Robinson, Thieme & Morris v. Whittier

191 P. 763, 112 Wash. 6, 1920 Wash. LEXIS 677
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 26, 1920
DocketNo. 15785
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 191 P. 763 (Robinson, Thieme & Morris v. Whittier) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Robinson, Thieme & Morris v. Whittier, 191 P. 763, 112 Wash. 6, 1920 Wash. LEXIS 677 (Wash. 1920).

Opinion

Mitchell, J.

This is an action upon four promissory notes aggregating $3,250, and to foreclose a chattel mortgage to secure the same, given hy H. C. Whittier to the plaintiff. Fairbanks-Morse & Company and Mill & Mine Supply Company were made parties defendant because they had taken possession of certain of the chattels covered by the mortgage. Defendant Whittier answered with the defense of usury, and the other defendants pleaded usury and a failure to file the chattel mortgage within ten days after its execution and delivery. Upon the trial, the defenses were satisfactorily proved, and from the judgment to that effect, plaintiff has appealed.

The notes, in the total sum of $3,250, hearing eight per cent interest per annum, were dated August 2, 1918, and were made payable at several dates from August 15 to October 15, 1918. It is conceded that Whittier received only $2,250. Appellant claims the transaction was not usurious and attempts to vindicate the additional $1,000 (which hy being included in the notes was to hear interest) upon the claim that it was intended as pay to appellant for services to he rendered, according to the terms of a separate writing therefor signed by Whittier at that time. Whittier was engaged in a small logging business in King county. He became financially embarrassed. He applied to appellant for a loan, explaining his condition. Appellant was engaged in the real estate, loan and in[8]*8surance business in Seattle. Whittier asked for a loan of $2,000, but finally decided on $2,250, George R. Thieme, who conducted the negotiations for the appellant, made Whittier come back several times, and finally Whittier told him that, rather than fall down on the proposition, he could afford to and would pay $1,000 for the loan. Then the notes and mortgage were prepared and given; and at the same time, upon requirement of the appellant, there was signed by both parties the written instrument in question, wherein appellant agreed “to visit the timber operations of the party of the first part from time to time, inspect the operations, advise regarding purchase of equipment, cooperate in making of sales, and generally give first party the benefit of the business judgment and experience of the party of the second part.”

In support of the legality of this agreement, it is argued by appellant that, if the circumstances attendant upon the making of a loan may require any kind of services to be rendered to the borrower, for such services rendered in good faith the lender may properly require compensation, in addition to a reasonable amount of interest upon the money loaned. The argument may be conceded, since the proposition contained therein admits the quality or test of good faith. A money lender, bent upon violating the rule of public policy contained in the statute against usury, not infrequently resorts to the subterfuge of a contemporaneous contract for pay for services rendered or to be rendered by the lender, or for profits earned upon a transaction other than the making of the loan, to conceal the true nature of the transaction. The form of the agreement is immaterial; and as was written upon this subject, in Uhler v. Olympia, 87 Wash. 1, 151 Pac. 117, 152 Pac. 998:

[9]*9“But we have steadfastly held that any device, however specious, to defeat the law will not be tolerated, and this, too, whether it is made the subject of proof or is apparent from the admitted facts.”

The contract, couched in vague and general terms as to the kind of services to be rendered, is indefinite as to time. If measured by the length of time the notes were to run, then appellant was to receive $1,000 and interest out of ten weeks ’ output of this small logging business. Whittier failed and ceased logging operations about the last of August. In proof of the good faith of the contract for services, appellant testified to what it actually did. There is some dispute in this regard, but we are satisfied, as evidently the trial court was, that it amounted to practically nothing. Thieme, who looked after the matter for the appellant, was inexperienced in conducting logging operations. He visited the camp two or three times before it closed down; for what purpose it is not shown, certainly he neither called for nor upon Whittier upon either of those visits. Whittier testified he had a foreman at the camp and that there was nothing for appellant to do, and that it did not perform any services there. The market for logs was good, with prices going up. Appellant, by one of its officers, claims to have examined a motor truck to be used at the camp about the time the loan was made, but the record shows Whittier had' already purchased it. After the camp was shut down, while it is true appellant became active in the matter of the disposition of the logs, its manifest purpose in so doing was to get as much money as possible out of a bad situation, to apply on the loan. Whittier testified the $1,000 “was for interest on the loan.” True, that, at the time of having the contract written, he made a statement to the contrary, but we are convinced he did so under pressure of the plan adopted [10]*10by the appellant in making tbe loan. We are satisfied the means employed amounted to a shift or device to cover illegal interest on money loaned and that the transaction was usurious.

Appellant also contends, contrary to the finding of the trial court, that the chattel mortgage was filed within ten days from the time of the execution thereof. The mortgage, to be good against respondents Fairbanks-Morse & Company and Mill & Mine Supply Company, who were creditors, must, under § 3660, Rem. Code, have been accompanied by the affidavit of the mortgagor that it was made in good faith, etc., acknowledged and filed within ten days from the time of the execution thereof, in the office of the county auditor. The facts are that, at the time of making the notes, August 2, 1918, Whittier executed and delivered the chattel mortgage, duly acknowledged, and accompanied by his affidavit of good faith, etc. Appellant held it until August 20, 1918, without filing- it with the county auditor. On August 20,1918, Mr. Thieme called Mr. Whittier into his office, told him he had neglected to file the mortgage, and had an understanding with him which was put in writing and signed by Mr. Whittier. The writing, addressed to the appellant, refers to and identifies the chattel mortgage and says:

“I hereby consent to said mortgage being re-dated August 20, 1918, and acknowledgment being re-taken as of this same date.”

Then, appearing before a notary public, Mr. Whittier, without signing or resigning the instrument, or any part of it, and without making any affidavit of good faith, etc., simply reacknowledged the mortgage. The notary public changed the date to August 20, and on August 23, 1918, appellant filed the mortgage in the office of the county auditor. The instrument, or any [11]*11part of it, has not been in the possession of the mortgagor since it was executed and delivered by him on August 2, 1918. . It will be noticed that the statute, § 3660, Rem. Code, makes no difference as to the class of creditors. Those protected are all the creditors— “both existing and subsequent, whether or not they have or claim a lien upon such property.” The statute is plain, in requiring the making of the mortgage proper, that it be accompanied by the affidavit of good faith, that it be acknowledged and filed within ten days from the time of the execution thereof.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
191 P. 763, 112 Wash. 6, 1920 Wash. LEXIS 677, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/robinson-thieme-morris-v-whittier-wash-1920.