Wells Fargo Bank & Union Trust Co. v. McDuffie

71 F.2d 720, 1934 U.S. App. LEXIS 3193
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedJune 12, 1934
DocketNo. 7344
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 71 F.2d 720 (Wells Fargo Bank & Union Trust Co. v. McDuffie) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wells Fargo Bank & Union Trust Co. v. McDuffie, 71 F.2d 720, 1934 U.S. App. LEXIS 3193 (9th Cir. 1934).

Opinion

WILBUR, Circuit Judge.

This action was brought in equity by the appellee receiver, hereinafter called “the receiver,” of the Richfield Oil Company of California, hereinafter to be called “Rich-field Oil Company,” to prevent the appellant bank, hereinafter called the “bank,” from applying the proceeds of four foreign bills of exchange (three 186-day bills of exchange drawn on Birla Bros, of Calcutta, India, and one drawn on Ricardo Velazquez of Cali, Colombia) upon an indebtedness due from the Richfield Oil Company to the bank. To distinguish between the drafts drawn by the Richfield Oil Company on the Wells Fargo Bank, payable to themselves, which were to be accepted by the bank, and the foreign [721]*721drafts drawn on the customers of the Rich-field Oil Company, we will refer to the latter as foreign hills of exchange.

Before this case was tried in the lower court, the hills of exchange had been paid to the bank, and the court, in lieu of the relief originally prayed for, gave judgment for the amount of $163,305.85. At the time the receiver was appointed for the Richfield Oil Company on January 15, 1931, the latter owed $625,000 to the appellant.

The ultimate question involved in this ease is whether or not the appellant bank is entitled to apply the proceeds of the foreign hills of exchange upon the general indebtedness above mentioned. The legal questions involved in the exercise of that right of set-off are based upon transactions beginning October 6, 1930', between the Richfield Oil Company and the appellant hank, whereby a new line of credit, based upon its foreign commerce, was extended to the Richfield Oil Company to the aggregate amount of $155,-000. There is the further question of a subsequent waiver of the right of set-off. Much of the confusion in the caso has arisen from the introduction of evidence of the negotiations between the parties beginning in August, 1930', leading up to the acceptance agreement of October 8, 1930, and of the numerous transactions which occurred thereafter. The contract between the parties was, in the main, in writing. Each party relies more strongly on parol testimony than is justified under the law concerning the effect of written contracts. The bank takes the broad: view that the evidence, oral and documentary, shows that the agreement between the parties was one for a revolving credit, first for $150,000, and, subsequently, for $155,-000, and that all hills of exchange deposited with them in connection with the foreign business of the Richfield Oil Company were deposited under this agreement. The appellee correctly contends that the written agreements must be construed according to their terms and that these terms are conclusive as to the agreement between the parties, but that the references therein to drafts and other documents may ho explained by parol evidence.

Appellee’s further contention that there was an oral agreement which excluded the foreign hills of exchange involved in this action from the effect of the written agreements cannot be sustained. Before stating the contraéis and evidence in relation thereto, it should he observed that the- rules with reference to the use of parol evidence in construing a written agreement between the parties are succinctly stated in the Codes of California, and in the decisions of its courts, as follows:

“The execution of a contract in writing, whether the law requires it to bo written or not, supersedes all the negotiations or stipulations concerning its matter which preceded or accompanied the execution of the instrument.” Section 1625, Civ. Code Cal.
“A contract in writing takes effect upon its delivery to the party in whose favor it is made, or to his agent.” Section 1626, Civ. Code Cal.
“When a contract is reduced to writing, the intention of the parties is to bo ascertained from the writing alone, if possible; subject, however, to- the other provisions of this title.” Section 1639, Civ. Code Cal.
“Several contracts relating to the same matters, between the same parties, and made as parts of substantially one transaction, are to he taken together.” Section 1642-, Civ. Code Cal.
“When the terms of an agreement have been reduced to writing by the parties, it is to he considered as containing all those terms, and therefore there can be between the parties and their representatives, or successors in interest, no evidence of the terms of the agreement other than the contents of the writing, except in the following cases:
“1. Where a mistake or imperfection of the writing is put in issue by the pleadings;
“2. Where the validity of the agreemeni is the fact in dispute. But this section does not exclude other evidence of the circumstances under which the agreement was made or to which it relates, as defined in section eighteen hundred and sixty, or to explain an extrinsic ambiguity, or to establish illegality or fraud. The term agreement includes deeds and wills, as well as contracts between parties.” Code Civ. Proc. Cal., § 1856.

Parol evidence can be introduced to identify the subject-matter of the contract, but not to contradict its terms. Gardiner v. McDonogh, 147 Cal. 3-13-, 81 P. 964. There may be a valid, oral collateral agreement, if it does not conflict with or alter the terms of the written agreement. Whittier v. Home Savings Bank, 161 Cal. 311, 317, 1.19 P. 92; Dollar v. International Banking Co., 13 Cal. App. 331, 109 P. 499. But where the written agreement purports to be complete, terms cannot be added to it by parol. Empire Tnv. Co. v. Moit, 169 Cal. 732, 147 P. 960.

On October 6, 1930', in pursuance of ne[722]*722gotiations theretofore had between Robert Hall, representing the Richfield Oil Company, and various officers of the appellant bank concerning the extension of credit based upon the business of the foreign department of fhe Richfield Oil Company, Hall presented to the bank an “acceptance agreement” dated October 4, 1930, addressed to the appellant bank, in part as follows:

. . “Acceptance Agreement. (Arising out of importation or exportation of goods). To Wells Fargo Bank & Union Trust Co., San Francisco. Dear Sirs:
^ “We hand you herewith, for acceptance, the following drafts:
^ _ Number Date Covering following Amount Merehandise G $150,000
~ __ . , ,, , “Payable in San Francisco to the-order or Ourselves.
“It is agreed that the proceeds of the above will be used for financing the actual goods under consideration, and the proceeds of the sale of the goods shall be applied to liquidate the ^ acceptance. * ^ ® ® We waive all liability on your part in ease the goods are not according’ to contract, either in description, quality or quantity, or in any other respect. All bills of lading * * * and all money and goods held by you as serarity for any such acceptance shall also be held by you as security for any other liability from us to you whether then existing or thereafter contracted and bind ourselves do furnish you prior to - with shipping documents covering this merchandise or with exchange arising out of the transaction being financed by the credit.

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Bluebook (online)
71 F.2d 720, 1934 U.S. App. LEXIS 3193, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wells-fargo-bank-union-trust-co-v-mcduffie-ca9-1934.