20 Wend. 91 | N.Y. Sup. Ct. | 1838
The whole defence in this case may be said to rest upon a denial of the title of the plaintiff to the certificate of stock, together with an objection to the form of thé remedy, and the measure of damages submitted by the judge to the jury.
It is contended, that the assignment on the back of the certificate of stock, from Barker to the plaintiff, and the power of attorney to Sherwood, were made without proper authority, and therefore, the demand upon the bank to enter the transfer on the books, was nugatory. The case presents a complete answer to this view. It appears that Barker endorsed his name, and affixed his seal on the back of the scrip, which was duly witnessed by Scrantum,the cashier, before it was enclosed to Bartow to obtain the $10,000. This blank was afterwards filled up by the plaintiff, by writing over the signature the transfer directly to himself and the power of attorney to Sherwood •, all which, is in strict conformity with the universal usage of dealers in the negotiation and transfer of stocks, according to the proof in the case. Even
It is contended, that the action should have been case instead of assumpsit. The former remedy no doubt would have been appropriate, perhaps the most appropriate, but the latter appears to be warranted by sufficient authority. The King v. Bank of England, Doug. 523. Parbury and another v. the same. Ibid. 526, n. 3 Mass. R. 381. 10 Ibid. 402. 17 Ibid. 503. 8 Pick. 98. 7 Crunch, 299. 2 Kent’s Comm. 289,291. Angel Ames on Corp. 129. In the case of The King v. The Bank of England, the court refused a mandamus, to compel the bank to enter a transfer of stock on its books, on the ground, that an action would lie for a complete satisfaction, equivalent to specific relief; and afterwards assumpsit was brought, and the cause tried before Lord Mansfield, without any exception to the remedy. The above references will show, that that case has been very generally regarded as an authority in this country ; and that the action may be maintained against a corporation aggregate, for a default of the kind in question, upon the ground that all duties imposed on them by law, raise an implied promise of performance. It was not very material how the question.was at first decided ; whether the remedy should be case or assumpsit, or either; and being once settled, there can of course be no good reason for disturbing it.
The plaintiff is entitled to recover the full value of the stock. This is obvious by the view of Lord Mansfield, in the case of
Hew trial denied.