42 Mo. 450 | Mo. | 1868
delivered the opinion of the court.
This was an action by the holder of a promissory note against the defendants in error as the makers of the same; . The answer
There seems to have been no controversy at the trial, except as to the identity of the note sued upon. The defendants rested their whole case upon the fact that there had been a material alteration of the note after its execution. J. H. Bangs, one of the defendants, being introduced on the part of the plaintiff, testified that he had examined the note sued upon, and “ that the signature thereto of ‘ Bangs & Beady5 was the genuine signature of said firm, made by said witness.” On cross-examination, he stated further that “the words ‘at Goodyear, Bros. & Durand’s, New York, Jan. 10-13,’ placed at the foot of said note, to the left of the signature, were written there after the making of the said note, and without the knowledge or consent of the defendants ; that the note as it now reads is not the note of the defendants; that they never promised or agreed to pay the same at Goodyear, Bros. & Durand’s, New York; that otherwise the note was as it was originally made, and was altered in no other respect.”
The question, then, is whether these words attached to the foot of the instrument are to be taken as a part of it or only a private memorandum, which can in no way affect the liability of the makers. It will be found upon an examination of the authorities upon this question that where such words are not incorporated in the body of the contract itself, nor in any manner annexed to the instrument by the maker for the purpose of fixing a place of payment, they are to be taken as a mere memorandum, and therefore immaterial. (Story on Prom. Notes, § 49; Exon v. Russell, 4 M. & S. 505; Williams v. Waring, 10 Barn. & Cres. 2.) The same doctrine is fully recognized by the American courts in all the leading cases that have been examined. (19 Johns. 391; 24 Wend. 374.)
It should be kept in mind that this action is against the makers
Its judgment will therefore be reversed and the cause remanded for further trial.