10 S.D. 213 | S.D. | 1897
This action to foreclose a mortgage on real property, and obtain a deficiency judgment, resulted in a decree
After proving the signatures of the makers, by a witness who saw the defendants place them on the notes to secure which the mortgage was executed, the same were introduced in evidence, over the following objection: “Defendants’ counsel Object, as incompetent; no foundation laid.” These notes are of even date, and, being upon printed forms or blanks, are but partially in writing. On each note, immediately following and directly under the last printed line, is written, “This note shall draw 10 per cent per annum after maturity;” and the same appears to be written by the person who drew all the notes, none of which bear upon their faces any evidence of an alteration, either before or after appellants placed their signatures thereon. Proof of execution was certainly a sufficient foundation for their admission in evidence, and the burden of proof was upon appellants to show that the instruments have been altered as claimed. Moddie v. Breiland (S. D.) 70 N. W. 637; Implement Co. v. Solomon, Id. 639; Landauer v. Implement Co. (10 S. D. 205) 72 N. W. 467.
Upon the face of the mortgage, the written part of which was, together with the notes, prepared by the witness Young-blood, a pen was drawn across the printed word “Paid,” and above the line in which it appears was written, ‘ ‘Due and ten per cent after maturity.” Concerning the erasure of the word “Paid,” and the interlineation above indicated, the mortgagee named in the instrument testified, in substance, that after Mr. Youngblood had prepared the papers, but before they were presented for the signatures of appellants, he drew his pen across the word “Paid,” and wrote the expression, “Due and ten per cent after maurity,” for the purpose of conforming the description of the notes contained in the mortgage to the recitals of those instruments as written by Mr. Youngblood, who was not in any manner acting for him in the transaction. After this preliminary proof, the mortgage was admitted in evi
The question as to the time of writing the line, ‘ ‘This note shall draw ten per cent per annum after maturity,” being submitted to the jury, under a charge that the burden was upon defendants to show that the alteration claimed was made after the notes were executed, a special verdict was returned in plaintiff’s favor, and the defendants’ exception to the foregoing instruction is the basis for an assignment of error. As the instruction accords with the law of the case as announced in the decisions of this court above cited, and the record contains no error, the judgment appealed from is affirmed.