45 Colo. 95 | Colo. | 1909
delivered the opinion of the court:
’ Counsel for appellants, defendants below, urge that because of the failure of the pleader to allege in his complaint that the payment of the debt to Allen was made prior to the death of Dixon, and also that since the averments thereof show that the proofs of death were furnished by plaintiff rather than by said Allen, the substituted beneficiary, as required by the terms of the policy, the complaint is left bare of facts to constitute a cause of action. We do not so regard the situation. The matters referred to being purely technical and not of substance, are not available under general demurrer, particularly in face of the material facts which were well pleaded, the- truth of all of which the demurrers admit, for the purpose of a decision upón^the questions raised by them. The attention of the court should have been directed to the omissions referred to, if important in any view of the case, by motion to make more specific or by special demurrer. •
The main contention of counsel for appellants, however, is that under the statute law of Missouri where the appellant The Ancient Order of the Pyramids was incorporated, as is shown by the complaint, it was. incompetent and unlawful for the association to issue the certificate of insurance in question nam
The record shows that, for more than six years immediately prior to his death, the deceased, Dixon, paid his dues and assessments to this society, and in all respects discharged every obligation which he owed it in order to keep the certificate in question in full force and effect, and that the association accepted and retained such payments to its own use, benefit, profit and advantage, and it will not now be heard by this court to deny its liability to the widow of the insured under this certificate, she having been originally named therein as beneficiary, and remained, to all intents and purposes, the real and actual beneficiary, although for a time the certificate was temporarily assigned merely as security to a third party, for such was the effect of the transaction with Allen, whose claim has now been fully paid and discharged.
Upon every consideration of law, equity and humanity the judgment of the trial court finds abundant support and should be affirmed, and it is so ordered. Judgment affirmed.