Millikan v. Security Trust Co.

118 N.E. 568, 187 Ind. 307, 1918 Ind. LEXIS 32
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 7, 1918
DocketNo. 22,876
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 118 N.E. 568 (Millikan v. Security Trust Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Millikan v. Security Trust Co., 118 N.E. 568, 187 Ind. 307, 1918 Ind. LEXIS 32 (Ind. 1918).

Opinion

TOWNSEND, J.

— Appellee, as holder by endorsement before maturity, obtained judgment against appellant on the following promissory note:

“No........... Due.......... $5,000.00
“Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 1, 1912.
“June 1st, 1913, after date we or either of us promise to pay to the order of Columbus Securities Company, Five Thousand Dollars, negotiable and payable at Aetna Trust and Savings Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, with eight per cent, interest from maturity and attorney’s fees. Value received without any relief whatever from valuation or appraisement laws. The drawers and endorsers severally waive presentment for payment, protest and notice of protest and nonpayment of this note.
“Address............ Lynn B. Millikan.”

[309]*309'To appellee’s complaint on this note appellant filed eight paragraphs of answer — a general denial and seven paragraphs of special answer. Demurrer to each paragraph of special answer was sustained. Appellant then filed two paragraphs of verified non est factum — one denying execution of the note and the other the execution of the endorsement.

1. The errors assigned call in question the rulings on the demurrers. Appellant contends that the note is-not negotiable: First, because it is payable “at” instead of “in the office of” the trust company. There is.no merit in appellant’s contention. A note that is payable “at” a bank is in legal contemplation payable “in” the bank or “in the office of” the bank at the counter where banking business is done'. The words “in” and “at” in this connection are to be given the meaning which is accepted by persons of ordinary understanding.

2. Appellant next contends that the proviso in §13 of the act authorizing the organization of loan and trust companies (Acts 1893 p. 344, §4956 Burns 1914) is unconstitutional because it is not within the purview of the title. This need not be decided, for a trust company organized under this act is a bank within the meaning of §9076 Burns 1914, §5506 R. S; 1881, making notes payable in a bank in this state negotiable. Banks are of three kinds: those of deposit, deposit and discount, and issue. An institution which does any one or all of these things is a bank. Oulton v. German Savings Institution (1872), 84 U. S. (17 Wall.) 109, 21 L. Ed. 618; Bank for Savings v. The Collector (1865), 70 U. S. (3 Wall.) 495, 18 L. Ed. 207. Subdivision 3 of §10 of the Loan and Trust Company Act, supra, defining the power of such company, is as follows: “To take, accept and hold on deposit, or for safe keeping, any and all moneys, bonds, stocks or other [310]*310securities or personal property whatsoever, which any state, county, city, or town officer, or any officer in any railroad or other corporation, public or private, or private person, shall be authorized or required by law or otherwise to deposit in a bank or other safe deposit.” It' will be seen that under this section such company is authorized to accept deposits against which checks may be drawn; and, while it is true that such companies are limited in their powers as a bank, yet they are banks of deposit and check, and therefore banks in the generic sense of that term.

3. Section 9076 Burns 1914, supra, provides: “Notes payable to order or bearer in a bank in this state shall be negotiable as inland bills of exchange and the payees and endorsees thereof may recover, as in case of such bills.” The purpose of the legislature was to fix, as one element of negotiability, a place, a named bank, where such note should be paid, that the holder might there protest and fix liability against endorsers and makers. It is also a safe and convenient place for the holder to leave the note and the maker to leave the money at maturity.

4. Appellant next contends that the instrument in suit is not negotiable because it bears eight per cent. interest from maturity. There is no merit in this contention. §7950 Burns 1914, §5198 R. S. 1881.

We therefore hold that the note in suit is negotiable as an inland bill of exchange.

5. The note being negotiable and, according to the allegations of appellee’s complaint, purchased before maturity in due course of business, we shall now examine appellant’s answer. Appellant’s second paragraph of answer is that the note was given without consideration. His fifth paragraph is fraud which induced the execution. Both paragraphs are bad [311]*311for failure to allege that appellee had notice of these infirmities.

6. 7. Appellant’s fourth, sixth and seventh paragraphs of 'answer are argumentative denials of the execution of the note and the endorsement. The fourth and sixth paragraphs are verified. Appellant was not harmed by the sustaining of demurrers to these two because his evidence was admissible under the paragraphs of verified non est factum, which he afterwards filed. His seventh paragraph is not verified, and the proper practice is a motion to strike out such a pleading for want of verification. A demurrer admits the facts and waives the verification. Pudney v. Burkhart (1878), 62 Ind. 179; Lange v. Dammier (1889), 119 Ind. 567, 21 N. E. 749; Champ v. Kendrick (1892), 130 Ind. 549, 30 N. E. 787. Appellant was not harmed, however, by the sustaining of the demurrer to this paragraph because his evidence was admissible under a paragraph of verified non est factum, referred to above.

Appellant’s eighth paragraph of answer is in substance that appellee at the time of the purchase of said note executed in payment therefor a certificate of deposit, as follows:

“Security Trust Company.
“Certificate of Deposit
No. 2341
Indianapolis, Ind., Dec. 4th, 1912.
‘American Standard Life Assurance Co. has deposited with this company Five Thousand Dollars payable to the order of same, in current funds on the return of this certificate properly endorsed. June 1st, 1913. With interest at two per cent per annum for the time specified only. Not subject to check.
Countersigned:
R. A. Young, Secretary
Bert McBride, President.”

Then this paragraph is in substance that the note was [312]*312dishonored at maturity; that appellee had notice of the dishonor; and that appellee with such notice paid the certificate. If the certificate is not negotiable, the paragraph is good. If it is negotiable, the paragraph is bad.

Appellant contends that this certificate is not negotiable because it is payable in “current funds.” One of the elements of negotiability is that an instrument be payable in money, and the question is whether “current funds” means money. There is some confusion in the decisions of this court on this point. In the case of Drake v. Markle (1863), 21 Ind. 433, 83 Am. Dec. 358, a certificate of deposit payable'“in currency” was held to be payable in money and negotiable.

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Bluebook (online)
118 N.E. 568, 187 Ind. 307, 1918 Ind. LEXIS 32, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/millikan-v-security-trust-co-ind-1918.