Webster v. Smith

30 N.E. 139, 4 Ind. App. 44, 1892 Ind. App. LEXIS 66
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 18, 1892
DocketNo. 454
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 30 N.E. 139 (Webster v. Smith) 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
Webster v. Smith, 30 N.E. 139, 4 Ind. App. 44, 1892 Ind. App. LEXIS 66 (Ind. Ct. App. 1892).

Opinion

Black, J.

The appellee sued the appellant, who demurred to the complaint, the causes of demurrer stated being that the complaint did not state facts sufficient to' constitute a cause of action, and that there was defect of parties defendant in this, that Joshua Hill should have been made a defendant. The demurrer was overruled.

The complaint alleged, in substance, that on the 1st of April, 1887, Joshua Hill wished to purchase a wagon of the appellee on an extension of time for one year, the agreed price being sixty dollars; that the appellee refused to sell and deliver the wagon to said Hill unless he would execute a note to the appellant for sixty dollars, due in one year from date, with good security thereon, said wagon having been selected at that time by said Hill as the wagon he wished to purchase ; that said Hill then and there agreed that he would furnish good and sufficient security, and it was agreed that [46]*46when he did so the sale of the wagon should be complete, and it should be delivered to him; that said Hill then departed from the appellee to obtain such security; that he went to the appellant and told him that he, said Hill, had bargained with the appellee for a wagon on a credit of one year at the price of sixty dollars, but that the appellee Avould not close the bargain and deliver the wagon to said Hill unless he would secure the debt by giving his note due in one year from date for sixty dollars, with good security thereon, and he asked the appellant to become surety for him, said Hill, on said note ; that the appellant agreed to do so, and, under the style of S. P. Webster, thereupon entered into writing to that effect, as follows :

Mr. C. G. Smith:
Sir — If it is agreeable with you, let Joshua Hill have one wagon on time, and I will go on note with him as surety.
Yours, etc., S. P. Webster.
“April 4th, 1887.”

It was further alleged that said Hill delivered said writing to the appellee, who accepted the same and at once delivered said wagon to said Hill, solely on the credit of the appellant; that at the time of completing said bargain and delivering said wagon to said Hill, April 9th, 1887, said Hill executed to the appellee said Hill’s note for sixty dollars, due one year thereafter, and the appellant, the next day, was notified that the appellee had accepted the appellant’s written undertaking, and had completed the sale of said wagon to Hill at the price of sixty dollars, on a year’s credit, and that the wagon had been delivered to said Hill, and that he had executed to the appellee his, said Hill’s, note for sixty dollars, dated the 9th of April, 1887, due in one year, and that the appellee wished and expected the appellant to come to the city (meaning Terre Haute) and execute said note as surety for said Hill, and that Hill obtained possession of said wagon on the credit of the appellant. It was further alleged that the appellant, although so notified, [47]*47wholly omitted, neglected and failed to sign said note or any note for said wagon, and that he still neglected and refused to do so; that said Hill was insolvent at the time the wagon was bargained to him by the appellee, had been insolvent continuously ever since, and still remained insolvent; that said wagon was sold and delivered by the appellee to said Hill solely on the credit of the appellant; that it had not been paid for, nor had any part of the purchase-price been paid; and that said debt for said wagon had been past due more than a year. Wherefore, etc.

Counsel for appellant in.argument contend that the complaint was insufficient for failure to set out in full the contract between the appellee and Hill, the note given by the latter to the former; also, for failure to state the kind of notice given to the appellant, or the manner of the notice; also, because it was not alleged that the appellee demanded of the appellant that he sign a note with Hill, as surety.

Under the second ground of demurrer it is contended that there was a defect of parties defendant, for the reason that Hill should have been made a defendant, in order that if any judgment should be rendered against the appellapt, it could be shown therein that he was a surety for Hill, so that he might be subrogated to the rights of the appellee.

The note made by Hill was not the foundation of the action. The appellee, in compliance with the appellant’s request and in reliance upon his promise, had sold a wagon on time to an insolvent person, who had not paid his note given therefor. The promise of the appellant was to go on the note with the purchaser of the wagon, as his surety, upon the consideration that the appellee would let the purchaser have the wagon on time. The complaint showed the performance of the condition and described the note given by the purchaser sufficiently-to identify it as the note on which the appellant agreed to go as surety, and sufficiently to show the amount in which the appellee had been damaged. It was not necessary to set out a copy of the note as in an ac[48]*48tion upon it. It was proper to describe it. The complaint did describe it. If the description was regarded as not sufficiently full and definite, the appellant should have moved to make it so.

The writing signed by the appellant, which is set out in the complaint, suggests intricate and disputed questions relating to suretyship and guaranty, discussion of which is not necessary for the decision of this case.

If notice of acceptance, as in the case of an offer of guaranty, was neeessary in order to bind the appellant, it is sufficient to say that such notice need not be given by the guarantee himself, if it be not so stipulated. It is sufficient if it be given to the guarantor by the person for whose default he has offered to become responsible, or if the guarantor receive information of the acceptance from any source. Reynolds v. Douglass, 12 Pet. 497; Oaks v. Weller, 16 Vt. 63; Noyes Co. v. Nichols, 28 Vt. 159; Powell v. Chicago Carpet Co., 22 Ill. App. 409; Central Savings Bank v. Shine, 48 Mo. 456.

If the appellant was not bound to take notice that his promise had been accepted, the complaint sufficiently showed that he was notified.

The rule in respect to demand rests upon the sapae principle with that_ in respect to notice. It may be requisite, either from the stipulations of the parties or from the peculiar nature of the contract; but where not so requisite, he who has promised to do anything must perform his promise in the prescribed time and in the prescribed way; or if none be prescribed, in a reasonable time and a reasonable way, without waiting to be called upon.” 2 Pars. Confer. 671.

“ When, on the one side, every step which the contract requires on that side before something is done on the other has been taken, the party on the other side breaks it if he simply neglects to take his step, though no demand on him is madé.” Bishop Contr., section 698.

[49]*49The thing to be done by the appellant was certain. The specific performance thereof was not necessary for the protection of the appellee. In the appellant’s written promise it was indicated that Hill was to give a note. It was proper for the appellee to iake the note at the time of the delivery of the wagon, and he did so. It was proper for him to retain the note in his possession.

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Bluebook (online)
30 N.E. 139, 4 Ind. App. 44, 1892 Ind. App. LEXIS 66, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/webster-v-smith-indctapp-1892.