Jones v. Merchants' National Bank

25 N.Y.S. 660, 72 Hun 344, 79 N.Y. Sup. Ct. 344, 55 N.Y. St. Rep. 365
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 13, 1893
StatusPublished

This text of 25 N.Y.S. 660 (Jones v. Merchants' National Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jones v. Merchants' National Bank, 25 N.Y.S. 660, 72 Hun 344, 79 N.Y. Sup. Ct. 344, 55 N.Y. St. Rep. 365 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1893).

Opinion

FOLLETT, J.

The question of fact litigated before the jury, and on tlie determination of which the decision of this case turns, is, was there an agreement between the banks, by which the Bank of Mobile gave the Merchants’ National Bank a lien on such bonds. [662]*662stocks, notes, and bills as it might have in its possession, belonging to the Bank of Mobile, as security for all liabilities which the last-mentioned bank should incur to the Merchants’ National Bank? Neither party asked that the case should be withdrawn from the jury, and be decided by the court, both thus conceding that there was a question of fact for the jury. But whether the verdict is contrary to the weight of evidence is raised for consideration by this court by the appeals from the orders denying motions for a new trial. From the close of the War of the Rebellion to July 8, 1884, the Merchants’ National Bank had been the New York correspondent of the Mobile Bank, during which time there was an open, mutual account between those banks, kept according to the custom of corresponding banks. .The Bank of Mobile was accustomed to draw sight drafts or bills on the Merchants’ National Bank, and send it bills and notes payable in northern cities for collection and credit. Frequently the New York Bank rediscounted notes and commercial paper for the Bank of Mobile, and it appears by the uncontradicted evidence that the universal practice was, in case commercial paper, the avails of which had been credited, was not paid, to charge it back to the account of the Bank of Mobile. Occasionally the account of the Bank of Mobile was overdrawn for considerable sums. During the entire existence of this account, the New York Bank had in its possession various bonds, securities, and bills belonging to the Mobile Bank, which were not kept in a box under the control of the last-mentioned bank, but were under the control of the New York bank, the officers of which had access to them at all times. In other words, the securities were not held by the Merchants’ National Bank merely for safe-keeping. In 1870 the New York Bank had in its possession bonds issued by the state of Alabama, which belonged to the Bank of Mobile. Mr. Vermilye, the president of the Merchants’ National Bank, testified in respect to the terms under which those bonds were held as follows:

“Question. About the terms on which you held those Alabama bonds, or whatever bonds you held at that time: Were they held upon any agreed terms between your bank and the Mobile Bank, and, if so, what were those terms? Answer. The agreement and understanding between the Bank of Mobile and the Merchants’ Bank was: In case of any overdraft, or any credit which was made to them which turned out not to be paid, it was charged back to the account, so far as that went; and if we paid their drafts before they got credit on the bills which they sent on, or any security which we had in hand, we charged them interest on that until the credit came in from the collection.”

March 29, 1879, William H. Pratt, then president of the Mobile Bank, wrote the president of the Merchants’ National Bank in respect to an overdraft, and, among other things, said:

“I have considered you fully and amply covered by the lien I gave you on our deposit of Alabama bonds with Williams, Deacon & Co., of London.”

March 1, 1879, Mr. Pratt again wrote the president of the Merchants’ National Bank, referring to certain bonds, and, among other things, said:

“We may wish to draw on your bank beyond our remittances,—not, however, to exceed, say $30,000, or a value of forty cents on the bonds held by you.”

[663]*663This evidence is not very important, except that it shows that the securities held by the Merchants’ National Bank were used by the Bank of Mobile as a means of credit.

The bonds involved in this suit were paid for by the Merchants’ National Bank about June 28, 1880, and delivered to it, the sum paid being charged to the account of the Mobile Bank. The letter of the latter bank to the former, directing the payment for these bonds, states, “You will take said bonds, and hold them for our account.” The important question is whether the Merchants’National Bank had the right to hold these bonds as security for any liability which the Mobile Bank might incur. We will first consider the evidence offered in behalf of the plaintiff on this issue:

Albert C. Danner, the president of the Bank of Mobile in 1884, testified, in answer to the third interrogatory:

“Early in June, 1884, I went on to New York, and called at the Merchants' National Bank, and asked to see the bonds. Mr. Banta, the cashier, showed them to me, and they corresponded with the memoranda I had. I left them there with the positive agreement that the Bank of Mobile could overdraw its account, or get discounts from the Merchants’ National Bank, against those bonds, as collateral, to the amount of $20,000. I think that was the amount My recollection is that Mr. Banta gave me, or sent to the Bank of Mobile, a receipt for these bonds.” “Eighth Interrogatory. Please state in detail the circumstances under which a certain note of Bobinson & McMillan, for $8,800, more particularly described in the answer of the Merchants’ Bank herein, was sent to said Merchants’ Bank for discount. Please produce, and annex to your deposition, any letter or writing, or copies of the same, which may have been addressed to said Merchants’ Bank by the Bank of Mobile, or its officers, at the time said note was forwarded for discount. Answer. I have stated, in answer to the third interrogatory, that I had arranged, as president of the Bank of Mobile, to procure money from the Merchants’ National Bank against certain bonds. In addition to this, I also arranged to rediscount paper that the Bank of Mobile might send on for that purpose, up to thirty-five or forty thousand dollars; it being understood between Mr. Banta, the cashier of the Merchants’ National Bank, and myself, that the Bank of Mobile could barrow from the Merchants’ National Bank, and check for same as required, up to fifty-five or sixty thousand dollars. I will say right here that while I was in New York, arranging this matter, perhaps for three days, I was in the Merchants’ National Bank every day. I was informed that Mr. Vermilye, the president, was sick, but before I left New York I met him at the bank, and understood from him and Mr. Banta that he approved the arrangement made. * * * With the cashier of the Bank of Mobile, I went over the bills receivable in the possession of the Bank of Mobile. The piece of Bobinson & McMillan paper, referred to, I remember selecting. It was sent on because it was a good, large amount, and believed to be good, and therefore thought to be a suitable piece for rediscount in New York. I have no copy of the letter in which said paper was sent on, but I directed such a letter to be written by the cashier of the Bank of Mobile, and a press copy of said letter is attached to the deposition of Mr. Winston Jones in this case, and is here referred to as a part of this answer. It is Exhibit 19.” “Tenth Interrogatory. Please state, if you know, whether, after the said note of Bobinson & McMillan had been discounted by the Merchants’ National Bank, said Merchants’ Bank agreed to advance to the Bank of Mobile any money on the faith of the Mobile & Ohio bonds, to recover which this suit is brought. A. The Merchants’ National Bank had agreed to loan the Bank of Mobile money on the faith of these bonds, as I have stated before. This money had not been borrowed by the Bank of Mobile.”

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Bluebook (online)
25 N.Y.S. 660, 72 Hun 344, 79 N.Y. Sup. Ct. 344, 55 N.Y. St. Rep. 365, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jones-v-merchants-national-bank-nysupct-1893.