Shearer v. R. S. Peale & Co.

36 N.E. 455, 9 Ind. App. 282, 1894 Ind. App. LEXIS 35
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 16, 1894
DocketNo. 1,048
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 36 N.E. 455 (Shearer v. R. S. Peale & Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shearer v. R. S. Peale & Co., 36 N.E. 455, 9 Ind. App. 282, 1894 Ind. App. LEXIS 35 (Ind. Ct. App. 1894).

Opinion

Davis, C. J.

An order in writing signed, “Arthur E. Cox, agent,” was executed to appellee for certain books therein described. This order, before delivery to appellee, was indorsed in writing by appellant in the words following:

“The above is indorsed by the undersigned, who, in ■consideration of the agent being allowed the time for payment herein indorsed, hereby guarantees payment of the amount within thirty days from the receipt of the shipment at the above named express or freight office. Notice of nonpayment by the agent is hereby waived.
“(Signed) Robebt A. Sheaeeb.”

The complaint is founded on said writing signed by appellant. It is alleged in the complaint, that the books, to the amount of $64.05, were duly sold and delivered to •said Cox by appellee; that more than thirty days have •elapsed since said delivery, and that payment has not been made, and that said account remains due and unpaid, “and that the defendant is liable on his contract for said amount.”

There is no direct averment, that the writing so signed by appellant was accepted or acted upon by appellee, or that the books were sold or delivered to Cox on the faith or credit thereof, or that appellant had any notice that his said undertaking had been accepted, or that the books had been sold and delivered to Cox on the faith thereof or otherwise, except as hereinbefore stated.

[284]*284A demurrer for want of facts was overruled to the' complaint. The answer was a general denial.

The evidence shows that an agent of appellee, after the expiration of thirty days from the delivery of the books to Cox, presented to appellant a bill for the books, and demanded payment thereof, and that appellant then stated to the agent that Cox had received the books, and that the account therefor was all right and that he would pay the claim, but that he did not then have the money. He further said that Cox had given him one of the books as part pay for his board, and that Cox had delivered the books and received the money therefor and had then run off, and that he had not been square with him. A demurrer to the evidence was overruled and judgment was rendered against appellant.'

Two errors are assigned:

1. That the court erred in overruling the demurrer to the complaint.

2. That the court erred in overruling the demurrer to the evidence.

The only argument in support of the first error is that appellant’s “undertaking to pay was only collateral,” and Billingsley v. Dempewolf, 11 Ind. 414, is cited in support of this proposition, and, further, that there is no allegation that R. S. Peale & Co. is a “partnership or that it is a stock company or corporation or an individual.”

Counsel for appellee decline to discuss the first proposition because no attempt has been made to point out what, if any, material difference it makes whether the undertaking sued on was a collateral or an original one, and as to the next objection they urge that counsel for appellant should do more than make assertions, i. e., they should state reasons in support of their contention, and, if necessary, cite authorities (Smith v. McDaniel, 5 [285]*285Ind. App. 581; Liggett v. Firestone, 102 Ind. 514); but counsel for appellee insist that under the decision in Wiles v. Trustees, etc., 63 Ind. 206, it was not necessary to aver that appellee was a corporation, a partnership, or an individual.

The reasons given in argument by counsel for appellant, in this case, are, it is true, exceedingly brief, but the specific points on which they rely are clearly stated, and in support of the first an authority is cited.

The points on which counsel, — especially for appellant, — rely, should be specifically and clearly stated in their briefs in this court, and, where necessary, the authorities in support thereof should be cited, and a brief thus prepared will ordinarily be sufficient to invoke the •decision of the court thereon.

A mere assertion, that a certain ruling is wrong, or that a complaint is insufficient, or that an instruction is erroneous, is not argument, but when the specific point, in respect to which the ruling is said to be wrong, or the complaint is alleged to be insufficient, or the instruction is claimed to be erroneous, is stated, the nature and extent of the argument in support of such position, depends largely on the character of the question sought to be presented, and must, in the nature of things, be left to the judgment and discretion of counsel. No general rule applicable to all cases can be stated. It should, however, in this connection, be borne in mind, that, so far as the appellant is concerned, the general rule is that an appellate court will not go beyond his brief in quest of errors which have not been pointed out. Martin, Sr., v. Martin, 74 Ind. 207 (210).

Also, that such brief must contain some argument or statement of the infirmity of the rulings relied upon for a reversal. Acra v. Cornforth, 4 Ind. App. 496.

We will, thereupon, consider the alleged infirmities in [286]*286the complaint, which have been pointed out, but as to any other defects in the complaint appellant must, under the long established rule, be held to have waived them, by failure to discuss them.

The second objection urged to the complaint is not well taken. It does not appear on the face of the complaint, that R. S. Peale & Co. is not a corporation, or that appellee had not capacity to sue, and, therefore, as the name is such as might probably be adopted by a corporation, R. S. Peale & Co. must be regarded, so far as the question here presented is concerned, as a corporation. O’Donald v. Evansville, etc., R. R. Co., 14 Ind. 259.

It is the settled rule in this State, that a corporation may sue in its corporate name, and need not aver in the complaint how it became a corporation, nor that it is such. Heaston v. Cincinnati, etc., R. R. Co., 16 Ind. 275.

If it appeared that R. S. Peale & Co. was a partnership it would then be necessary to set out the Christian and surname of the several members of the firm. Bascom v. Toner, 5 Ind. App. 229.

In this respect, under the authorities cited, the complaint is, in our opinion, sufficient.

The other objection presents a more serious question. The solution of this question depends upon the construction of the undertaking signed by appellant.

Ordinarily, guaranty is an undertaking that the debtor shall pay, and suretyship that the debt shall be paid. Am. and Eng. Encyc. of Law, vol. 9, p. 68.

In discussing a similar question in Nading v. McGregor, 121 Ind. 465, Judge Coffey, speaking for the Supreme Court, says:

“It is often a question of very great difficulty to determine whether a particular instrument of writing con[287]*287stitutes a strict guaranty, or whether it constitutes an original undertaking. In a strict guaranty, the guarantor does not undertake to do the thing which his principal is bound to do, but his obligation is that the principal shall perform such act as he is bound to perform, or, in the event he fails, that the guarantor will pay such damages as may result from such failure.

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Bluebook (online)
36 N.E. 455, 9 Ind. App. 282, 1894 Ind. App. LEXIS 35, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shearer-v-r-s-peale-co-indctapp-1894.