Mooers v. Stalker

194 Iowa 1354
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedDecember 15, 1922
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 194 Iowa 1354 (Mooers v. Stalker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mooers v. Stalker, 194 Iowa 1354 (iowa 1922).

Opinions

Faville, J.

On November 25, 1918, tbe appellant Lillie G. Stalker executed and delivered to the Atlas Motor Truck Company her certain promissory note in the sum of $3,000. Tbe note purports to have been indorsed by the Atlas Motor Truck Company to one O. N. Frazier, who in turn indorsed tbe same to the appellant P. H. Pottinger, who sold and indorsed tbe same to the appellee. Suit was brought on tbe note against tbe maker, Stalker, and the indorser Pottinger. Appellee claims to be an innocent purchaser in due course. The appellant Stalker, by her answer, claims that the note was obtained from her as evidence of an indebtedness incurred for the purchase of certain stock in the Atlas Motor Truck Company, and pleads that the said note was obtained by fraud and false representations. The appellant Pottinger filed a separate answer, pleading that he was a mere indorser for the purpose of the transfer of title to said note, and that he had received no notice of the nonpayment of the note.

[1356]*1356[1355]*1355I. Upon the trial of the cause, the appellant Stalker introduced evidence tending to show that the note was given for a subscription to stock in the Atlas Motor Truck Company; that [1356]*1356the said subscription for stock and the execution of said note were procured by representations made to her by one O. N. Frazier and by others interested in the said Atlas Motor Truck Company that the property of the company was worth $100,000, consisting of machinery to make trucks, and that a patent held by said company was worth over $100,000; that representations were also made that the stock would pay a 10 per cent dividend; and that the stock would be resold for said appellant at a profit. There was evidence tending to show that the Atlas Motor Truck Company owned no property of any value except one truck. Its chief business appears to have been the sale of its own stock.'

The evidence was sufficient to go to the jury on the question of the procurement of said note from the appellant Stalker by fraud and false representations.

The appellee testified that he paid $2,880 for the note. He also testified that he made investigation of a banker, when the note was offered to him, as to whether the maker was good; that he did not know whether the Atlas Motor Truck Company was a partnership or a corporation • that he took the note at its face, and thought that it was good; that he made no inquiry about the Atlas Motor Truck Company, did not consider it at all, did not know what kind of company it was or where it was doing business, and did not care; that he regarded the note as good, and did not think about anything else.

It appeared in the evidence that Pottinger obtained the note by trading an automobile for it, to Frazier,'the stock salesman for the truck company; that Pottinger had sold other notes to the appellee, and offered him this note for purchase; that, at the time of the sale of the note, he informed the appellee that he had gotten the note from Frazier; that appellee knew Frazier; that Frazier and Potting’er had sold appellee a car, and that Frazier, before this time, had had a talk with appellee about selling him stock in the truck company; that Frazier tried to make appellee think that the Atlas stock would make him richer than he was; that appellee knew that the truck company intended to make trucks, and had seen the one truck owned by it. There is also evidence tending to show that appellee knew, before he purchased the note, that it was given to Frazier for stock' [1357]*1357in the truck company. It appears that appellee lived in Cres-tón at the time, and was a retired farmer, and took a local paper, and was generally informed about things in the city- of Crestón; that, when he bought the note, the indorsement of ihe truck company and that of Frazier was on it, as it appears now. The evidence shows that Frazier has disappeared.

"We have not attempted to set out all of the evidence in the case on the question of fraud in the procurement of the note or notice to appellee. By Section 3060-a59 of the Code Supplement of 1913, under, the evidence offered the burden was on the appellee, as holder of the note, to prove that- he or some person under whom he claims, he acquired the title was a holder in due course. We have recently had occasion to review the authorities and pass upon this question in Connelly v. Greenfield Sav. Bank, 192 Iowa 876, and in Farmers Nat. Bank of Kingsley v. Pratt, 193 Iowa 406.

The appellee expressly waives any brief and argument in this court on the issues between the appellant Stalker and the appellee.

While the case is somewhat close, we are inclined to think, following the rule heretofore announced by us, that the evidence in the case was sufficient to take to the jury the question of whether or not the appellee was a bona-fide holder in good faith, and that the court erred in directing a verdict in behalf of the appellee, as against the appellant Stalker;

II. . The note in question is as follows:

“$3,000.00 Crestón, Iowa, Nov. 25, 1918.

“Two years after date, for value received, we, each as principal, jointly and severally, promise to pay to the order of Atlas Motor Truck Co.

payable at .

Farmers & MERCHANTS SaviNgs Bank, CrestON, Iowa

Three Thousand .Dollars, with interest at 6 per cent per annum from date.interest semiannually, and attorney’s fees if suit be commenced on this note. This note shall draw interest at eight per cent per annum after default or after maturity and all past due interest shall [1358]*1358draw interest at eight per cent, and if interest becomes delinquent the principal and interest become due and payable at once.

“Mrs. Lillie G. Stalker.

“P. O. Crestón, Iowa.”

Across the back of said note at one end appears in print the following:

“For value received the undersigned hereby guarantees the prompt payment of this note at maturity or at any time thereafter, waiving demand, protest and notice of protest.”

And beneath said printed statement is a space, and under the space a printed, dotted line, extending the width of the note. Below this dotted line there are written, in ink, the following indorsements, both of which appear to be in the same handwriting, presumably that of Frazier:

“Pay to the order of 0. N. Frazier, by Atlas Motor Truck Co. 0. N. Frazier, Treasurer.”

“Pay to the order of P. H. Pottinger, Crestón, la. 0. N. Frazier. ’ ’

■ Beneath these indorsements appears the indorsement in question, as follows:

“Pay to the order of W. ]^. Mooers, Crestón, la. P. H. Pottinger. ’ ’

The question at this point in the case is whether or not the appellant Pottinger, as such indorser on the note, is bound by the printed provision on the back of said note, and became thereby, in effect, a guarantor of said note, and waived demand, protest, and notice of protest.

It is conceded on all hands that no demand or protest or. notice of protest was ever had upon the appellant Pottinger. If the obligation of appellant Pottinger is only that of an ordinary indorser of the- paper, then he is not liable thereon without notice of dishonor. Code Supplement, 1913, Section 3060-a89.

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Bluebook (online)
194 Iowa 1354, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mooers-v-stalker-iowa-1922.