Stafford v. Davidson

47 Ind. 319
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1874
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 47 Ind. 319 (Stafford v. Davidson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stafford v. Davidson, 47 Ind. 319 (Ind. 1874).

Opinion

Buskirk, J.

This action was commenced by John W. Davidson, administrator of the estate of John Young, deceased, against Ann Stafford and P. C. Eberwine, upon a note executed by them, payable to John Young, in the sum of two hundred dollars.

The defendants demurred to the complaint for the want of sufficient facts, but their demurrer was overruled, and they excepted. This ruling of the court is assigned for error, and presents the only question raised by the original defendants.

Two objections are urged to the complaint, and they are:

X. That it is not alleged that the note was due and unpaid.

2. That while a copy of the note is attached to the complaint, there is no allegation in the complaint making it a part thereof.

The complaint, so far as these questions are concerned, is as follows : A copy of which note is now due and remains wholly unpaid.”

It has been repeatedly held by this court, that in an action upon a note, the complaint, to be sufficient, should contain an averment that the note remains unpaid; and such is the requirement of the form prescribed by the statute for a complaint upon a note. See form No. 1, 2 G. & H. 373; Lawson v. Sherra, 21 Ind. 363; Pace v. Grove, 26 Ind. 26; Howorth v. Scarce, 29 Ind. 278.

It is also well settled, that where a pleading is founded on a written instrument, the' original or a copy must be filed with it; and if the original or a copy is not so filed, the defect may be reached by demurrer; and in order thaf the court may know that a written instrument is filed with the pleading, as constituting the foundation of the particular action or defence, it must be identified by reference to it, and making it an exhibit in that pleading. Hiatt v. Goblt, [321]*32118 Ind. 494; Price v. The Grand Rapids, etc., R. R. Co., 13 Ind. 58; Kiser v. The State, 13 Ind. 80; Hillis v. Wilson, 13 Ind. 146; Tucker v. The State, 13 Ind. 332; The Indianapolis, etc., R. R. Co. v. Remmy, 13 Ind. 518; Woodford v. Leavenworth, 14 Ind. 311; Butler v. Wadley, 15 Ind. 502; The Peoria, etc., Ins. Co. v. Walser, 22 Ind. 73; McMillen v. Terrell, 23 Ind. 163; Williamson v. Foreman, 23 Ind. 540; Lytle v. Lytle, 37 Ind. 281; Wolf v. Schofield, 38 Ind. 175; Hamrick v. Craven, 39 Ind. 241; Heitman v. Schnek, 40 Ind. 93; Mercer v. Hebert, 41 Ind. 459; Prince v. The State, 42 Ind. 315.

The averments, on both points, are too vague and indefinite. There has been an omission in the pleading or transcript, but we must decide upon the record as we find it. It is not sufficient to say that a copy of the note remains wholly unpaid. Nor is there any reference in the complaint so as to identify the note, nor does it profess to file the note as an exhibit. The mere filing of a copy, without reference to it as an exhibit, is not sufficient. The court erred in overruling the demurrer to the complaint.

The appellant James L. Stafford, executor of the last will and testament of Elizabeth Ann Young, deceased, filed his petition at the proper time, asking to be made a party to the action. Said petition is in words and figures as follows: ‘‘The said James L. Stafford, executor, says that Elizabeth Ann Young died testate, in the county of Vanderburgh, on the-day of February, 1868; that her last will and testament was duly admitted to probate, and he, the said Stafford, qualified as executor thereof; that by the provisions of said will, a copy of which is filed herewith as part hereof, the said testatrix devised to her son, Job Stafford, a certain house and lot, in and on which the testatrix and her husband, John Young, then resided; that said Job Stafford was to take said house and lot subject to a charge of four hundred dollars, to be paid to the said John Young, her husband, if he should want and require the same, to be paid during his lifetime; and should any part of said amount [322]*322of four hundred dollars remain unpaid at the death of said John Young, it should be paid to the heirs of said testatrix. And James L. Stafford, executor as aforesaid, says that soon after the death of said testatrix, the said Job Stafford died intestate, and the defendant Ann Stafford, being the widow of the said Job, for and on behalf of the heirs of said Job Stafford, paid the said John Young two hundred dollars as a part of the said four hundred dollars, and executed her note, with the defendant P. C. Eberwine as surety, for the balance, to wit, two hundred dollars ; and that said note is the same as that sued on in this action, the said John Young having departed this life, leaving said note unpaid. And the said James L. Stafford says, that at the maturity of the note on which this action is brought, the defendant .Ann Stafford offered and proposed to said John Young, to pay the amount of said note, and that he informed her that he would not require the same to be paid until October, 1873. And the said executor says that said John Young, during his lifetime, received from the estate of said testatrix money and other personal property sufficient to maintain and support him during his life, and which did so maintain him, and at his death left more than enough money to pay his funeral expenses, and expenses of last sickness ; wherefore the said James L. Stafford, executor, asks to be-made a party to this proceeding; that the said plaintiff be restrained and forever enjoined from enforcing the collection of said note; and that he, said Stafford, executor, have judgment against the defendants Ann Stafford and P. C. Eberwine, for the amount of said note, and for all proper relief.”

Which is subscribed and sworn to by the petitioner.

The will referred to is as follows: In the name of the Benevolent Father of all, I, Elizabeth Ann Young, of Vanderburgh county, in the State of Indiana, do hereby make and publish this my last will and testament: I give to my husband, during his natural life, all of my property, both real and personal, for his own use; and at his death, it is my will that his funeral expenses shall be paid out of any prop[323]*323erty that is left He shall have a decent, respectable funeral, and he must have as good a head and foot stone as I have over my own grave.

“And it is my wish that my son Job Stafford, at the time -of my husband’s death, have the dwelling-house and lot, being my tract of land in Centre township, Vanderburgh ■county, Indiana, now occupied by my husband and myself; provided he pays my said husband, John Young, the sum •of four hundred dollars during his natural life, if he, the said John Young, shall require the same to be paid; but it is hereby understood, that my said husband shall have the pos.session of said house, as well as all my other property; during his life ; and it is my will that whatever of the four hundred dollars, if any, may be left unpaid to my said husband, John Young, at the time of his death, shall be equally ■divided amongst all of my children.

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Bluebook (online)
47 Ind. 319, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stafford-v-davidson-ind-1874.