Waggoner Banking Co. v. Gray County State Bank

165 S.W. 922, 1914 Tex. App. LEXIS 382
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 7, 1914
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 165 S.W. 922 (Waggoner Banking Co. v. Gray County State Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Waggoner Banking Co. v. Gray County State Bank, 165 S.W. 922, 1914 Tex. App. LEXIS 382 (Tex. Ct. App. 1914).

Opinions

This suit was instituted in Gray county, by the appellee, Gray County State Bank, against appellant, the Waggoner Banking Company, a private bank, and the individual copartners composing the firm the Texas-Oklahoma Grain Company, and J. C. Rider. Afterwards the venue was changed by agreement to Hemphill county, where the case was tried and final judgment rendered. *Page 923 By amended petition appellee alleged, in substance, on and prior to July 8, 1910, the Texas-Oklahoma Grain Company, a corporation, was engaged in buying and selling grain in Gray county, Tex., and had J. C. Rider as its agent for that purpose. Rider purchased grain from producers, and shipped to said company when the shipments were ready, and drew drafts on his principal for the purchase price of the grain, and deposited same with appellee bank, which bank gave credit therefor, and forwarded the drafts to the grain company, to be paid through its bank, the appellant herein. In order to insure the prompt payment of such draft, and in order that the same might be sold to and handled by appellee, appellant wired appellee July 8, 1910, and on the same day confirmed the wire by letter, that it would pay drafts so drawn. By reason of the promise in the wire and letter, appellee thereafter cashed all drafts, and forwarded same to appellant for payment. That the agreement as finally consummated, and the mode and manner in which the business was transacted, was that J. C. Rider would purchase a car load of grain and give checks upon appellee, which appellee would cash, and when a car load was purchased Rider would ship to the grain company and draw a draft on the grain company for the amount, and attach thereto the bills of lading and a sworn statement of the number of bushels the car contained, or the number of pounds it contained; that the draft would then be deposited and credit given for the full amount of the same to the grain company by appellee, and by it forwarded through its correspondent to appellant, and that appellant, after said date, honored various and divers drafts so drawn and forwarded for payment. In accordance with the agreement and the mode and manner theretofore pursued, on July 30, 1910, with bill of lading attached, Rider drew a draft for the sum of $674.50, which was cashed by appellee, and at once forwarded in due course of business to appellant for payment, which was duly presented for payment, but appellant refused to pay the same; that the draft was protested at an expense of $5 protest fees, which appellee was required to pay. If the correspondence should be found susceptible of a construction other than the liability of appellant to become bound to pay the draft, then appellee alleged that such was relinquished and modified and of no effect, by reason of the fact that at all times previous appellant paid drafts drawn and identical with this draft, forwarded and presented the same way, but for which the draft sued on would not have been paid. It was also alleged the grain company was insolvent and had gone out of business, and that J. C. Rider's guaranty was of no avail. The appellant bank answered by general denial, and specially that by the undertaking of appellant the drafts drawn by appellee were to be sent to appellant for collection and remittance, with bill of lading attached, and the same would not be paid if sent through other banks, and that the agreement relied upon by appellee permitted drafts drawn "at sight," and not drafts drawn "on demand," and that its undertakings were for the accommodation of appellee and the Texas-Oklahoma Grain Company, and without any consideration; that it advised appellee it would pay drafts on demand when certain conditions were complied with, and would pay such drafts at sight on certain other conditions. The draft in question was drawn on demand, without complying with the conditions required; that these conditions so required were for the purpose of protecting itself, holding the grain as security for any money it might advance in paying the draft. Appellee knew this fact. The grain for which the draft in suit was given was turned over to the grain company by Rider before the draft was presented to appellant without its knowledge or consent Trial was had before the court without a jury, and without findings of fact or conclusions of law filed in the case, the trial court rendered a judgment in favor of J. C. Rider, and in favor of appellee bank, against appellant bank, for the sum of $803.35. The case was dismissed against the Texas-Oklahoma Grain Company because of its insolvency. Appellant appeals from this judgment.

The facts show that J. C. Rider bought wheat in Gray county as the agent of the Texas-Oklahoma Grain Company, and that previous to the draft in question had bought and paid for, by drafts of a like kind, 20 cars of wheat. On this draft appellee paid Rider the money, which was for the use and benefit of the grain company. The draft is as follows: "$674.50. Pampa, Texas, July 30, 1910. No. 21. On demand, pay to the order of Gray County State Bank, six hundred, seventy four and fifty/100 dollars, with exchange, value received, and charge to account of [Signed] J. C. Rider. To Texas-Oklahoma Grain Co. Vernon, Texas. The Waggoner Banking Company — Customer's Draft." This draft was protested August 3, 1910, fees of protest $5. The appellee indorsed it, and sent it through the Amarillo National Bank to the First National Bank of Ft. Worth, which bank indorsed it and sent it to the Herring National Bank of Vernon, Tex., which bank presented it for payment to the Texas-Oklahoma Grain Company. Payment was refused, and upon refusal it was protested for nonpayment. The evidence of Rider is there was an account attached to the draft, setting out the number of bushels and price. The account does not appear to be made out to any one or by any one. All the places for names are blank. It gives the car No. A. T. 20209, and the number of bushels 783, price 87 1/2 cents. *Page 924 There is an affidavit by J. C. Rider, in which he swears "that the wheat loaded in car No. 20209, A. T. at Pampa, Texas, July 28, 1910, weighed 46820 lbs." The bill of lading gives number of car and weight the Texas-Oklahoma Grain Company as the consignee, and destination Vernon, Tex., dated July 29, 1910.

The testimony of the cashier of appellee, Mr. Crawford, is to the effect that he had paid the money out to Rider for the grain company, and that he would not have done so without the telegram and letter from appellant; that he paid to Rider, and received some 15 or 20 drafts from him previous to the one in question, with like affidavits and bills of lading attached, and sent them in the same way and through the same channels, and that none of them had been refused payment, and no objection had ever been urged to the manner of sending them. He did not know how the previous drafts had been paid; whether appellant or the grain company had paid them. He further testified there was no other contract made between appellant and appellee, except such as were contained in the letters. The facts show that J. C. Rider wired the railroad station agent at Vernon, Tex., to release the car of wheat to the grain company. This wire was sent in response to a request from the grain company for a release, on the ground that demurrage was being charged against the car. This wire appears to have been sent on August 8, 1910, when the car was released to the grain company. The agent turned the car of wheat over to the grain company, and that company did not turn it or the proceeds over to appellant bank, but credited J. C. Rider's account therewith, claiming that he was indebted to it on account of shortage in weight and grades on previous shipments. The grain company was and is insolvent and has suspended business.

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Bluebook (online)
165 S.W. 922, 1914 Tex. App. LEXIS 382, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/waggoner-banking-co-v-gray-county-state-bank-texapp-1914.