Livestock National Bank v. Minnehaha State Bank

217 N.W. 180, 52 S.D. 172, 1927 S.D. LEXIS 323
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 20, 1927
DocketFile No. 6295
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 217 N.W. 180 (Livestock National Bank v. Minnehaha State Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Livestock National Bank v. Minnehaha State Bank, 217 N.W. 180, 52 S.D. 172, 1927 S.D. LEXIS 323 (S.D. 1927).

Opinion

SHFR'WIOOED, J.

This action is brought to recover from respondent as indorser on a certain promissory note made by Chas. W. Peterson. After issue joined the Garretson bank closed its doors and John Hirning, then superintendent of banks, was, by proper proceedings, made a party defendant. The complaint is in the usual form.

The answer alleged in substance that, if the note sued on was made by Chas. W. Peterson, it was so- made while he was an active officer, namely, vice president of respondent bank; that the loan was made directly to Peterson and was a private transaction between Peterson and appellant bank, in which- the respondent bank had no interest, and that the indorsement upon the note, if any was made, was made by Peterson for his own use and benefit and was an accommodation indorsement for the accommodation of Peterson, without consideration and without authority from the respondent [174]*174bank and ultra vires; that appellant had knowledge of all these fact's at the time it received the note.

The case was tried to the court without a jury. The trial court found in substance that at the time of making said note P’eterson was vice president of respondent bank and the officer in active charge thereof; that while in active charge of said bank he placed on the back of said note the indorsement, “Minnehaha State Bank, Chas. W. Peterson, V. Pt.”; that this note was a private note of Peterson’s for his benefit, and not for the benefit of the bank; that the indorsement was an accommodation indorsement without consideration and beyond the scope and power of Peterson as vice president; and, as a conclusion of law, that the respondent bank was not liable on said indorsement. On these findings judgment was entered for respondent. From this judgment and an order denying a new trial this appeal is taken.

For convenience the Live Stock National Bank will hereafter be referred to as the Iowa bank and the 'Minnehaha State Bank as the Garretson bank. The material facts are as follows: In December, 1919, H. C. Peterson was president, his brother, Chas. W. Peterson, was vice president, and one Berdahl was cashier of the Garretson bank. At the same time C. L. Frederickson was assistant cashier and later became cashier of the Iowa bank. On December 17, 1919, Chas. W. Peterson executed a note, dated on that day and due June 1, 1920, for the principal sum of $2,000, with interest at ‘8 per cent per annum. It is assumed by both parties in their briefs that this note was made payable to' the Garretson bank. The record before us leaves the matter in some doubt and the note is not in the record. However, we shall assume, as both counsel have, that the note was made payable to the Garretson bank. On the 18th day of December, 1919, this note was sent to the Iowa bank by H. C. Peterson, then president of the Garretson bank, in a letter which said:

“I am taking the privilege in sending you a note of C. W. Peterson for $2,000, due June 1st, which we wish you could carry for us. This note may be taken up before maturity. I inclose a guaranty same as we usually use in this kind when we ask our correspondent banks to carry notes for us. If satisfactory, you may credit our account, and, if not, return note to us.

“Yours very truly,

“H. C. Peterson, President.”

[175]*175On the 19th day of the same month, the Iowa bank, through Mr. Frederickson, its then assistant cashier, acknowledged receipt of this note, and said, in part:

“This is to acknowledge receipt of yours of the 17th inclosing note of C. W. Peterson for $2,000, which we are pleased to discount and have placed to your credit as per the inclosed memorandum. If you have a property statement of Mr. Peterson on file, we would appreciate same.”

Accompanying this letter was a memorandum of discount, which showed' a credit given the Garretson 'bank for this note of $2,016.84 on the ledger of the Iowa bank, dated December 18, 1919. Referring to this same transaction, Chas. W. Peterson testifies :

“I know the Dive .Stock National Bank gave the Minnehaha State Bank credit for that note; I got the money in the Minnehaha State Bank, but the Minnehaha State Bank drew the checks or drafts against the Dive Stock National Bank, and I got the money from Minnehaha State Bank by check. The Minnehaha iState Bank, after they got the money, turned it over to me.”

On the back of this first note when it was received by the Iowa bank, as it appears by their records, there was an indorsement signed by !C. O. Berdahl, who was then cashier of the Garretson bank. Testifying about this indorsement at the time the note was received by the Iowa bank, Frederickson said:

“The original note was indorsed 'by the Minnehaha State Bank of Garretson.”

Peterson, the maker, said :

“At the time I executed1 this note, I think an indorsement was placed thereon by me. I think it was Mlinnehaha State Bank by myself as vice president.”

It therefore appears undisputed that this note, payable to the Garretson bank, and in its possession, was properly indorsed in blank by one of its officers having authority to indorse its paper for rediscount and sent by the president of the Garretson bank to the Iowa bank with a request that the note be carried for them. The Iowa bank received the note and letter, placed $2,016.84, the proceeds of the note, to the credit of the Garretson -bank, and wrote them:

“We are pleased to discount and have placed to your credit as per inclosed memorandum.”

[176]*176The Garretson bank, with full knowledge of the entire transaction, checked out the $2,016.84, and have never repaid any part of it to the Iowa bank. Peterson was unable to pay his note when it became due in June, 1920, and again when it became due by extension on 'December 1, 1920, and at his request renewal notes signed and indorsed as before were accepted by the Iowa bank. The old notes were canceled and returned to the Garretson bank and the proceeds of the new notes credited to them as before, the -Garretson bank paying interest at date of each renewal. When the notes were renewed in December, 1920, the maker sent the Iowa bank 10 shares of stock of First National Bank of Toronto and 3 shares of the Garretson bank to be held by them as collateral to his note. On April 1, 1921, when the renewal note became due, Peterson was still unable to pay, and, on April 6th, wrote the Iowa bank:

“Please find enclosed my renewal note of $2,000, also- draft for interest $53.78. You have the 13 shares of bank stock as collateral. Yours truly,

“Chas. W. Pteterson, V. Pt.”

To this the Iowa bank replied on April 9th:

“I have yours of the 6th, in-closing renewal for your note which matured with us several days ago, and beg to advise that owing to conditions we must ask that this be reduced to some extent.

“We took your account on during a very stringent period and have accorded you an excess line of credit and feel that you should give us the benefit of a larger portion of your reserve, as we are taking money that should have been loaned to customers that we have had for the past twenty years and we are loaning it to yourselves.

“I trust that you can see the fairness of our position and will do everything within your power to help this situation.”

On April nth the Garretson bank replied to this letter, in part, as follows:

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Bluebook (online)
217 N.W. 180, 52 S.D. 172, 1927 S.D. LEXIS 323, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/livestock-national-bank-v-minnehaha-state-bank-sd-1927.