Scandinavian American Bank of Fargo v. Westby

172 N.W. 665, 41 N.D. 276, 1918 N.D. LEXIS 171
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 9, 1918
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 172 N.W. 665 (Scandinavian American Bank of Fargo v. Westby) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Scandinavian American Bank of Fargo v. Westby, 172 N.W. 665, 41 N.D. 276, 1918 N.D. LEXIS 171 (N.D. 1918).

Opinions

Grace, J.

Appeal from the judgment of the district court of Williams county, North Dakota, Honorable Frank E. Fisk, Judge.

The complaint states an action to recover upon a promissory note executed by defendant to plaintiff for $2,320.64. The answer admits the execution and delivery of the note, but denies it was executed for valuable consideration. The defendant, in a very extensive answer, sets [280]*280out other defenses. To the answer there is a reply interposed. It is not necessary to set out the answer in full, but the substance of the answer is that on August 8, 1911, J. A. Stafne executed and delivered to plaintiff a promissory note for $1,'745.90, with interest at 12 per cent payable November 1, 1912. At the time the note was executed, there was pledged to plaintiff as collateral security to said note, certain stock certificates of the Citizens State Bank of Alexander of the par value of $100 per share. The answer further states that in the year 1913, A. J. Stafne was the owner of twenty-five shares of the. corporate stock of the Williston State Bank of the par value of $100 per share: It is claimed by the defendant that about the 1st day of August, 1913, A. J. Stafne gave defendant an option to purchase the twenty-five shares of the corporate stock of the Williston State Bank, with the understanding that if the same were purchased by the defendant the purchase price thereof should be applied upon indebtedness of A. J. Stafne to the Williston State Bank of which the defendant was president, director, and stockholder.

The defendant further alleges that the par value of said twenty-five shares of the Williston State Bank stock was $2,500. Defendant alleges that the plaintiff falsely and fraudulently represented to the defendant that the plaintiff was holding the stock certificates of the twenty-five shares of stock of the Williston State Bank as collateral to a debt evidenced by the promissory note upon which this action is brought, and that plaintiff further fraudulently and falsely represented unless defendant signed the note upon which this action is brought, the plaintiff would not deliver possession of the twenty-five shares. of stock of the Williston State Bank to defendant; that the defendant relied upon the false representations made by the plaintiff, and believed them to be true and was thereby induced to execute the promissory note involved in this suit. Defendant further alleges that the plaintiff, at the time of making such false and fraudulent representations as to his right to the possession of said corporate stock, did not hold the same as collateral security or have any right to the possession thereof, as -against A. J. Stafne or the defendant, and that A. J. Stafne was then the owner of said stock and entitled to the immediate possession thereof. Defendant further claims that the plaintiff represented to the defendant that the defendant was fully pro[281]*281tected in signing said note by reason of tbe fact that tbe same was secured by tbe corporate stock of A. J. Stafne of tbe Citizens State Bank of Alexander of tbe par value of $2,000. Tbe answer sets forth tbe disposition of tbe twenty shares of stock of tbe Citizens State Bank of Alexander and tbe assignment and transfer thereof by tbe plaintiff, and alleges tbe par value thereof to be tbe sum of $2,000, and alleges tbe actual value thereof to be $2,500. Tbe defendant admits tbe execution, on March 25, 1914, of a note for $2,205 bearing 8 per cent interest and due in ninety days after date, and alleges this note was given for tbe amount then claimed to be due on tbe $1,745.90 note, the payment of which be bad guaranteed. Defendant claimed that be signed such note on account of tbe assurances made by tbe plaintiff on November 28, 1913, that all tbe matters connected with tbe affairs of tbe Citizens State Bank at Alexander would be adjusted, and similar’ assurances at tbe time of tbe execution of the guaranty by tbe defendant that tbe stock of said bank afforded abundant security for tbe loan guaranteed by tbe defendant and the cause of tbe expectation of tbe defendant that said bank stock would be accounted for by plaintiff, and, when accounted for, that tbe value of tbe stock would exceed tbe amount of defendant’s obligation, and because be knew that tbe defendant’s obligation was being carried as an asset by plaintiff’s bank; that renewal was necessary from time to time in order that it might be considered suitable bank paper, be executed renewals of tbe original obligation, and further alleges that tbe fact of defendant’s expectation that plaintiff would account for said collateral and bis continued reliance thereon was, at all times, from tbe 28th day of November, 1913, well-known to tbe plaintiff. Tbe answer then sets out all tbe matter alleged therein from ¶¶ 3 to 12, both inclusive, and realleges them by way of counterclaim.

Tbe plaintiff, in its reply, alleges tbe delivery of tbe note to it on August 8, 1911, by J. A. Stafne, and tbe pledging therewith at that time, as collateral security thereto, tbe twenty shares of stock of tbe Citizens State Bank of Alexander. The reply further alleges, in substance, that tbe consideration of -tbe delivery to the defendant by tbe plaintiff of twenty-five shares in the- Williston State Bank was tbe guaranty of tbe payment at maturity, of tbe note sued upon; that said guaranty was indorsed upon said note and was in tbe following words: [282]*282“For value received, I hereby guarantee the payment o£ the within note at maturity or any time thereafter, with interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum until paid, waiving demand, notice of payment, and protest,” which guaranty was signed by the defendant.

It is further alleged, in substance, that the defendant then and there agreed that the said stock certificates were to be sold and the proceeds paid to plaintiff to take up said note; that plaintiff would sell such stock; that the proceeds were not remitted to plaintiff or received. The reply further, in substance, alleges the financial difficulty of the Citizens State Bank of Alexander; that the sale of said bank or the stock therein was being negotiated by the majority stockholders; that the defendant held stock in .the Citizens State Bank of Alexander; that it was understood between the plaintiff, then officer of the plaintiff bank, and defendant, that said stock certificates representing twenty shares of the capital stock of the Citizens State Bank of Alexander, held by the plaintiff as collateral security, should be delivered to the plaintiff A. J. Stafne for the purpose of talcing the same to Alexander, North Dakota, and having the same transferred or reissued upon the reorganization of said bank and to return the same to the plaintiff; that said stock certificates were never returned to the plaintiff, and that the delivery thereof to the said Stafne was made at the request of the defendant and with his full knowledge, consent, and approval. The reply further, in substance, alleges the execution of a note on March 25, 1914, for $2,205, and one on November 20, 1914, for $2,320.64. Each of said notes was claimed to represent the amount due upon the $1,145.90 note, the original obligation, at the respective dates of their execution.

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Bluebook (online)
172 N.W. 665, 41 N.D. 276, 1918 N.D. LEXIS 171, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/scandinavian-american-bank-of-fargo-v-westby-nd-1918.