seal impressed; does not show the State in which the officer is authorized to act, nor notice of demand and presentment ; no stamp affixed, and that it does not appear to what post-office notice to defendant was mailed. Most of these objections are based upon mistakes of fact. The others are without warrant in law. The original is before us and shows a stamp; that the notary was an officer in and for the State of New York; there is [294]*294nothing to lead us (except by the merest suspicion) to believe that “Iowa” was not written at the same time and by the same person as the balance of the certificate; a seal is clearly impressed, as much so as will generally appear irpon a paper which has been folded, transmitted by mail and much handled; states that notice was sent to defendant at Iowa City, Iowa, which is abundantly shown to have been his residence, and does show, by the strictest rules of the law merchant, notice of demand and non-payment. It was not necessary to annex the certificate or set out the notice sent to defendant, nor that the certificate should refer to the seal in words, or more than was done in this case. 1 Parsons, 644, 645; also, Rev. § 4031; Hallett v. Chicago and N. W. R. R. Co., 22 Iowa, 259. The notary in brief, says, “ In testimoniv/m veritates,” a form not unusual, and the certificate being followed with the name of the officer in his official character, with his seal of office, the objection cannot avail. And see further, as to notice, 2 Greenl. Ev. § 186 ; Rev. § 4011; Code, 1851, § 2414; Sather v. Rogers, 10 Iowa, 231.

i usury-requisites of. IV. Next is the instruction on the subject of usury. "Whether the law, as given by the court, is correct or incorrect, is, as applied to this case, of no 0y importance. The testimony falls so infinitely short of showing usury, that we might concede the error in the instruction relied upon by appellant, and still could not, for this reason, reverse the judgment.

The testimony of Patterson himself, who made the note, and testified at the instance of defendant, fails to show a usurious transaction. And when we come to the testimony of Wesley Jones, the payee, the case is stripped of even the semblance of usury. The facts were, that Jones had, before leaving Chicago for New Toi’k, sold to Patterson, who resided in the latter place, an interest in [295]*295certain silver mines or lodes in Montana Territory, for $5,000, and was to have his money upon his arrival. After waiting a month, paying his own expenses in New York, Patterson paid him $2,500, and each day promised the balance. After waiting still another month this note was given. Downey, Buchanan, Berryhill and others were interested with Jones in these mines. Patterson, not being able to raise the balance, at his own instance — without any request on the part of Jones, made this note for $2,575-; he and Downey agreeing and saying, that the additional seventy-five dollars would in part compensate Jones for his time and expense in waiting. There was no intention to contract for usury. Indeed, Patterson was so clearly in default, that Jones could have refused to fulfill the agreement. The interest at seven per cent, for the time he had been kept out of his money, would have amounted to more than half the seventy-five dollars. And surely no. one would say that the additional thirty dollars was an unreasonable compensation for his delay; and especially when it was put in at the maker’s instance, and not as the result of any contract to pay so much as interest. It would be almost impossible to conceive of a case where there was a more complete absence of a corrupt agreement. There never was a contract, directly or indirectly, that Patterson was ,to give and Jones take or accept usurious interest. And where there is no evidence of this intent or of such an agreement, the jui’y would not be justified in finding usury. 2 Parson’s N. & B. 405, 406, 407. And, therefore, though this as to defendant, should be treated as a New York contract — and though he could be heard to set up the defense of usury — the case upon this subject is so entirely barren of proof, that thus far the verdict is right, whatever may be said of the abstract correctness of the instructions given or refused by the court.

[296]*296s promissory fyTmportfcoñ-in Bideration. V- But one question remains, and. that the material one.

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25 Iowa 289, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jones-v-berryhill-iowa-1868.