Tourtelot v. Whithed

84 N.W. 8, 9 N.D. 467, 1900 N.D. LEXIS 255
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 16, 1900
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 84 N.W. 8 (Tourtelot v. Whithed) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tourtelot v. Whithed, 84 N.W. 8, 9 N.D. 467, 1900 N.D. LEXIS 255 (N.D. 1900).

Opinion

Bartholomew, C. J.

In the year 1888 the Grand Forks National Bank was duly organized, and commenced business as such national bank at the city of Grand Forks, in this state. In 1896 said bank became insolvent, and the comptroller of currency took possession of its assets, and on August 6th of said year E. C. Tourtelot, the plaintiff and appellant herein, was placed in charge of the assets of said bank as receiver, and it is in that capacity that he brings this action. Some time prior to the year 1891 the North Dakota Milling Company was duly organized as a corporation under the laws of this state. In April, 1897, the said milling company made a general assignment for the benefit of creditors to the defendant and respondent, H. L. [471]*471Whithed. This action was brought to compel the allowance and the pro rata payment by the assignee of alleged claims held by the said bank against the said milling company, aggregating $14,000, and the accrued interest thereon. These claims were presented to the said assignee, and were by him disallowed except in the sum of $2,985.83. This action of the assignee was sustained by the trial court, and the plaintiff appeals.

In 1891 the milling company borrowed from said bank the sum of $10,000, giving its promissory notes therefor. These notes were renewed from time to time. Subsequent loans were also obtained at the bank. The milling company at one time was indebted to the bank in the sum of $20,000. By means obtained from a loan made elsewhere the milling company reduced this sum to $14,000. The complaint alleges that on September 4, 1894, the milling company executed and delivered to the bank its two promissory notes for $2,500 each, due December 1, 1894, and that on October 9, 1894, it executed and delivered to the bank its further promissory note for the sum of $5,000, due Deecmber 9, 1894. It is conceded that these notes were renewals of the pre-existing indebtedness. There was also another note of $4,000. As to the three notes first above mentioned, and aggregating the sum of $10,000, it is the contention of respondent that the indebtedness thus represented was paid and discharged on November 4, 1894, bv the sale and transfer to the bank of preferred stock in the milling company in the amount of $10,000. The appellant admits that this stock was received by the bank, but contends that it was received as collateral security for said indebtedness, and not in satisfaction thereof. This is the first question of fact upon which this court must pass. As to the other note of $4,000, which was executed October 29, 1895, and payable on demand, the liability thereon is not disputed, but the respondent seeks to set off against such liability the sum of $1,014.17, which the milling company had on deposit in the bank at the time it went into the hands of the receiver. The appellant contends that such sum was not on deposit, for the reason that by the memorandum check of its cashier, and with the knowledge and consent of the milling company, the bank had appropriated $1,000 of such sum in payment of the interest of the $10,000 indebtedness, or of dividends upon the preferred stock. The respondent insists that the milling company never assented to such appropriation, but, on the contrary, expressly repudiated and rejected the same. This raises the second question of fact for our. determination.

Some further statement of facts and reference to the evidence 'will be necessary to explain our conclusion. The capital stock of the milling company was originally $100,000. It had more money invested in its plants than the amount of its capital stock. This excess was borrowed money, upon which it was paying, so far as the record shows, 10 per cent, interest. The sum thus borrowed was $55,000. Its business in the fall of 1894 was not prosperous. It could not meet its demands as they matured, and it desired to get [472]*472cheaper money. In view of these facts the officers of the milling company conceived the plan of improving the credit of the company by increasing the capital stock by the issuance of $55,000 of preferred stock, and the exchange thereof for such indebtedness for borrowed money. The reasons for this action are thus stated by the president' of the company in his testimony in this case: “The company had more money invested in different plants than its capital amounted to, and could not, therefore, pay their obligations without selling some of their property that was necessary to have to operate; and it was essential that they have more money in capital. They had borrowed money, — I think about $55,000, — and they could not pay it. If they paid it, they would have had to quit business, and it came to a point where it was advisable to malee it capital stock instead of bills payable, because they could not pay it and continue business.” The preferred stock was issued, and a certificate for 100 shares of $100 each was delivered to the bank. Among the indorsements on said certificate was the following: “That the holders of preferred stock shall be entitled to priority of dividends at the rate of eight per cent, per annum, to be paid from the earnings of the company; such dividends to be cumulative, and 110 dividends to be paid on the common stock until all dividends on the preferred stock, past and current, shall have been fully paid.” When the certificate of stock was delivered to the bank, there was also delivered the written agreement known in this case as “Exhibit 1,” and which reads as follows: “This agreement witnesseth that whereas, the Grand Forks National Bank has purchased one hundred shares of the preferred stock of the North Dakota Milling Company, par value $10,000, and paid therefor by canceling and delivering to said North Dakota Milling Company its notes for $10,000 which have been held by said bank: Now, in consideration of the aforesaid, said North Dakota Milling Company agrees with said Grand Forks National Bank that the dividend on said stock shall equal ten per cent, per annum while held by said bank; and said milling company further agrees to find a purchaser for said stock on or before November 1st, 1895, and with the proceeds of said sale pay to said bank the sum of $10,000 and accrued dividends at the rate of ten per cent, per annum, in exchange for said preferred stock. In witness whereof said milling company has hereunto set its hand and seal of the corporation this third day of November, 1894. North Dakota Milling Co., by George B. Clifford, Prest. E. Mapes, Sec. (Seal.) ” At the same time the three notes aggregating $10,000 were delivered by the bank to th'e milling company, and the account of “bills receivable” on the books of the bank was credited with $10,000, and the account of “stocks, claims, and securities” was charged with $10,000. The managing officers of both corporations concede that the contract above quoted correctly states the agreement between the parties, but they differ as to the real meaning of the contract. The appellant, on the theory, we presume, that the contract was ambiguous, introduced the testimony of the president of the bank, under objection as to its competency, [473]*473showing certain conversations that preceded the making of the contract, as bearing upon its meaning, and as to what the parties intended. Under, elemetry principles, such evidence was incompetent. The contract is neither ambiguous nor uncertain as to its terms.

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Bluebook (online)
84 N.W. 8, 9 N.D. 467, 1900 N.D. LEXIS 255, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tourtelot-v-whithed-nd-1900.