57 Ga. App. 289 | Ga. Ct. App. | 1938
This was a suit by Davison-Paxon Company against W. W. Hume, on a promissory note. The trial judge directed a verdict, the defendant excepted, and the case is now before this court for decision. It appears from the evidence that Davison-Paxon Company is a department store and had therein what was designated as a “tube room” in which all the cash taken in the store was each day to be deposited at the close thereof. The cashier of each of the various departments, each morning, was given a bag with a certain amount of money therein which was known as “petty cash,” which was to be used in making change, etc., and a receipt was taken therefor. At the end of the day the cashier of each of the various departments was required, under the rules of the store, to return the “petty cash” and whatever cash they took in from the sales during that day to the “tube room,” and thereupon obtain the receipt which had been given at the beginning of the business day. One of the duties of those in the “tube room” was to receive at night these bags together with the “petty cash,” and whatever money was taken in, and return the receipt given therefor. The auditing department at the close of each business day checked the cash registers to see how much cash was taken in by each department and reported this to the “tube room,” then the “tube room” should see that the amount of money returned in the bag by each cashier was the “petty cash” plus the amount of cash taken in during the day as shown by the cash register. The defendant testified in part: “I was in charge of all those girls in the tube room; I had an assistant, and other people in my department that assisted me; their duties were no different from mine; one of our duties was to see that these girls reported back with
It is the general rule that where parties enter into an agreement, compromising and settling a claim about which there is a bona fide dispute, they are bound by such agreement even though it thereafter appears that the contentions of one of them was without foundation in law. See, in this connection, Tyson v. Woodruff, 108 Ga. 368 (33 S. E. 981); Prince Hall Masonic Building Association v. Howard, 36 Ga. App. 169 (136 S. E. 194); Armour Fertilizer Works v. Wynne Mercantile Company, 40 Ga. App. 842 (151 S. E. 671). In order for such an agreement to be valid “it is not essential that the matter should be really in doubt; but it is sufficient if the parties consider it so far doubtful as to make it the subject of compromise.” Preston v. Ham, 156 Ga. 223, 234 (119 S. E. 658). Such an agreement is valid and binding, not because it is a settlement of a valid claim, but because it is a settlement of a bona fide controversy. Armour Fertilizer Works v. Wynne Mercantile Co., supra; 5 R. C. L. 877. The consideration supporting it is the existence of a doubtful question, or at least so considered by the parties as to make it the subject of the compromise, and a compromise fairly and deliberately made upon reflection, and the actual rights of the parties, whatever they may be, can not affect the question. Bell v. Lazenby, 126 Ga. 767 (2) (56 S. E. 81); Baxter v. Bank of Grantville, 48 Ga. App. 458 (3) (172 S. E. 810). It is in effect contended by the defendant that in entering into the agreement he conceded all and gained nothing, and that the plaintiff waived nothing, gave up no claim, and furnished no other consideration (Red Cypress Lumber Co. v. Beall, 5 Ga. App. 202 (2), 62 S. E. 1056), and that therefore
Judgment affirmed.