Sol Popofsky Co. v. Wearmouth

248 N.W. 358, 216 Iowa 114
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedMay 9, 1933
DocketNo. 41789.
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 248 N.W. 358 (Sol Popofsky Co. v. Wearmouth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sol Popofsky Co. v. Wearmouth, 248 N.W. 358, 216 Iowa 114 (iowa 1933).

Opinion

Kintzinger, J.

On December 18, 1930, plaintiff commenced an action on account against the defendant Wearmouth, in which an attachment was issued and the Jasper County Savings Bank was garnished. Judgment was entered against the defendant and the garnishee for $14.40. The garnishee only appeals. The lower court certified an appeal.

The garnishee claims that any money owing to the defendant was not due.

In its answer the garnishee admitted that the bank owed the defendant Wearmouth $14.40 on a special savings account started and maintained under rules of his employment with the Maytag Company under which none of the money deposited could be withdrawn before April, 1934, without permission from the Maytag Company: that the defendant was an employee of the Maytag Company which started a savings account for and in defendant’s name, subject to instructions given the bank that none of the funds deposited could be withdrawn before April 10, 1934, without permission of the Maytag Company, which had never been given.

In reply plaintiff alleges that the amount deposited is now due the defendant on an ordinary savings account deposited for defendant in garnishee bank.

The facts were stipulated as follows:

It was stipulated that the amount on deposit in defendant’s account as shown by his passbook was $14.40 on the date of the garnishment; that at the time of the first deposit the garnishee bank issued defendant a passbook; that the garnishee did not change its rules or regulations with reference to savings account by amending the printed matter in defendant’s “pass book”; that no new rules or regulations with reference to savings account and passbooks were adopted by the bank’s board of directors, nor posted in the bank.

*116 Subject to objections by the plaintiff that the same are incompetent, irrelevant, immaterial, violate the parol evidence rule, and are in contravention to the statutes of Iowa regulating savings banks, all the following facts were also stipulated:

That Exhibits B, C, and D are correct copies of bulletins posted on the bulletin boards in the office and shops of the Maytag Company on February 8, 1927, and March 4, 1927, respectively; that the garnishee bank was instructed by the Maytag Company not to pay any of said account prior to April 10, 1934, without its written permission, which was never given; that the money in said account belonged to defendant, who consented that it he withheld from his wages for deposit in accordance with the bulletins referred to.

It was also stipulated that the savings account book, Exhibit A, is similar to those issued to savings depositors generally, except for the words “Maytag Employee’s Special” printed on the cover.

The Exhibits B, C, and D, offered subject to objection referred to, were general bulletins issued by the Maytag Company and posted in their office and shops notifying its employees of a certain plan adopted by it, to place a small per cent of the wages due their workmen in the garnishee bank, to provide a savings account for its employees, and that their money so deposited could not be withdrawn for five years.

The printed matter in defendant’s passbook showing the terms of the deposit are substantially as follows:

“Jasper County Savings Bank. No. 12142. In account with Virgil Wearmouth. Who accepts this book and makes all deposits subject to the by-laws of the Bank as herein printed and made a part of this deposit contract. No writing in this book except by an authorized officer or Teller of the Bank. The following rules shall govern all savings deposits, to-wit: Depositors will be given a pass book in which all deposits made by him shall be entered, and he shall write his name upon a signature card of this bank. By becoming a savings depositor of the bank he assents to its rules, regulations and by-laws. The pass hook shall be the voucher of the depositor, and the possession of the pass book shall be sufficient authority of the bank to warrant any payment entered therein. No money will be received from or paid to any depositor *117 without presenting the pass book for entry of such deposit or withdrawal.

“The pass book must be left with the bank when the entire deposit is withdrawn.

“The bank’s assent to the withdrawal of deposits, without notice, shall not be construed to be a waiver of its right to require written notice of any withdrawal as provided in section 1848 of the Code.

“These rules may be amended and new rules adopted at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors.

“Notice of changes in rules governing savings deposits will he posted in the office of the bank. For savings deposits not made in connection with a pass book, certificates will be issued bearing not more than four per cent, subject to the right of the bank to require notice, as provided in section 1848 of the Code of Iowa.”

It is conceded that the bank’s board of directors never amended its rules, never adopted new rules, and never posted notice of changes therein as required.

The plaintiff contends that under the rules and regulations of the bank, and under the laws applicable thereto, the money deposited belonged to the defendant Wearmouth at the time the garnishment proceedings were commenced, and that defendant was entitled to withdraw his deposit on demand, subject only to sixty days’ notice if desired.

Plaintiff also contends that the garnishee bank could not change .its liability to pay on demand, without the adoption of rules and regulations to the contrary by the bank’s board of directors as provided in the rules contained in the defendant’s passbook. Plaintiff contends that the rules, regulations, and by-laws therein set out constitute its contract of deposit with him which cannot be varied, altered, or changed by parol evidence; that to permit oral evidence changing the obligations of the bank to pay on demand without the authority of rules adopted by the board of directors would be contrary to law, and would vary, alter, and contradict the terms of the deposit contract, and be in violation of the parol evidence rule.

The lower court held that the deposit was due on demand.

The main controversy is whether or not the amount due the main defendant, Wearmouth, was payable on demand. If so, the judgment of the lower court must be affirmed. If the amount is not *118 payable until April, 1934, then the judgment of the lower court must be modified.

If this was an ordinary savings deposit account, it would be payable on demand, as provided by statute as follows:

“9177. Payment. The deposits so received shall be paid to such depositor or his representative, when requested, with such interest and under such regulations as the hoard of directors shall, from time to time, prescribe, not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter.” (Italics are ours.)

Code section 9178, provides as follows:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
248 N.W. 358, 216 Iowa 114, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sol-popofsky-co-v-wearmouth-iowa-1933.