86 W. Va. 319 | W. Va. | 1920
To a judgment recovered by plaintiff against Charles N. Ein-nell, AdmT. d. b. n. c. t. a., of D. J. Long, deceased, upon a negotiable note made by C. E. Night and endorsed for his accommodation by said D. J. Long, said administrator was awarded this writ of error.
The principal question presented is, was presentment and notice of dishonor made, within a reasonable time? The note was made September 25, 1916, payable on demand, to the order of.D. J. Long at the plaintiff bank at Piedmont, W. Va., and was discounted by it for the maker. It was never renewed but interest on it was paid at several different times, the last being for interest to April 1, 1918. D. J. Long died, te,state, April 4, 1917, leaving Mabel H. Long, his widow, as his executrix, who qualified as such on May 15, 1917. The note was protested on May 22, 1918, and notice thereof addressed to Mrs. Long, executrix, at Piedmont, W. Va., her address, and deposited in the post office at that place, properly stamped. Mrs. Long thereafter, on. the 26th of June, 1918, married and thereby became disqualified as executrix, and the appellant, Charles N. Finnell, qualified as administrator, d. b. n. c. t. a., of D. J. Long, deceased. This suit was begun by notice of motion for judgment, to be made on the 21st day of January, 1919, the first day of the January Term of the, circuit court. The case was heard by the court in lieu of a jury, by agreement of counsel, and the judgment complained of rendered against appellant, as the administrator of D. J. Long, deceased, on the 2nd day of June, 1919.
Was presentment for payment made within a reasonable
.Fifteen shares of thq capital stock of the Casper Oil and Gas Co., a corporation, were pledged by the maker of the note, either with the bank, as additional and collateral security, or with thq endorser to indemnify him as endorser, but the evidence is conflicting as to the purpose of the pledgor, nor is this fact controlling. The maker did not testify, and the testimony of the witnesses is conflicting. Regardless of this fact, and in view of the circumstances, and the custom of the bank, we cannot say as a matter of law, that the delay for a year and eight months to present the note was unreasonable. Moreover, the alleged' delay is not shown to have prejudiced the endorser’s estate, which is entitled to no higher consideration than he would be entitled to if living. It is argued that the pledged stock in the Caspar Oil and Gas Co. depreciated in value in the meantime, and only $15,00 per share was realized for it. But this is only a presumption, there is no evidence as to its actual value at any time prior to the dissolution of said- company, at which
The notice of protest is sufficient. Secs. 95 and 96 Keg. Inst. Stat. It identifies the note and states that payment of it was refused by plaintiff bank, at which it was payable, on a certain day named, because there were no funds with which to pay it. The bank at which it was payable being also the holder of the note, the presumption is that the note was in the bank during business hours. 1 Daniel Neg. Inst. (6th ed.) sec. 657; Folger v. Chase, 18 Pick. 63 and Doherty v. First Nat’l. Bank of Louisville, (Ky.) 186 S. W. 937.
The judgment will be affirmed.
Affirmed,.