19 Ala. 246 | Ala. | 1851
The judgment against Gildorsleeve as garnishee, in the suit of Robertson, Beal & Co. v. Caraway, was final in the first instance, and without his answer. It was consequently erroneous, because, in such cases, the statute requires a conditional judgment in the first instance, and a scire facias to show cause. It appears by the judgment entry against Gil-dersleeve, that he had been summoned as a garnishee, and the judgment was final and absolute. Having been summoned, he was subject to the jurisdiction of the court, and we think the judgment against him, although erroneous, was not void. The judgment was rendered in the County Court of Mobile, in June, 1889. Caraway afterwards brought this suit, to the use of Rhodes, against Gildersleeve, to recover the same debt for a part of which the recovery had been had against him as Cara
It was determined in Johns & Cole v. Field, 5 Ala. 484, that fa garnishee cannot plead in bar of a recovery in a suit brought against him by the assignee of a note, that judgment nisi has fbeen rendered against him as the debtor of the payee, and that !hc has paid the same, there not appearing to have been any sci. fa. issued or served on him, nor any final judgment against him. For this the court reasoned thus : “It cannot be pretended that this judgment was conclusive, that any action could have been sustained upon it against the garnishee, or that any execution could have issued under it against him.” This reasoning marks the distinction between that case and this. The judgment in the present case was conclusive until reversed, and it would support an action upon it, or authorize an execution. All that can
2. The next exception cannot be sustained. The point excep- . ted to was this, that Gildersleeve was surety of Caraway in two notes that were given by them to the Branch Bank at Mobile, before the assignment of the note sued on in this action, Caraway afterwards, to wit, in 1838, and thenceforth, being insolvent ; that Gildersleeve was sued on, and paid these notes pending the suit; that he claimed to hold the debt sued on in this action, as indemnity for that liability, until otherwise indemnified. This was excluded by the court, to which the defendant excepted. It is consistent with the bill of exceptions to suppose that the two notes were paid, not only after this suit was brought, but after.the transfer of the note now sued on and notice. Hence, such payment is not a defence in this action, whatever might be its effect in equity. — See tho Tuscumbia and Decatur Rail Road Company v. Rhodes, 8 Ala. 206; Cox v. Cooper, 3 Ala. 256.
The judgment is reversed for the error first excepted to, and, the cause remanded.