Kohlman v. Cochrane

48 So. 914, 123 La. 219, 1908 La. LEXIS 616
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedDecember 14, 1908
DocketNo. 17,116
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 48 So. 914 (Kohlman v. Cochrane) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kohlman v. Cochrane, 48 So. 914, 123 La. 219, 1908 La. LEXIS 616 (La. 1908).

Opinions

NICHOLLS, J.

The plaintiff seeks to recover from the defendant, wife of David Siess, from whom she is judicially separated in property, the sum of $3,400, with interest thereon subject to certain credits, and to obtain recognition and enforcement of a special mortgage as securing payment of said amount on the property described in his petition. His prayer for judgment was based on the allegations that he was the holder and owner for value in good faith and before maturity of four promissory notes executed by the defendant with the authorization of her husband, and all dated on the 27th of May, 1898, maturing respectively on the 1st of January, 1901, 1902, 1903, and 1904, to the order of and indorsed by the maker, the two notes falling due on the 1st of January, 1901 and 1902, being each for the sum of $900, and those maturing in January, 1903 and 1904, being each for $800, all bearing interest at 8 per cent, per annum from January 1, 1899, until paid. That these notes were on the date of their execution, by act before Alfred E. Gremillion, notary (with which act the notes were identified), secured by the maker, with her husband’s authorization, by special mortgage on the property described in that act in favor of Henry Newman and in favor of any future [221]*221holder or holders of said notes. That the said special mortgage was made and executed after presentation to said notary of the judicial certificate authorized by article 127 of the Civil Code. That the debt evidenced by said notes and secured by said mortgage was one which inured solely to the separate advantage of the maker (Mrs. Siess), or to the separate benefit of her paraphernal estate. That the said mortgage and said certificate accompanying the same were duly recorded in the parish of Avoyelles.

Defendant answered, pleading, first, a general denial. Further answering, she denied that the plaintiff was the owner and transferror of the notes sued on, and which he alleged were in his possession. She alleged that her husband, David Siess, had for years been doing business with H. & C. Newman, and that, as he became embarrassed in his pecuniary affairs, she had to protect her future earnings and property from his creditors by becoming separated in property from him by judgment of court.

That her husband continued to do business with H. & C. Newman on the 15th of April, 1890, through the solicitation of H. & C. Newman, and through the entreaties, persuasions, threats, and marital influence of her husband she executed notes in favor of Henry Newman, of said firm, and gave a mortgage on her separate property to secure the payment of said notes. Respondent averred that the indebtedpess for which said notes and mortgage were given was the debt of her husband, and that it did not inure to her credit or that of her separate estate.

Respondent averred that on the 27th day of May, 1898, the said firm of H. & C. Newman, and particularly Henry Newman, requested and demanded a renewal of said notes due and said mortgage under threats, and her husband coerced and influenced her again to recognize said debt, though said Newman knew, as well as her said husband, that it was for the debt of her husband. Respondent averred that she refused at first to renew the notes and give a second mortgage, as the consideration was the indebtedness under the-first mortgage, and that was the debt of her husband. That she did not receive any money or other values, and nothing was paid to her under either mortgage or as a consideration for the notes. The notes were given in representation of an indebtedness due by her said husband, David Siess, in the first instance, and, in the second, in representation of the debt due under said first obligation, none of which inured to her benefit or that of her separate estate.

Respondent averred that in truth and in fact the notes sued on were for the debt of her husband, and the effort of respondent to assume said debt and give a mortgage therefor was in contravention of a prohibitory law, and therefore void, and the nullity could be pleaded, and the judge’s certificate was no bar thereto, for the reason that no money or other values was put out by said Henry Newman on the faith of said certificate, but said notes and mortgage were given simply to cover an antecedent debt due to said Henry Newman by her said husband, which debt did not inure to her benefit or that of her separate estate, and this the judge’s certificate did not and could not authorize. Respondent represented that said Henry Newman kept money he had belonging to her, and failed to allow her credit which he received from the Greenwich Insurance Company on August 4, 1901, being the sum of $1,054.92 paid by said company as insurance on her gin, which burned in Mansura, and also $50 received on August 8, 1901, for right of way across her lands from the Shreveport & Red River Valley Railroad Company, aggregating the sum of $1,-104.92, which should be credited on the notes sued on, if any portion thereof was shown to be her debt, but which she denied emphatically.

Respondent averred that the notes sued on [223]*223were the property of Henry Newman, and it was only after their maturity that plaintiff claimed to be the owner of the same. She represented that said amount above mentioned was paid long before plaintiff claimed ownership of the notes.

In view of the premises, respondent prayed that the demand of plaintiff be rejected and his suit be dismissed, and that the notes sued on and the mortgage given to secure their payment be declared to be for a debt of respondent’s husband, and not enforceable in law against her, and absolutely null and void, and that same be ordered canceled.

Respondent further prayed that in case any portion of the debt sued on be recognized as her own that she be allowed credit on the same to the amount of $1,104.92, amount collected as aforesaid, to take effect August 8, 1901. Respondent prayed for costs and general and equitable relief.

The district court rendered judgment in favor of the plaintiff against defendant, Clara Cochrane, wife of David Siess, for the sum of $800, with 8 per cent, per annum interest thereon, from January 1st, until paid, and, recognizing that payment of said amount was secured by special mortgage on the property described in plaintiff’s petition. It decreed that said mortgage be enforced upon said property. The court further ordered, adjudged, and decreed that in all other respects the demand of the plaintiff be rejected. It ordered that defendant pay all costs.

Plaintiff has appealed. The defendant has answered the appeal praying that the judgment appealed from be set aside in so far as it condemned the defendant to pay plaintiff the sum of $.800, with interest, with recognition of mortgage on her property, and that in other respects it be affirmed.

On the 14th of April, 1890, Mrs. Clara Cochrane, wife of David Siess (her said husband then and there present aiding and authorizing her so to do) specially mortgaged by notarial act before Alcide E.

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Related

Maxwell v. Maxwell
1 La. App. 413 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1925)
Hurst v. Estate of Jackson
14 Teiss. 364 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1917)
Kohlman v. Cochrane
61 So. 382 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1913)
Roberson v. Goldsmith
57 So. 908 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1912)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
48 So. 914, 123 La. 219, 1908 La. LEXIS 616, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kohlman-v-cochrane-la-1908.