Knapp v. Sioux Falls National Bank

40 N.W. 587, 5 Dakota 378, 1888 Dakota LEXIS 36
CourtSupreme Court Of The Territory Of Dakota
DecidedOctober 13, 1888
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 40 N.W. 587 (Knapp v. Sioux Falls National Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court Of The Territory Of Dakota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Knapp v. Sioux Falls National Bank, 40 N.W. 587, 5 Dakota 378, 1888 Dakota LEXIS 36 (dakotasup 1888).

Opinion

Feancis, J.

The plaintiff in his complaint alleges, in substance :

“I. That the defendant was a banking association under the laws of the United States, and located at Sioux Falls, Dakota.

“II. That the plaintiff had assumed and become liable to pay a mortgage for $300 to one John B. Trevor, on certain real estate in Brookings county, which she purchased subject to said mortgage. That prior to July 26, 1883, default was made in the condition of said mortgage, and foreclosure • proceedings commenced by advertisement. That the plaintiff, by her agent, Thos. Eeed, on the 26th day of July, 1883, met A. M. Flagg, the attorney who had said foreclosure proceedings in charge for said Trevor, at Sioux Falls, and with the defendant as a third party entered into an agreement whereby said Flagg was to procure from said Trevor a duly-executed satisfaction of said mortgage, and deliver the same to the defendant, the defendant to pay the sum of $385 in full for the discharge of said mortgage, interest, and cost, which sum the plaintiff agreed to and did deposit with the defendant, and the defendant received the same, and promised the plaintiff that it would safely keep said sum for the plaintiff until said Trevor presented a duly-executed satisfaction of said mortgage, if within a reasonable time, and deliver the same to the defendant, then the defendant to pay over to said Trevor the sum of $385, and to deliver said duly-executed satisfaction to the plaintiff on request; and in case said Trevor did not within a reasonable time present such satisfaction, to return the money to the plaintiff; and, although a reasonable time elapsed, the said Trevor has not presented to the [382]*382defendant such satisfaction, nor has defendant paid to plaintiff said sum of $385, or any part thereof.

“And after such reasonable time had elapsed, the plaintiff caused said satisfaction to be demanded of the defendant, and defendant neglected and refused to deliver the same to the plaintiff, and thereafter the plaintiff demanded from the defendant the sum of $385, and defendant utterly refused to pay the same to the plaintiff, and converted the same to its own use.

“III. That since that time the said John B. Trevor has foreclosed said mortgage, and the plaintiff will be compelled to redeem the same on or before the 22d day of August, 1885, in consequence of the defendant’s failure to pay over to the plaintiff said $385, or to deliver to plaintiff said satisfaction.”

The defendant filed an amended answer, in substance as follows :

“I. Denies all the allegations of the complaint except those expressly admitted.

“II. Admits that the defendant was a banking association.

“III. Alleges that on or about July 27, 1883, one Thomas Reed and A. M. Flagg came to defendant’s place of business, and said Reed stated to the cashier that he had $385 he wished to leave with the defendant, to be paid to said Flagg when he should leave with the defendant a satisfaction piece of a certain mortgage, which he had sent for, from John B. Trevor, of New York. That defendant, to accommodate the parties, and without compensation, took said $385 from said Reed for the purpose aforesaid. That within a few days said Flagg delivered to the defendant’s cashier the satisfaction as agreed by the parties, and thereupon defendant’s cashier paid to said Flagg said $385, as directed by said Reed. That within a short time thereafter defendant’s cashier delivered said satisfaction piece to R. F. Pettigrew, upon the written order of said Reed, and averred that it followed the instructions of the parties in all respects; and acted for them in good faith as an accommodation, and without pay or charge. And defendant denied all liability or plaintiff’s right to recover in this action. And that there is a mis-[383]*383joinder of parties plaintiff, in this: that Thomas Reed should have been made a party plaintiff, if any one.”

Plaintiff’s Bill of Exceptions.

This action was tried at the November term, 1887, of the said court, on the 25th day of November, by jury, the Hon. James Spencee, Judge, presiding.

The complaint and amended answer are referred to, and made a part of these exceptions.

Thomas Reed, a witness produced by plaintiff, testified as follows :

“I reside in Arlington, Kingsbury county, Dakota. Am acquainted with the plaintiff in this case. ' She is mother of my wife. I know of there being a mortgage when she assumed on the north-west quarter of section thirty-one, township one hundred and one, range fifty-two, in Brookings county. There was $385 due at the time I settled the matter under that mortgage. I was verbally appointed agent by the plaintiff to settle. She furnished me money to pay the mortgage. I came to Sioux Falls, and called on one Flagg, attorney for John B. Trevor, the holder of the mortgage, and arranged terms of settlement with him. I was led to call on Mr. Flagg by seeing the land advertised for sale in one of the papers, under a mortgage. Mr. Flagg asked me to pay him the money, and he would procure a satisfaction. I told him there was a better way; I would leave the money in the bank, so that it would be safe, and when he procured the satisfaction he could draw the money from the bank. We went to the defendant bank, and he introduced me to Mr. Norton, the cashier. I told Mr. Norton I had arranged with this gentleman, as attorney, for the amount of money I wanted to leave to satisfy a mortgage that was being foreclosed on some land, and asked him if he would receive it there until ho got a satisfaction. He said he would do it, and I left him $385, and a copy of the slip from the paper wherein this sale was advertised, showing what land the mortgage covered that the satisfaction should be for. That was a notice of advertisement of fore[384]*384closure. There was something stated there about my acting for Harriet M. Knapp. I would not be positive that it was spoken to Mr. Norton that I was agent for her. He stood inside the counter, and I was outside. I was talking with him in regard to the money, and I think, when I paid him the money, that I made the statement whom I was acting for.

[Paper shown witness.]

“I should say that it is the notice that I left with Mr. Norton at the time that I have stated.”

Plaintiff now offered notice in evidence, marked “Exhibit A,” dated June 6,1883, signed “John B. Trevor, Mortgagee,” which exhibit was admitted in evidence that is referred to.

“I did not explain to him who Mrs. Knapp was. The explanation I gave was, she was the owner of the land. I informed him for what purpose I was paying this money. He said he would keep it safely until he got a proper satisfaction for the mortgage that that paper called for. About two or three months after that I wrote to the defendants asking them what was done in the matter in getting me a satisfaction. I received a reply to that letter, stating that they had received a satisfaction. Some three or four weeks after the first letter, I wrote them again, and received a reply to that.

“That is a reply that I received to the second letter I have spoken of.”

Letter marked “Exhibit B, ” and offered in evidence by plaintiff and read to the jury, as follows:

“Law Office of Hosmer H. Keith.

“Sioux Falls, Dak., Oct. 22nd, 1883.

“Thos. Reed, Esq.

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Bluebook (online)
40 N.W. 587, 5 Dakota 378, 1888 Dakota LEXIS 36, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/knapp-v-sioux-falls-national-bank-dakotasup-1888.