Willings v. Consequa

30 F. Cas. 55
CourtU.S. Circuit Court for the District of Pennsylvania
DecidedOctober 15, 1816
StatusPublished

This text of 30 F. Cas. 55 (Willings v. Consequa) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Willings v. Consequa, 30 F. Cas. 55 (circtdpa 1816).

Opinion

WASHINGTON, Circuit Justice.

The objections to the competency of this witness, are —first, that he is interested in the event of the suit; and secondly, that he still remains a party to the suit, notwithstanding the assignment.

First The facts which form .the basis of this objection, are as follows: Kuhn and Wharton, as supercargoes of the Asia, gave their note to Consequa, for 22,000 dollars, on which note one of these actions is brought, as-upon a note given by Willings and Francis, by the procurement of their agents. The parties have agreed that these five suits should be tried by one jury, and that whatever damages shall be recovered by Willings and Francis, shall be set off against the sum due by them to Consequa, for which his two suits are brought. The argument then is, that as Kuhn is a dormant partner with Willings and Fran•cis, in relation to the 22,000 dollars, and consequently may be hereafter liable to be sued as such for that sum, unless it should be discharged by a recovery of damages sufficient to extinguish the claims in the suits against •Consequa, it is the interest of Kuhn to shelter himself against Consequa, by increasing the •damages so as to discharge the note altogether, •or at least to diminish its amount as much as possible.

Now there are two sufficient answers to this argument. The first is, that the interest of this witness, as stated by the defendant’s ■counsel, is too remote and contingent to furnish an objection to his competency, whatever weight it may have to his credit. If Willings and Francis should not recover damages to extinguish this note, then a judgment must go against them, for its’full amount, or for so much of it as the damages may not discharge; and if they should then be unable to satisfy that judgment, then Kuhn may be exposed to the chance of an action as a dormant partner with Willings and Francis. There are too many contingencies in the way, before Kuhn can be called upon, to make Ibis a valid objection to his competency. But, •secondly, if these contingencies should all .happen, and Consequa should bring an action against Kuhn separately, he may be •defeated by a plea of abatement, and the judgment in this action, for or against Con-sequa, would be a bar to any suit that he might bring against Willings and Francis and the witness. The judgment would as completely extinguish the original debt, as if Willings and Francis had given a bond for it, which it would clearly have done, the rule that a bond given by a stranger, is no ex-tinguishment of the simple contract of the real debtor, not applying to a case where it is given by one of two or more joint contractors.

But it is said, that though Consequa might have no remedy at law against Kuhn, he might be relieved in equity, by showing his ignorance that he was a dormant partner when he took the note or instituted the suit. I by no means admit that he could be relieved in that court. If the difficulty I am about to mention were out of the case, it would still depend upon a variety of circumstances, not known to this court, whether Consequa could make out a case fit for equitable interposition. By his own shewing it is certain that he did not give credit to Mr. Kuhn, and whether he knew that- he was jointly concerned in that transaction or not, is unknown to this court. At all events, it was in his power to have dismissed this suit, though at the time it was brought he may have been ignorant of the partnership, and have instituted another against all the partners, after he was informed who they were; and his failing to do so, would indispose a court of equity to open its doors to him, after he had permitted those of a court of law to be closed against him. Where a release is given to one of two joint obligors, the obligation is extinguished at law as to all, and although it is most apparent that such was not the intention of the obligee, yet equity will not relieve. At all events, the liability of the witness to a claim, to be asserted by Consequa in a court of equity, is under all the circumstances of this case, too remote to affect the competency of the witness.

Secondly. It is objected, that he is a party plaintiff on the record. The general rule of law certainly is, that a party to a suit cannot be a witness. But it is equally so, that the’interest which that party has in the event of the suit, both as to costs and the subject in dispute, lies at the foundation of the rule, and when that interest is removed, the objection ceases to exist. In this case, the assignment of Kuhn to Willings, has terminated his interest in the subject for which the suit is brought. As to the costs, they are paid by the assignee, now the only real plaintiff on record. But it is said Kuhn is still liable to an execution for the cost should Consequa recover; that the sum paid to the clerk, may be misapplied by him; and the quantum of costs, to this time, to future times to which this cause may continue in this court, and the costs of the supreme court, should it go there, cannot be now ascertained. To these objections it may be observed, that the clerk is a competent judge of the quantum of costs which can be recovered at this time, and the money paid to him is in the safe keeping of the court, and [58]*58subject to its disposal. Should future costs be iucurred here, by another trial taking place, and this witness should then be offered, it will be time enough to inquire what further advance will be necessary. As to the costs of the supreme court upon a writ of error, which may be incurred in case such proceedings should take place, the court cannot look to such remote possibilities in order to disqualify the witness to give evidence.

It is always to be remembered that this opinion is given upon these facts: that more than the legal costs of this suit have been deposited by Mr. Willing, with the clerk; that Mr. Willing has offered to deposit any further sum which Consequa’s counsel may/ require, and further to give satisfactory security to pay all the costs which have, or may be incurred. If after all this, the opposite party chooses to reject offers made with a view to remove all objections, it would ill become the court to allow the mere phantom of an objection, to prevent the examination of a witness who is substantially divested of all interest The case of Steele v. Phoenix Ins. Co., 3 Bin. 306, is in point, and I yield my entire consent to the principles there laid down. I shall not be afraid of adding another precedent, leaving it to the supreme court, where I perceive this cause Is likely to go, to correct this court, if I am wrong.

A few words as to the policy of the doctrine on which this decision is founded. It is said that a plaintiff, knowing the injustice of his cause, and hopeless of success, may be induced by tempting offers to assign his interest to his co-plaintiff in order to qualify himself to be a witness, and after all, the consideration may be only feigned, and he may still continue a party in expectancy; and at all events he will testify under impressions long made and not easily to be eradicated by such an operation.

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Related

Steele v. Phoenix Insurance
3 Binn. 306 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1811)

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Bluebook (online)
30 F. Cas. 55, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/willings-v-consequa-circtdpa-1816.