Swift & Co. v. Miller

113 N.E. 447, 62 Ind. App. 312, 1916 Ind. App. LEXIS 108
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 6, 1916
DocketNo. 9,055
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 113 N.E. 447 (Swift & Co. v. Miller) 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
Swift & Co. v. Miller, 113 N.E. 447, 62 Ind. App. 312, 1916 Ind. App. LEXIS 108 (Ind. Ct. App. 1916).

Opinion

Felt, J.

This suit was brought by appellee, Miller, against appellant, Swift & Company, to recover on two checks drawn by L. N. Elson on the German National Bank of Vincennes, Indiana, payable to the order of Swift & Company and indorsed as follows:

“Pay to Miller Bros. or order for exchange payable to Swift & Company.
Swift & Company by L. N. Elson.”

Appellant’s demurrer to the complaint for in[315]*315sufficiency of the facts alleged to state a cause of action was overruled. Appellant answered the complaint in five paragraphs, the first of which was a general denial. A demurrer for insufficiency of facts alleged to state a defense to appellee’s cause of action was sustained to each of the amended third and fifth paragraphs of answer. A trial by court resulted in a judgment for appellee for the amount of the cheeks. Appellant has separately assigned as error the ruling on the demurrer to the complaint and to each amended paragraph of answer aforesaid, and also the overruling of its motion for a new trial.

The facts stated in the complaint are in substance as follows: At and prior to the time the checks sued on were drawn, appellee was engaged in the drug business in the city of Vincennes, Indiana, and was also a subagent for the American Express Company and sometimes did business for the company under the name of “Miller Brothers.” One L. 1ST. Elson was employed by Swift & Company to sell its goods in the city of Vincennes and to collect therefor, and he frequently bought orders from appellee for the purpose of remitting to appellant collections made by him in its business. In paying for such orders Elson gave to appellee money and checks. The checks were payable to appellant and were endorsed as follows: “Pay to Miller Bros., or order for exchange payable to Swift & Company (signed) Swift & Company, by L. N. Elson.” Among the checks given appellee were those in controversy, one for $244, dated September 11, 1913, and one for $552.24, dated October 13, 1913. A copy of each of said cheeks was filed with and made a part of the complaint. Appellee issued express money orders on the American Express Company payable to appellant for the amount of the checks and paid the company therefor. Thereafter appellee caused said [316]*316checks to be presented to the bank on which they were drawn for payment and payment was refused. Thereupon appellee notified appellant of the refusal of the bank to pay the checks. On November 22, appellee again notified appellant in writing by registered mail. Appellee also demanded payment of each of the checks from L. N. Elson and payment was refused. Appellee thereupon notified appellant of the nonpayment of each of said checks, which demand and notice were made and given immediately after the bank had refused payment of each check. By reason of the facts aforesaid appellant is indebted to appellee in the sum of $796.24, which amount is due and unpaid.

1. [317]*3172. [316]*316Appellant’s memoranda accompanying the demurrer to the complaint is denominated “argument” and is assailed by appellee as insufficient to present any question under the sixth clause of §344 Burns 1914, Acts 1911 p. 415. The memoranda is subject to criticism, but looking to its substance rather than its form, we think it substantially meets the requirements of the statute, notwithstanding the misleading and erroneous appellation given to it. The substance of the memoranda is that the complaint seeks to hold appellant liable as an indorser; that as an indorser it is entitled to all. the rights and defenses authorized by the common law and commercial usage as the same have been enacted into the statutes of our State (§9089 et seq. Burns 1914, Acts 1913 p. 120 et seq.); that the complaint does not show due diligence on the part of appellee when the cheeks were dishonored, in the giving of notice to appellant; that the complaint does not show that appellant was notified within the time prescribed by the statute. The complaint charges that the checks were duly presented for payment and the bank on which [317]*317they were drawn refused payment and that, “He * *■ * thereupon notified the endorser, Swift & Company, * * * of the refusal of said bank to pay said cheeks and each of them.” The word “thereupon” signifies that the bank was “immediately, at once, without delay” (Webster’s Dictionary) so notified. There was no motion to make the complaint more specific, and as against the demurrer the complaint is not objectionable on the ground alleged and was not insufficient on any ground presented by the memoranda. . The court, therefore, did not err in overruling the demurrer thereto.

As already shown, the first paragraph of appellant’s answer was a general denial. The second paragraph is drawn on the theory of fraud by appellant’s former agent, Elson, and appellee, in the drawing and acceptance of the checks in the manner aforesaid to procure the money from appellant. The third amended paragraph Of answer proceeds on the theory that the endorsement of the cheek for $244 in the manner aforesaid was unauthorized and that there was unreasonable delay in presenting the checks to the bank for payment. It alleges in substance that as to' that part of appellee’s complaint which seeks to recover upon the check for $244 dated September 11, 1913, appellee Ought not to recover for the reason that said check was endorsed by appellant to appellee on September 11,1913; that it was held by appellee for a period of seven days from that date before'the same was presented for payment to the bank on which it was drawn; and that this check was signed and endorsed by said L. N. Elson without the authority of appellant. The fourth paragraph of answer in substance alleges that L. N. Elson was the agent of appellant in Vincennes, Indiana, to sell [318]*318its products and collect for same; that appellant provided said Bison with a stamp in form as follows:

“Pay to-or order for exchange, payable to Swift & Company.
Swift & Company.
By-.”

That said stamp was furnished for the sole and only purpose of enabling said Elson to. endorse cheeks of appellant received in payment of its products for exchange payable to appellant; that appellant knew that such was the extent of Bison’s authority and that he had no right or authority to endorse his own checks with such stamp, and appellee accepted the cheeks in suit with full knowledge thereof and with knowledge of the fact that Elson had no funds in the bank, upon which the checks were drawn, out of which the checks could be paid, but accepted the same intending thereby to seek to hold appellant liable for the amount. The amended fifth paragraph of answer alleges in substance that the check for $244 set forth in appellee’s complaint was received by appellee on September 11, 1913, and the check for $552.24 on October 13, 1913; that both of said checks were drawn by L. N.

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Bluebook (online)
113 N.E. 447, 62 Ind. App. 312, 1916 Ind. App. LEXIS 108, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/swift-co-v-miller-indctapp-1916.