76 Mo. 488 | Mo. | 1882
The plaintiffs instituted this action in the circuit court of Pike county, alleging that on the 17th' day of May, 1876, the defendant Robinson recovered a judgment in the Louisiana court of common pleas against the defendants Burnett, Lansdown & Dyer for $1,554.85; that on the 3rd day of October, 1877, said Robinson, being largely indebted to the plaintiffs, in consideration of said
The defendant Robinson answered, admitting the recovery of the judgment as alleged, and averring that at the November term, 1879, of the Louisiana court of common 'pleas, in an action against him by one Letta Robinson, all his title in said judgment was divested and he now had no further interest therein. He also denied “each and every material allegation in said petition contained, except as admitted.”
The defendants, Burnett, Lansdown & Dyer, denied ■each and every material allegation in said petition, except •as thereafter admitted, and alleged a want of information •sufficient to form a belief as to whether or not the said judgment was assigned to plaintiffs, but averred that if any such disposition was made thereof by Robinson, it was without their concurrence, knowledge or consent. They .•also alleged that they had fully-paid off said judgment, and that they were not indebted to Robinson on any account whatever; and that by force of a judgment rendered at the November term, 1879, of the Louisiana court of common pleas, Robinson and these plaintiffs were divested of all interest in said judgment and the same was decreed to be the property of Letta Robinson, and that said de
The defendant Partridge answered, admitting the facts to be as stated, and consenting that judgment be rendered as prayed for.
The plaintiffs filed a replication to Robinson’s answer,, denying the facts therein set up. They also filed a replication to the answer of Burnett, Lansdown & Dyer, denying specifically all the matters therein pleaded.
A trial being proceeded with, the plaintiffs offered in ’evidence the assignment to them of the judgment recov ered by Robinson against Burnett and others, as follows:
“State oe Missouri,! County of Pike, j ss’
“ Know all men by these presents: That I, Henry C. Robinson, of the city of Louisiana, in said county and State, in consideration of my present indebtedness to the firm of Loomis & Snively, of the city of Hannibal, in the State of Missouri, as well as to secure any future indebtedness that I may hereafter incur m my transactions with the said firm, do hereby assign, transfer and set over to the said Loomis & Snively the judgment to which this writing is attached; provided, however, that this transfer and assignment is made with the full understanding and agreement that the said Loomis & Snively shall hold-the same as collateral security for the purpose aforesaid and subject, in all respects, to a claim of $451.35 of George Partridge, of St. Lo.uis, as well as my attorneys’ fees, in relation to the said judgment and the appeal therefrom,, (now pending in the Supreme Court of said State,) both of which are intended to be made a prior lien on said judgment:
“ In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 3rd day of October, 1877.
[Seal.] “ H. C. Robinson.
Attest: “ J. W. Martin, Clerk.”
The action of the court in sustaining defendants’ demurrer to the evidence is the error assigned. The assignment read in evidence, as we construe it, only transferred a portion of the judgment alluded to in it, and under the ruling-of this court in the case of Burnett v. Crandall, 63 Mo. 410, the action of the court in sustaining the demurrer to the evidence was fully warranted. It was held in that case, which involved the validity of a partial assignment of a judgment, that when a creditor assigns a portion of his claim or debt without the consent of the debtor, the assignee could not recover on the portion so assigned either in law or equity. This ruling was followed in the case of Beardslee v. Morgner, 73 Mo. 22.
Besides this, it appears from the evidence that the judgment in question had been assigned to one Partridge.
Judgment affirmed,