57 Ind. App. 15 | Ind. Ct. App. | 1914
Appellant, Samuel Abelman, filed a claim against the estate of Michael Guenther, deceased, on seven promissory notes, each dated November 2, 1907, bearing interest payable semiannually, and alleged to have been executed by the decedent to appellant. One of said notes called for $200 with five per cent interest from date and attorneys’
Appellee, the administrator of said estate, filed an answer in five paragraphs the first of which is a general denial. The second denies the execution of the notes. The third paragraph alleges that the notes were procured by fraud. The gist of the charge is that decedent was old, feeble in body and unsound in mind; that appellant sold a farm for him on a commission contract and was paid his commission in full; that under the pretense that the title conveyed by decedent was defective and that it was necessary for him to execute certain papers to perfect the title, appellant induced him to sign the notes in suit not knowing what they were and in the belief that they were papers relating to the title to the real estate sold by him. The fourth paragraph of answer is also an answer of fraud similar in its general averments to the third, except it charges in substance that decedent was a German, unable to read or write the English language and ignorant of the ways of doing business with banks; that he loaned appellant $200 and assigned to him a certificate of deposit for that amount; that appellant induced him to execute the notes in suit under the belief that he was only executing the necessary papers to enable appellant to obtain the $200 from the banir. The third and fourth paragraphs of answer each contained the formal and necessary averments to constitute a good answer of fraud in the procurement of the notes. The fifth paragraph alleges that
The appellant filed a reply in general denial to the second, third, fourth and fifth paragraphs of answer. He also filed a verified second paragraph of special reply to the third paragraph of answer in which he alleged that he did not execute the contract therein mentioned relating to the sale of the farm of decedent.
The cause was submitted to a jury which returned a general verdict for appellee, also answers to certain interrogatories. The appellant’s motion for a new trial was overruled and judgment rendered on the verdict from which this appeal was taken.
The only error assigned is the overruling of appellant’s motion for a new trial. A new trial was asked on the grounds that the verdict of the jury is not sustained hy sufficient evidence; that it is contrary to law; that the verdict of the jury in answer to interrogatories is not sustained hy sufficient evidence; that the court erred in giving, and in refusing, certain instructions; that the court erred in excluding certain evidence; that the jury was guilty of misconduct and acted through prejudice and ill will.
"While there was no motion for judgment on the answers of the jury to the interrogatories, the answers become important in considering some of the questions presented, and for that reason we state their substance as follows: that decedent, Michael Guenther, on or about November 2,1909, did not sign and deliver the notes sued on to Samuel Abelman; that seventy-five acres of real estate belonging to decedent, were conveyed to John Gavit on or about September 14, 1907, at the request of said Abelman; that the notes in suit were not given in consideration of any interest of said Ah elman in the land so conveyed as aforesaid; that the notes have not been paid; that there is nothing due on said notes; that decedent did not “sign each and all of the notes sued on” and did not sign the note for $2,500; that said Abelman was
Appellee’s second paragraph of answer is a non est factum, and having been filed by an administrator is good without verification. §370 Burns 1914, §364 R. S. 1881. The fifth paragraph is a plea of no consideration.
There were three witnesses who testified that in their opinions the signatures to the notes were in the handwriting of the decedent, but they did not testify on the question of delivery. There were two witnesses, girls by the name of Krieger, who testified to seeing certain notes signed by the decedent at his home in the fall of 1907, and delivered to appellant. The notes identified by these witnesses bear date of November 2, 1907. The evidence shows that appellant on that date gave to the decedent his note for $200 for borrowed money, and that this transaction occurred at the home of decedent. A daughter and grandson of decedent
George B. Sheerer, an attorney, testified that he collected a semiannual installment of interest on the note from Abelman in April, 1908; that the interest on the notes in suit is payable semiannually and would become due at the same time as the interest on the note given by appellant to decedent as aforesaid; that he talked with Abelman several times about the note and he did not say anything about holding notes against the decedent, but did claim his note was not due for two years from date instead of one year as written, and that the interest was not due semiannually. Sheerer also testified that appellant told him that he charged five per cent commission for selling the decedent’s real estate ; that he sold the land for $7,500 and was paid his commission of $375. The testimony of several witnesses tends to show that appellant stated many times that he sold the real estate for a commission of five per cent and received his pay in full.
The evidence also tends to show that no one interested in the estate of the decedent, had any knowledge of the notes in suit until after the death of decedent; that after his death, in a conversation with George B, Sheerer, appellant said he had an agreement with Mr. Guenther to pay him $50 an acre for his land, and that the notes in suit were given to him in payment of the amount due him for the price obtained above $50 per acre, but that he said nothing about
Otto Haehnel, the administrator, testified and corroborated the testimony of Sheerer in many respects. He said he tried to collect the $200 note from Abelman and he did not mention the notes against decedent, though the conversation occurred after the interest on the notes in suit was due, according to the provisions of the notes; that he first learned of the notes in suit some weeks after Mr. Guenther’s death; that Abelman called on him and wanted to collect the notes and offered him $750 if he would allow and pay them and said he could keep $500 and give his lawyer $250. The evidence also tends to show a similar proposition made to Frank P. Hufty who had married a granddaughter of decedent, the daughter of Mrs. Lohse.
As already indicated there is evidence in this case tending to prove that the notes in suit were not executed and that there was no consideration supporting them. The same evidence also supports the answers to the interrogatories in harmony with the general verdict.
Note. — Reported, in 103 N. E. 869. As to tlie impeaching of witnesses, see 14 Am. St. 157. For a discussion of a donor’s own note as the subject of a gift inter vivos, see Ann. Cas. 1914 C 884. See, also, under (1) 7 Cyc. 728; (2, 3) 3 Cyc. 348; (4) 3 Cyc. 348, 8 Cyc. 219; (5) 38 Cyc. 1930; (6) 31 Cyc. 693; (7) 8 Cyc. 216; (8)