McGinnis v. Rolf

189 S.W.2d 456, 239 Mo. App. 54, 1945 Mo. App. LEXIS 365
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 21, 1945
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 189 S.W.2d 456 (McGinnis v. Rolf) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McGinnis v. Rolf, 189 S.W.2d 456, 239 Mo. App. 54, 1945 Mo. App. LEXIS 365 (Mo. Ct. App. 1945).

Opinion

DEW, J.-

This is an action brought by the appellant to recover on a promissory note of respondents. A jury having been waived, and the cause having been heard by the court sitting as a jury, the court made the Declaration of Law that “Under the stipulated facts the *57 court declares the law to be that the note sued on is without considera-' tion, and that the plaintiff is not entitled to recover. ’ ’ Judgment was rendered for defendants accordingly. Plaintiff appealed.

Plaintiff’s petition is in conventional form. It stated that on March 6, 1943, David D. McGinnis died and on March 22, 1943, letters testamentary were issued to the plaintiff herein by the Probate Court of Atchison County, Missouri, and that she is now the legally appointed, duly qualified and acting executrix of the estate of said deceased. The petition further alleged execution and delivery by the defendants of their joint promissory note dated August 27, 1935, payable to David D. McGinnis, under the name of D. D. McGinnis, due one year after date of said note, in the sum of $1410, with interest at 6 per cent from date, interest payable annually, and, if not paid, to be added to the principal and to bear the same rate of interest. It is alleged that the note contained certain provisions as to notice of nonpayment, waiver of presentment, and provided that in case the note shall not be paid at maturity and the same be placed in the hands of an attorney for collection, the makers will pay an attorney’s fee of 10 per cent of the principal and interest then remaining unpaid. It is alleged that the note has long since matured and no part of same or the attorney’s fee has been paid; that it -has been placed in the hands of John A. Gerlash and John M. Gerlash for collection, and that the principal, interest and attorney’s fee are now due and unpaid. Judgment is prayed for $1410, with interest thereon at 6 per cent per annum from August 27, 1935, to be compounded annually, and for $221 attorney fees, and costs.

In defendants’ answer it is admitted that David D. McGinnis is deceased; that plaintiff is the duly appointed and acting executrix of his estate; that defendants signed the note described in plaintiff’s petition, and each and every other allegation of said petition is denied. Further answering, defendants alleged that said note is void and does not constitute any obligation of the defendants to the said David D. McGinnis or his personal representative for the reason that it is not supported by any consideration, and by reason thereof is not enforceable; that the defendants were not indebted to said McGinnis on August 27, 1935, nor did the said McGinnis or anyone for him pay or furnish any consideration for the execution of the instrument sued on. ,

The reply was a general denial.

Filed with the petition is the note described in plaintiff’s petition.

The facts in the ease were agreed upon by stipulation of the parties, and, in substance as so agreed, are as follows:

On April 27, 1929, David D. McGinnis,’now deceased, loaned to defendant Carl E. Bolf, $6500. In consideration of the above loan, a note for that amount, payable to David D. McGinnis, bearing the above date, was signed by Carl E. Bolf, as principal, together with his then *58 wife, Yerna C. Rolf, and signed by his sisters as sureties thereon, to-wit: Hilda R. Rolf, Anna A. Rolf, Mabel C. Rolf and Johanna Ebert; with her husband Carl Ebert. This note, so executed, was thereupon delivered to David D. McGinnis.

As security for the payment of the last above described noté a deed of trust of even date was executed and delivered to said McGinnis, signed by defendant Carl E. Rolf, as principal, with his then wife Yerna C. Rolf, joining him therein, and by his said sisters and Carl Ebert, above named, as sureties, by agreement between defendant Carl E. Rolf and his said sisters, known to said McGinnis. The deed of trust covered two tracts of land in Atchison County, Missouri, one of which can be conveniently referred to herein as in Section 5, and the other as in Section 7. It was stated in the deed of trust that it was to 'be a first lien on the tract in Section 5, in which all the children of August W. Rolf were interested. The defendant Carl E. Rolf was interested jointly with his sisters in said tract. As to the tract in Section 7, the deed of trust provided that it was to be a second lien thereon, and that Carl E. Rolf was the sole owner of such tract, subject to $28,000 prior encumbrance thereon. This deed of trust was duly delivered and the same was recorded on May 6, 1929.

The proceeds of the above $6500 loan were paid by David D. Mc-Ginnis to defendant Carl E. Rolf.

On February 17, 1934, all of the above signers of said $6500 note and deed of trust securing same, signed and addressed a letter to David McGinnis to the effect that as owners of the tract described in said deed of trust as lying in Section 5, held by him, they requested him to release the land described in said deed of trust lying in Section 7, retaining that part of the land in Section 5. This request was made in order that defendant Carl E. Rolf could renew the first mortgage lien on Section 7 to which the $6500 lien and deed of trust were subject, which first mortgage indebtedness was in default, and about to be foreclosed. Pursuant to that request a partial release of the $6500 deed of trust was executed to permit Carl E. Rolf to refinance his prior loans on his said individual tract in Section 7, which tract was thereupon released.

Thereafter, on July 19, 1935, defendant Carl E. Rolf conveyed to his sisters, who' were sureties on his $6500 note and deed of trust described, all of his undivided interest in Section 5, whereupon they became the owners thereof and defendant Carl E. Rolf had no further interest in Section 5, which was the only property then left securing the $6500 mortgage note held by David D. McGinnis.

In June, 1935, the $6500' note became in default, both as to principal and interest. In order to refinance the encumbrance upon their property in Section 5, the sisters of Carl E. Rolf applied to the Federal Land Bank for a Refinancing loan, making the application through George C. Nicoll, local representative at Tarkio, Missouri, of the Fed *59 eral Land Bank. Pursuant to the application, said Nicoll submitted to D. D. McGinnis a request for “Creditor’s Statement of Indebtedness and Authority for Payment.” The substance of this statement was as follows: The applicant is designated as Hilda R. Rolf. It is admitted that the application was in behalf of all the sisters of defendant Carl E. Rolf, named above. It was addressed to D. D. McGinnis, creditor, at Tarkio, Missouri. It advised him that he held a note as an obligation of “Hilda R. Rolf, et al., Westboro, Missouri for $-.” Request was made that McGinnis state on the form appearing below the above communication, the- earlest date the indebtedness could be paid, together with the amount which the addressee would accept in full satisfaction of the same on or before said date, or thereafter, and that the statement be returned to the writer.

The form following the above communication is addressed to G. C. Nicoll, Secretary-Treasurer or Loan Correspondent and to the Federal Land Bank of St. Louis and/or Land Bank Commissioner. It was signed “D. D. McGinnis” and dated July 17, 1935.

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Bluebook (online)
189 S.W.2d 456, 239 Mo. App. 54, 1945 Mo. App. LEXIS 365, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcginnis-v-rolf-moctapp-1945.