Security State Bank v. Dawson

261 S.W. 821, 1924 Tex. App. LEXIS 941
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 1, 1924
DocketNo. 2916.
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 261 S.W. 821 (Security State Bank v. Dawson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Security State Bank v. Dawson, 261 S.W. 821, 1924 Tex. App. LEXIS 941 (Tex. Ct. App. 1924).

Opinion

HODGES, J.

In November, 1921, the appellant sued C. R. Dawson and wife and C. V. Dawson on a promissory note given for the sum of $4,531.25. It also sought the foreclosure of a lien on a,tract of 90 acres of land mortgaged to secure the payment of the note. C. R. Dawson and wife made only a formal defense to the debt sued for, but pleaded specially that the land was the separate property of Mrs. Dawson and was their homestead at the time the deed of trust evidencing the lien was executed. C. V. Dawson pleaded that he was only a surety on the note, and that his liability thereon had been expressly limited to $3,000 and interest on that sum. He further pleaded substantially the following facts:

That in December, 1919^ he became a surety for his brother upon a note for the sum of $3,000, payable to the Farmers’ National Bank of Cooper, Tex. On August 23, 1920, that note, together with other indebtedness of C. R. Dawson was renewed with this defendant as a surety. In order to indemnify defendant against probable loss on both the original and the renewal note, C. R. Dawson, joined by his wife, executed and delivered to the bank a deed of trust lien upon the land described in the plaintiff’s petition.. At the time of the execution of the original note for the sum of $3,000 the deed of trust was given to secure that note 'alone. When the indebtedness was renewed, the trust deed was given to secure the entire debt, but with the express agreement between defendant and the bank that the land should be as security for that portion of the debt for which he became surety. At the time the renewal note was given, the Farmers’ National Bank, act.ing through its cashier, entered into a written agreement with C. R. Dawson granting the latter permission to sell and otherwise incumber the land upon which the deed of trust had been given. That this written agreement between the bank and C. R. Dawson was a material alteration of the contract signed by defendant as surety, and varied the terms of the deed of trust. That this collateral agreement was executed between the bank and O. R. Dawson without the knowledge or consent of defendant, and became a part of the contract to which he did not assent. He further alleged that the plaintiff in this suit purchased that note after maturity, with full knowledge of the supplemental agreement, and is therefore bound by its terms. He claims that by rea *822 son oí the collateral agreement, made as before stated, he has been legally discharged as surety.

In response to special issues submitted, the jury found that the land was not the homestead of O. R. Dawson and wife, and that O. y. Dawson signed the note as surety without notice of the existence of the collateral agreement referred to in his pleading. Upon those findings the court entered a judgment in favor of the appellant against 0. R. Dawson for the amount of the debt, and against both O. R. Dawson and his wife for the foreclosure of the deed of trust lien on the land; but refused to render a judgment in favor of the plaintiff for any amount against C. V. Dawson as surety. The appeal is by the Security State Bank from that portion of the judgment which denied it a recovery against O. Y. Dawson.

It appears from the evidence that this debt originated in the manner stated by the ap-pellee in his special plea. The note sued on was dated August 23, 1920, payable to the Fanners’ National Bank of Cooper, Tex., and was due January 1st after date. The names of C. R. Dawson and Mary Dawson appear as principals, and that of C. V. Dawson as surety. Below the signatüres appears this notation: “C. V. Dawson’s liability is up to $3,000.00 and int. on such amount only.” The record' shows that in August, 1920, C. R. Dawson was indebted to the Farmers’ National Bank of Cooper in the aggregate sum of $4,531.25. A part of this debt was evidenced by a promissory note for $3,000, on which his brother C. y. Dawson was surety. That note was secured by a deed of trust in favor of the bank on the same land mortgaged to secure the payment of the note involved in this suit. When that indebtedness matured, C. R. Dawson was unable to pay it, and it was merged in the note sued on and further time given. A new deed of trust was executed on the same land to secure the payment of the 'new note. At that time, according to the testimony of C. R. Dawson, which is not disputed, .he did not agree to give any additional personal security and- did not know that his brother was to become a surety on the new note. He stated that' he then believed that unless he could sell some of his land he would be unable to pay this note at maturity, and, in order to enable him to sell the land, or secure a long-time loan from some other source, he had the following written agreement with the Farmer’s National' Bank:

“The Farmers’ National Bank.
“Cooper, Texas, August 23d, 1920.
“Mr. C. R. Dawson, McKinney, Texas — Dear Sir: With reference to your note for $4,531.25 made this day and payable to the Farmers’ National Bank of Cooper, Texas, with ten per c'ent. interest for date and payable January 1st, 1921, we hereby agree to the following and bind ourselves by it: That owing to the fact that said note is secured by a deed of trust to two tracts of land of about ninety acres in all, located in Delta county, we state this: That if at the time said notes become due we agree to renew same upon the same or renewed deed of trust for a period not to exceed one year from January 1st, 1921 — we further agree to release our lien if at any time between now and January 1st 1921, you have a chance to put said land in loan or sell it, under the conditions that you pay this bank the amount of Ike above-described note or as much cash as you may receive, it being understood that if there still remains some unpaid balance you are to give us a new deed of trust, or vendor’s lien notes against said place to secure payment on unpaid balance. Said vendor’s lien notes are to be second -lien if buyer desires to put in loan. The said note is signed C. R. Dawson, Mary Dawson and C. V. Dawson. C. V. Dawson signs as surety and is liable for only $3,000.00 and interest on that amount. [Signed] B. G. Poteet, Cashier.
“Agreeable to me. C. R. Dawson, Maker note.”

The option given in this instrument was never exercised. The land was not sold nor was any other loan procured, but it remained subject to the deed of trust according to its original terms. Some days after the signing of the note by C. R. Dawson and wife the cashier of the Farmers’ National Bank approached C. V. Dawson and requested him to sign the note as surety. The following is C. V. Dawson’s testimony as to what then occurred:

“Mr. Poteet (the cashier) presented that note to me, and when he did it I told him it was for more than I had signed, and I was not going to sign it unless the place stood for me like it did, and he said it did like it had always done, and he showed me in the deed of trust, and the note too, that what I signed was for $3,000, and I, made him show me that the place stood for me like it always did. I told him I would not sign it unless it did, and he told me it did, and I signed it. He told me that the deed of trust absolutely stood for me-like it always did. I told him that I did not want to sign that big a note, and that it was all mixed up, and he told me that I would be in no danger in signing it — he would assure me of that.

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Related

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
261 S.W. 821, 1924 Tex. App. LEXIS 941, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/security-state-bank-v-dawson-texapp-1924.