State Ex Rel. Mothersead v. Carson

1928 OK 344, 269 P. 292, 131 Okla. 289, 1928 Okla. LEXIS 656
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedMay 22, 1928
Docket18270
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 1928 OK 344 (State Ex Rel. Mothersead v. Carson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Ex Rel. Mothersead v. Carson, 1928 OK 344, 269 P. 292, 131 Okla. 289, 1928 Okla. LEXIS 656 (Okla. 1928).

Opinion

LEACH, C.

John E. Cárson sold and indorsed to the Night and Day Bank of Oklahoma City a note executed in his favor by James McMeachan and William L. Payne, dated June 1, 1911, for the sum of $3.110, due March 1, 1912. On June 7. 1911. Ihe *290 Night and Day Bank was declared insolvent, and taken over by tbe State Bank Commissioner for tbe purpose of winding up its affairs. On September 28, 1926, tbis action was instituted in tbe district court of Oklahoma county by the state, on relation of tbe State Bank Commissioner, to recover from Carson the amount of tbe said note with interest and attorney’s fees, it being alleged that the note is and was at all times since the bank’s failure an asset of said bank; that plaintiff bad a lien thereon to reimburse it for sums paid tbe depositors of the: bank. An order of attachment was issued in the cause, and certain property of defendant, Carson, levied upon. Tbe defendant filed bis motion to discharge tbe attachment. Tbe second, third and fourth grounds of tbe motion were: (2) That tbe alleged grounds set forth in tbe attachment affidavit are not true; (3) plaintiff is not tbe real party in interest; (4) that the defendant, who was in tbe position of a surety, has been discharged by the acts of tbe plaintiff, in support of which defendant submits affidavit exhibit A. The essential parts of tbe affidavit exhibit A referred to alleged in substance that defendant was not indebted to the plaintiff for tbe reason the plaintiff is no longer tbe owner and holder of tbe note sued upon, or any right thereunder; that the note had been reduced to judgment in the district court of Oklahoma county on December 17, 1912, in case No. 13075; that on February 18, 1913, plaintiff, in consideration of the whole sums due under said judgment, assigned the judgment to Rose L. Carson, who is the owner and holder thereof.

Upon a hearing on the motion, the court found in favor of the defendant, and entered judgment sustaining the motion to discharge the attachment, from which action plaintiff brings this appeal, and assigns seven grounds of error, the second and third thereof being:

(2j ‘‘That the order or judgment is not sustained by sufficient evidence.”

(3) “That the order or judgment is contrary to law”

—and are sufficient to raise the issues presented.

The defendant in support of his motion testified in part that he indorsed and sold the note to the bank; that a suit was instituted >by the Bank Commissioner on the note against the makers thereof, and judgment obtained, upon which an execution was issued, under which certain lands in Bryan county were levied upon and sold, title thereto being acquired by the state and later conveyed by deed of Bank Commissioner to him; that he paid Mr. Lankford, Bank Commissioner, for the deed and judgment, the face of the judgment; did not remember the amount, somewhere about $3,500 or $4,000; he paid the whole amount of the judgment, interest and cost; assignment of the judgment was made at the time the money was paid, deed afterwards; the transaction was had in Bank Commissioner’s office; he represented his wife in the transaction. On cross-examination, he said he did not recollect whether payment was made by check or cash; it would be most natural to pay by check; did business at that time with two or three banks in Oklahoma City; named two of them; he haid an attorney named Dodson who transacted his business for him; did not recollect being served with a summons, or being a party to that suit on the note; he made the payment in the Bank Commissioner’s office to someone, and the assignment was turned over; had looked through his canceled checks and papers, but did not find any canceled check showing payment, only found the assignment.

R. C. Stewart, a witness, testified he had formerly been Assistant Bank Commissioner and acting secretary of the board; he identified his signature, and that of J. D. Lank-ford, Bank Commissioner, signed to and appearing on a written assignment of the judgment referred to; said he had no recollection of signing the instrument, or of the transaction; that it was the custom of the Banking Department to enter money received on a ledger under the failed bank.

Defendant introduced an assignment of the judgment referred to, the assignment being dated February 18, 1913, in favor of R. L. Carson, and referred to the style and number of the case, date of judgment, and recited a consideration of $1 and other consideration. Also introduced a certified copy of recorded deed signed and acknowledged by J. D. Lankford, Bank Commissioner, under date of July 7, 1913, in favor of J. E. Carson, and describing land in Bryan - county.

In support of the attachment, plaintiff called O. F. Dyer, who testified, in part, in substance, that he recalled the case of Lank-ford, Bank Commissioner, v. McMeaehan et al.; that he as attorney filed the case 'for plaintiff; did not sign praecipe for execution in the case, or authorize anyone to cause execution to issue; did not know one had been issued until that date; stated he had an interest in that judgment for his per *291 centage attorneys’ fees, no part of which he had received; he was unaware that the assignment had been given; he had handled a number of other cases for the state; that there was never a settlement by the Banking Department in any case he filed without first consulting him. In addition to such testimony there were introduced affidavits of two bank officers respecting the account of the defendant in such banks at the time of date of the assignment; also, the affidavit of an employee of the Banking Department stating she had had charge of the accounts of the guaranty fund since the year 1911; that such accounts were accurately kept; that they did not show any payment of any sum on account of payment of fhe McMeachanPayne judgment; that she had charge of petitions to sell assets or compromise debts and judgments of failed banks, and found no petition or court order authorizing sale or transfer of the judgment in question; also an affidavit of the court clerk of Oklahoma county, stating he did not find in his office, at or since the date of assignment, any judgment authorizing the Bank Commissioner to assign the judgment in question ; also certified copy from records of Banking Department of the account of collections and disbursements of the guaranty funds in the liquidation of the Night and Day Bank. There was also introduced in evidence the note sued upon.

While defendant’s testimony in support of his motion is subject to criticism, in that he did not make it as clear as may be desired as to the exact manner and detail of the payment of the sum to the Bank Commissioner, yet his statement of the transaction is not improbable, and lack of details and further proof of payment might be excused partly by reason of the long period of time between the date of the alleged payment and date of giving testimony. He testified that he paid to the Bank Commissioner the entire amount of the judgment, interest and cost, and received the assignment of the judgment. In support of his testimony he produced the written assignment of the judgment which was signed by the Bank Commissioner and attested by the Secretary of the Banking Board; also, a certified copy of the recorded deed conveying to him certain lands sold under the judgment in question.

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Bluebook (online)
1928 OK 344, 269 P. 292, 131 Okla. 289, 1928 Okla. LEXIS 656, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-mothersead-v-carson-okla-1928.