Oilton State Bank v. Ross

1925 OK 429, 234 P. 567, 108 Okla. 24, 1925 Okla. LEXIS 92
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedMay 27, 1925
Docket13377
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 1925 OK 429 (Oilton State Bank v. Ross) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Oilton State Bank v. Ross, 1925 OK 429, 234 P. 567, 108 Okla. 24, 1925 Okla. LEXIS 92 (Okla. 1925).

Opinion

NICHOLSON, J.

This action was instituted by the Oilton State Bank, as plaintiff, against B. B. Ross and Terry Marlin, as defendants, to recover the sum of $2,500, with interest and attorneys’ fee, upon a promissory note made, Executed, and delivered by B. B. Ross to the First National Bank of Oilton, payment ¡of 'vihieh wias guaranteed by the defendant Terry Marlin by an instrument in writing reading as follows:

“Oilton, Oklahoma,
“March 11, 1919.
“First National Bank,
“Oilton, Okla.
“Gentlemen: I will guarantee payment on the note which I ask you to carry signed by B. B. Ross. I prefer not to indorse note, but you can hold this letter and I will protect you against any loss on same..
“Mr. Ross owns a farm and other property. If this is nut satisfactory, let me hear from you.
“Xours truly,
“Terry Marlin.”

lit was alleged in the petition that the plaintiff had purchased thej First National Bank of Oilton, and was the owner of the property and assets of said bank, including the note sued upon. The defense relief upon vfias that the note and guaranty were executed and delivered to the bank without consideration, and solely for the accommodation of the hank, and at its request. A jury was waived and the cause tried to the court, which trial resulted in a judgment in favor of the defendants, from which the plaintiff has appealed.

Plaintiff's first contention is that the court erred in overruling its demurrer to th^ evidence of defendants.

Both Ross and Marlin testified that the note was given without consideration and solely for the accommodation, of the bank, and Marlin testified that the guaranty was executed without consideration, at the request of the officer of the bank, and solely for the accommodation of the ¡bank.

A demurrer to the evidence admits the truth of all the evidence adduced, and all the facts which it tends to establish, as well as every fair and reasonable inference to be drawn therefrom (Singer v. Citipens Bank of Headrick, 79 Okla. 267. 193 Pac. 41; Boatman v. Coverdale, 80 Okla. 9, 193 Pac. 974; Sharum v. Sharum, 82 Okla. 266, 200 Pac. 176; Goar v. Brown, 82 Okla. 227, 200 Pac. 156); therefore, the truth of the evidence of the defendants was, for the purpose of the demurrer, admitted. But it is said that Marlin’s testimony shows 'that he executed the guaranty of the note for the purpose of deceiving the bank examiner, and under these circumstances he is precluded from setting up any defense thereto, and the cases of State Bank of Moore v. Forsyth (Mont.) 108 Pac. 914, 28 L. R. A. (N. S.) 501, and German American State Bank v. Watson, 99 Kan. 680, are cited as sustaining this position.

In Bank of Moore v. Forsyth, supra, the facts were that the defendant, at the request of the cashier of the hank, executed the note involved for the purpose of substituting this note for the notes of the cashier, held by the bank. The bank parted with consideration for th^ note, and the court held that the hank was entitled to recover regardless of the fact that the defendant actually received nothing for th^ note. The first paragraph of the syllabus hi that ease reads:

"It is a valid defense to. the .enforcement of a note against the maker, by the party to whom it vlas delivered, that the note was without consideration and was delivered on condition that the maker should not be held liable thereon.’’

In German American State Bank v. Watson, supra, the facts' were that one Blitz applied to the bank for a loan, hut at that time he had already borrowed from the bank as much as it could loan to any one individual. The president of the bank advised the defendant of this situation, and requested him to execute a note for the amount it loaned to Blitz, and stated to the defendant that he would incur no obligation by the making of said .notd. The court held that while the note was made at the request of the president of the bank, it wag in fact made for the’ accommodation of Blitz, who received the consideration therefor, and further held Ithat under the facts in that case thq' maker of the note *26 could not defend an action tliereon by showing that it was executed without benefit to him undqr an agreement exempting him from liability, in order to enable the bank to which it was payable to make an additional loan to a customer who had already borrowed to the limit allowed by law, for the reason that having voluntarily signed the note in order that the bank examiner might believe it to be an asset of the bank, he ought not to be permitted to deny that in effect. It will be observed that there was a consideration for .the note, viz., the money loaned to Blitz. This case does not go to the length of holding that thcj payment of a note .executed entirely vlithout consideration and solely for the accommodation of the -payee may be enforced by such payee, and we have been referred lo no authority so holding.

While the law will not permit the maker of a note, wheire there is -a consideration therefor, to show an oral agreement -at the time of its execution that he was not to be liable on the note!, for the reason that this would violate the rule forbidding the contradiction of a written instrument by parol evidence, this rule is not infringed by permitting it to he shown by parol what eause'd. the party thus to obligate himself, and thereby -test the! question of whether he, is legally bound as the Writing imports, or whether he is by any cause Wholly or partially freed from liability thereon. Rice v. Rice, 101 Kan. 20, 165 Pac. 799.

By the provisions of section 7698. Comp. Stat. 1921, absence or failure of consideration is a. matter of defense as against any person not a holder in due course, and partial failure of consideration is a defense pro tanto, whether the failure is an ascertained and liquidated amount or otherwise. As between the original parties to a note, the consideration therefor may always, ini the absence of an estoppel, be! inquired into, and a want or'failure of consideration constitutes a good defense. 8 Cyc. 31, and cases there cited; Bank of Commerce of Sulphur v. Webster et al., 70 Okla. 68, 172 Pac. 943; Jesso French Piano & Organ Co. v. Bodovitz, 73 Okla. 87, 174 Pac. 765.

There is no question o-f a holder in dud course involved in this case. The note in question was given to the First National Bank of 'Oilton, which w|as afterwards. by its stockholders and officials, denationalized, and the plaintiff, a state bank, succeeded to its assdts and liabilities. An es-toppel was not pleaded, and the’1» is no evidence in the record of any conduct upon the part of the defendants which would est(..p them from questioning the consideration for the note. The trial court properly . overruled the demurrer to thej evidence.

This leaves for consideration the question of whether the judgment is .supported by the evidence, for this being an action at law, the judgment will mot be disturbdU if there is competent evidence reasonably tending to support It. Elson v. Walker, 80 Okla. 237, 195 Pac. 899; Jackson v. Dardin, 82 Okla. 256, 200 Pac. 223; Katterhenry v. Williamson, 78 Okla. 221, 190 Pac. 404; Mounts v. Boardman Co., 79 Okla. 90, 191 Pac. 302.

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Bluebook (online)
1925 OK 429, 234 P. 567, 108 Okla. 24, 1925 Okla. LEXIS 92, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/oilton-state-bank-v-ross-okla-1925.