21 Wend. 136 | N.Y. Sup. Ct. | 1839
By the Court,
The English rule formerly was, that a partner of the defendants, though omitted as a party, could not be rendered competent by any interchange of releases between him and his copartners, because;, should the plaintiff fail to collect the debt of the defendants by reason of their "death or insolvency, he might still sue the witness in equity. 1 Phil. Ev. 60, 134, 7th ed. Cheyne v. Koops, 4 Esp. R. 112. , Simons v. Smith, Ryl. & Mood. N. P. Cas. 29. There-is, however, according to our own cases and one-in Massachusetts, an end of all claim both at law and in equity against the partner not sued, by a recovery in a separate action against his copartners." Robertson v. Smith, 18 Johns. R. 459. Gibbs v. Bryant, 1 Pick. 118. Penny v. Martin, 4. Johns. Ch. R. 566. This is a general if not an universal rule as to joint debtors, and even joint and several debtors, who are sued jointly. A judgment against one extinguishes all farther remedy against the other on the original obligation. Beltshoover v. The Commonwealth, 1 Watts, 126. Williams v. M’Fall, 1 Serg. & Rawle, 280. Downey v. Farm. & Mech. Bank of Greencastle, 13 id. 288. See also Bedell’s adm’r v. Keethley, 5 Monroe, 601, and Vaneman v. Herdman, 3 Walts, 202. Therefore in Bagley v. Osborne, 2 Wendell, 527, this court held that a release from the defendant to the witness restored his competency. See
In the case at 'bar, if mutual releases were necessary, there may be some question whether that executed by Sand-
There is however, I think, no reason for revising the doctrine of Bagley v. Osborne, and adding the release from the witness. That which he received here was sufficient in form; it simply discharged him from all contribution, and in legal effect therefore, threw the whole suit upon the shoulders of the defendants. The referees evidently proceeded on the notion, as it formerly stood in the English books, of the witness’ ultimate liability oil his copartner’s death or insolvency. In this we think they erred.
The report must, therefore, be set aside, and the cause be reheard by the same referees, the costs to abide the event.