Rouss v. Creglow

72 N.W. 429, 103 Iowa 60
Supreme Court of Iowa·Decided October 9, 1897·Published·Cited by 10 cases

Opinion

Given, J.

1 I. The written contract of guaranty sued upon is as follows: “$2,500.00. May 7, 1892. For and in consideration of the sum of one dollar to us in hand paid by Charles Broadway Rouss, of the city of New York, receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, I, we, or either of us, do hereby guarantee the prompt payment to him of any sum, up to twenty-five hundred dollars, which is now or at any time hereafter may become due and payable to him by Creglow Bros, upon open account for goods sold and delivered, or upon any note or evidence of debt given upon account of such sales and deliveries. This guaranty shall apply to all indebtedness which may accrue at any time Avithin one year from this date, and before the personal service by us upon said Rouss of written notice to the effect that we will not be liable for any debt contracted after the service of such notice. Notice of the acceptance of this guaranty, and notice of any credit extended on the faith thereof, is hereby waived. [62] The said Rouss is .at liberty to extend the time for payment of any such indebtedness, without notice to' us. We do hereby waive the benefit of all exemption laws of every description, including the right of homestead, as against any liability arising under this instrument. It is understood and agreed by the party .giving this instrument as collateral security that he or they .are to remit at the rate of 10 per cent, per week of the open account of indebtedness,whatever it is or may hereafter become So long as this is done, they have the privilege of ■extending this instrument for twelve months from its date. In the event of a failure to do this, it is understood that this instrument immediately becomes due. It is also understood that they have the privilege of ordering an equal amount of goods to the remittance sent, even should the remittance 'be in excess of the 10 per cent, per week. It is also understood that proceeds for shipments made O. O. D. by freight or express shall not be construed as a remittance to be applied on the 10 per cent, per week; in other words, remittances •must accompany the orders, or be received before orders are. filled, to be applied on the 10 per cent, agreement. It is further understood that the sureties are fully cognizant of these terms. Greglow Bros. M. A. Greg-low.” The account aga'nst Greglow Bros, set out in the petition shows a balance of one thousand, five hundred and five dollars and twenty-seven cents due to plaintiff on May 7,1892, and a continuous course of dealing from that date to November 30, 1894, with a balance of one thousand and two dollars and ninety-five cents then due to plaintiff. The account also shows that the credits largely exceed the 'balance due May 7, 1892, and the amount of purchases made between that date an 1 May 7, 1893. From this it is plear that the balance of one thousand and two dollars and ninety-five cents, due November 3, 1894, and for which judgment is asked, is for merchandise purchased after May 7, 1893. By the [63] demurrer, the question is raised whether appellee is liable, under said contract of guaranty, for the indsbtedness incurred after one year from its date, namely, after May 7,1893.

2 II. Appellant’s contention is that this is a continuing guaranty, limited only by notice of its termination, or by the lapse of a reasonable time; and appellee 'contends that it is limited by its own terms to one year from its date. Appellant cites Pratt v. Matthews, 24 Hun. 386, and Powers v. Clarke, 127 N. Y. 417 (28 N. E. Rep. 402), to the effect that the words “at any time hereafter” tend strongly to show that the guaranty is a continuing one. Such language, standing alone, does so tend, but not when followed, as in this case, by a provision expressly limiting the guaranty “to all indebtedness which may at any time accrue within one year from this date,” — the date of guarani y. We think it entirely clear that the words, “or at any time hereafter” are qualified by the words “within one year from this date,” and that the provision as to notice is for notice within the year. In Shickle, Harrison & Howard Iron Co. v. Council Bluffs City Water Works Co., 83 Iowa, 397, it is said “that, in construing contracts of guaranty, technicalities should be avoided, and the reasonable intent of the parties, as it may be gathered from all parts of the contract, should prevail.” Thus construing this contract, it is plainly a guaranty for one year from its date, and does not admit of any other, interpretation.

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Rouss v. Creglow, 72 N.W. 429, 103 Iowa 60 (iowa 1897).

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