Morris Canal & Banking Co. v. Van Vorst

23 N.J.L. 98
CourtSupreme Court of New Jersey
DecidedApril 15, 1851
StatusPublished

This text of 23 N.J.L. 98 (Morris Canal & Banking Co. v. Van Vorst) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Morris Canal & Banking Co. v. Van Vorst, 23 N.J.L. 98 (N.J. 1851).

Opinion

Carpenter, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

The second plea is non damnifiaatus, in the nature of a plea of performance: that the cashier, named in the condition of the bond, did well and faithfully serve the company, and that the said company did not suffer any loss by reason of any malfeasance, wilful neglect, or wrongful act of the said cashier. The plaintiff, in the replication to this plea, has undertaken to show how the company has been damnified by the wrongful acts of this officer. It is objected that the replication is too general, and that the breach of the condition is not sufficiently assigned. Such pleading has, however, been frequently sustained.

It is a rule of pleading, that when a subject comprehends multiplicity of matter, then, in order to avoid prolixity, the law allows of general pleading, as a bond to return all writs, &c. Buller, J., 1 T. R. 753; Steph. Pl. 355 (359 1st ed.); 1 Saund. 411, note 4.

Thus in debt on bond, the condition of which was that the agent of the regiment would duly pay over such sums of money as he should receive from the paymaster general for the use of the regiment, non damnifiaatus being pleaded, the replication was, that the defendant received from the paymaster general, for and on account of the said regiment, several sums of money, amounting in the whole to £1400, which he had not paid over. On demurrer, it was held that the breach was sufficiently assigned, and that it was not necessary to set out the several days and times and circumstances, and thereby [106]*106render the record prolix to no purpose. Cornwallis v. Savery, 2 Burr. 772.

So in debt on bond conditioned that R. S. would render and pay to the plaintiff a true and just account of all moneys, bills, &e., which he should receive as his agent, to a plea of perform- ■ anee, replication that R. S. received divers sums of money, amounting to £2000, belonging to the plaintiff’s business- as agent, and had not rendered and paid, &c., was held to be sufficiently certain. Shum v. Farrington, 1 B. & P. 640.

So in debt on bond conditioned that B. R. should account for and pay over to the plaintiffs, as treasurers of a charity, such voluntary contributions as he should collect for the-use of the society, a like general assignment of the breach in the replication was, on special demurrer, held to be sufficiently certain. Barton v. Webb, 8 T. R. 459.

It may be proper to say, that in the case last cited a point was taken similar to one made by counsel in the present case. It was said that the defendants, executors of the surety, were strangers to the transaction, and had no means of knowing, from so vague a charge, what they were called upon to answer. But it was held, as must be very clear upon the slightest reflection, that the rule of law is the same as to all defendants; that the form of the pleading is the same, whether the suit is brought against the principal of the bond or against the surety, or against the executors of a surety. Greater certainty is not required in the one case than in the other.

So in debt on bond of deputy sheriff, when the plaintiff, in his replication to the plea of general performance, assigned for breach of the condition that the defendant had collected moneys, as under sheriff, to the amount of $1000, which he refused to account for or to pay, this was held sufficient. Hughes v. Smith and Miller, 5 John. 173. See S. P. Calvert v. Gordon, 7 B. & C. 809. See also 1 Lev. 94, cit. Com. Dig. Plead. (c. 45.)

But it was hardly necessary to cite cases. As said in one ease, unless such assignment were permitted, the whole benefit of the statute, by which a plaintiff is permitted to assign several breaches in his replication, would be done away, and it would be necessary in most cases to file a bill in equity .before [107]*107ho could assign his breaches with sufficient certainty. Indeed it was admitted on the argument, that in suits on bonds, by which money collected was secured to be paid over, such general assignment had been held sufficient. It was attempted to distinguish those cases from the present; but the reason equally applies. This case is that of the bond of the cashier of a large money institution, who for several years received and disbursed its funds, and it would be equally impossible to specify what securities for money he had received and misapplied, as to specify what sums of money he had received, and from whom. Such pleading would be utterly impossible, and, if required, would be fatal to all attempts to prosecute upon those bonds. To attempt, then, to specify the securities, and from whom received, would be to state in pleading that which is more properly matter of evidence, and would be a greater particularity than, in this case, the nature of the duty and of the default will conveniently allow. Principle and authority seem equally to be against the distinction contended for.

To some extent the same rule applies here as in covenant, where it has been held, that when matter lies generally within the knowledge of the covenantor, then a general allegation is sufficient. Thus in Gale v. Reed, 8 East 85, where some of the decisions cited were recognised, the covenant by a person relinquishing the business was not to carry on the business of a,.rope maker, except on government contracts, and not to employ any other person to make cordage, &e., it was held that a breach for having made cordage for divers persons, other than for the government, and for employing other persons than the plaintiffs, was well assigned.

Another case of demurrer, specially assigned, is that notice of the default by the cashier is not alleged to have been given to the surety ill his lifetime, or to his administratrix since bis death. It was admitted that the precedents are both ways, and the allegation being merely formal is obviously unnecessary. It has been before held in this ease that notice of the default was not necessary to charge the sureties. 1 Zab. 100, 116, &c.

The breach of the condition is sufficiently assigned by the plaintiff, and the replication is sufficient. .

[108]*108The defendant has also demurred specially to the replication to the fourth plea. The plea is, that the cashier made and executed his promissory note, payable to the company, five years after date, in full satisfaction and discharge of all moneys and securities unaccounted for, &c.; which said note, so made and delivered as aforesaid, the said company accepted and received in full satisfaction, &c. In the replication to this plea, the plaintiff, by way of inducement and in order to show that the note was not given and received in full satisfaction and discharge of the damages sustained by reason of the breach of the condition of the bond, avers that a settlement had been made by and between the company and the cashier; that the defalcation of the cashier was found, and admitted to amount to the sum of $121,229.47 ;

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Related

Hughes v. Smith & Miller
5 Johns. 168 (New York Supreme Court, 1809)

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Bluebook (online)
23 N.J.L. 98, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morris-canal-banking-co-v-van-vorst-nj-1851.