Midwest National Bank & Trust Co. v. Niles & Watters Savings Bank

190 Iowa 752
Supreme Court of Iowa·Decided January 14, 1921·Published·Cited by 10 cases

Opinion

Preston, J.

— Plaintiff alleges as its cause of action that, on August 1, 1919, one W. J. Croke drew and delivered his check to the Texas Coast Irrigated Land Company, on the defendant bank, as follows:

“Kansas City, August 1, 1919.

“Niles & Watters Savings Bank,

“Anamosa, Iowa.

“Pay to Texas Coast Irrigated Land Co., Or Order $1,350.00.

Thirteen Hundred Fifty, and no/100 Dollars

“For value received, I represent the above amount is on deposit in said bank or Trust Co., in my name, is free from claims, and is subject to this check.

“W. J. Croke.”

Indorsed: “For deposit, Texas Coast Irrigated Land Co., by H. J. S.”

On the face of the check appears tlre-^ statement as to protest, August 4, 1919. It is alleged that, thereafter, the land company indorsed the check in the manner stated, and presented same to plaintiff bank for payment, and plaintiff, before paying said check or extending credit thereon to the land company, telegraphed an inquiry to defendant, asking if said defendant would pay the check, which telegram is as follows:

.“Kansas City, Mo. Aug. 1, 1919.

“Niles & Watters Savings Bank, Anamosa, Iowa.

“Will you pay check M. H. Neville, $1,950.00. Also W. J. Croke, $1,350.00.

“Midwest National Bank & Trust Co.”

[754] It is further alleged that the message was promptly delivered to the defendant, and that, on August 2d, defendant answered by telegraph, as follows:

“Anamosa, Iowa, Aug. 2, 1919. •

“Midwest Nat. Bank & Trust Co.,

“Kansas City, Mo.

“Will honor W. J. Croke check $1,350.00. Cannot honor Neville check today. May after he returns home.

“Niles & Watters Savings Bank.”

(The Neville matter is not in controversy herein.) The petition alleges that the foregoing telegram was received by plaintiff, and, acting upon and relying upon the same, plaintiff paid the said check to the land company, in the amount of the check; that the payment and credit so made and given were upon the statement of the defendant that they would pay said check; that thereupon the'plaintiff promptly forwarded said check for payment; that said check was received by defendant for payment on August 4, 1919, and it then and there refused payment, and the same was protested on the grounds of insufficient funds; that thereafter, plaintiff made further demand on defendant for payment, by wire, as follows:

“Kansas City, Mo. Aug. 6, 1919.

“Niles & Watters Savings Bank, Anamosa, Iowa.

“We insist upon payment W. J. Croke check $1,350.00, per your wire second.

“Midwest National Bank & Trust Co.”

It is further alleged that plaintiff is the owner and holder of said check, and that it is due and unpaid; that, by reason of said telegram, defendant agreed to the payment of said check on presentation, and thereby became liable to plaintiff for the amount thereof, with interest from the time of presentment, together with protest fees and costs.

■ The special defenses interposed, stated as briefly as may be, [755] are that plaintiff was acting as the collecting agent for the land company, and paid no consideration for the check, and is not a holder for value in due course; that the land company obtained the check from Croke through fraud and misrepresentation, and without consideration; and that plaintiff has no better rights than the land company; that Croke ordered and directed defendant not to pay the check when presented; and that the same was protested, and not paid. In Division 2 of the answer, it is alleged that the check was indorsed for deposit; that the check was obtained from Croke by the land company without consideration, by fraud and misrepresentation; that the check was given to the land company for a part of the purchase price for land in Texas, pursuant to a written contract between the land company and Croke. The representations and agreements are then set out, and the falsity and reliance thereon alleged. It is further alleged that plaintiff had full knowledge that the land company was in the business of misrepresenting, and of defrauding men obtained from the north, in selling them land, and knew, or had reason to know, that the check was obtained by fraud and without consideration; that plaintiff was acting for the land company in collecting said check, and for no other purpose. In Division 3, it is alleged that plaintiff knew that the land company was engaged in selling land to foreign purchasers, and that the land company would take purchasers from Kansas City to Texas in a special car, at practically no cost; and that plaintiff knew that the land company was in the business of misrepresenting and defrauding land seekers, and obtaining their notes and checks, and was conniving and assisting said land company in placing said checks and notes in the hands of innocent purchasers, and collecting the same. Plaintiff moved to strike this from the answer, and each division, as frivolous, irrelevant, incompetent, and redundant matter, and because the matters alleged, are no defenses, to wit, all the matters in Division 1, which we have before set out. The motion is to strike out all of Division 2, also the whole of Division 3, and separately to strike all of the first paragraph of’ Division 3. The motion is so framed as to strike out each division, and separately, the different paragraphs therein. The motion to strike the petition of intervention is on the ground that the petition, on its face, [756] does not show that intervener has any interest in the matter in litigation between plaintiff and defendant; that plaintiff’s action is based upon the contract made with the defendant, whereby defendant agreed to pay plaintiff the amount of a certain check, set out in the petition, and which defendant certified in writing, and, upon such certification, the amount of the check became a deposit in defendant’s bank, subject to call of plaintiff, over which fund the intervener has no right to stop payment, or otherwise.

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Midwest National Bank & Trust Co. v. Niles & Watters Savings Bank, 190 Iowa 752 (iowa 1921).

190 Iowa 752 (Midwest National Bank & Trust Co. v. Niles & Watters Savings Bank) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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