5 Minn. 280 | Minn. | 1861
By the Court.
This was an action commenced before a Justice of the Peace of Wright county, by
We shall notice but two of the objections urged on the part of the Plaintiff in error. It is claimed that the Justice erred in adjourning the case without sufficient cause shown. It appears from the return that the summons was made returnable April 16, 1860, that the Plaintiff appeared at the hour named,- and filed his complaint, and made application for an adjournment. The return states that the application for an adjournment was made by the Plaintiff’s attorney, who was sworn, and testified “that he had a subpoena for, but was unable to procure the attendance of, a material witness, and could not safely proceed to trial without such witness.” Sec. 37, of p. 502, Comp. Stat., provides, that “ when the pleadings of the parties shall have taken place, the Justice shall, upon the application of either party, if sufficient cause be shown upon oath, adjourn the cause for any time not exceeding thirty days,” &c. The “sufficient cause” here referred to means some good and sufficient legal cause or excuse for the delay asked, and not any pretext which in the arbitraty discrection of the party or justice might be deemed sufficient. In this instance the ground of the application was the absence of a material witness. The evident intent of the statute is, that the parties shall proceed to trial when the pleadings are filed, unless unavoidable obstacles prevent. The time when the pleadings must take place, is “at the time mentioned in the summons for the appearance of the parties, or at such time thereafter, not exceeding one week, as the Justice may appoint for the convenience of the parties, and by their consent.” (Comp. Stat., p. 501, sec. 24.) Under the statute, therefore, a Justice cannot adjourn a cause of his own motion, nor are either of the parties entitled to any adjournment of course; but every adjournment must be by consent, or for sufficient cause shown. Does the affidavit for the Plaintiff in
There is another objection to this judgment. The action is brought on a note given by the Trustees of School District No. 7, Wright county. . The note reads as follows, viz:
MoNTIoello, April 4, 1858.
On the first day of January, 1860, we, the Trustees of District No. Seven, County of Wright, State of Minnesota, by order of District, agree to pay to the order of O. C. Gray the sum of sixty-six 50-100 dollars, interest at the rate of twelve per cent, per annum till paid.
S. T. CeeightoN,
Wm. Gr. Ceaey,
I. N. Baeboue,
Trustees of District Wo. 7.
Per S. T„ CbeightqN.
Passing over the question as to whether one of the Trustees can give a note of the Trustees without showing that he was authorized so to do, (and there is no allegation or proof to this point,) the question is raised, as to whether the Trustees have authority to give such a note at all. The complaint alleges that Gray and the Defendant, by its officers the Trustees, had a settlement of their accounts, and that a balance was found owing said Gray, by the Defendant, of $66.50, which the Defendant promised to pay. It then goes on to state that the Trustees, by authority oí an order of the District, made and delivered to the said Gray the note above quoted, and alleges transfer of the same to Plaintiff, with the usual allegations that he is the owner and holder thereof, &c., and that the same is offered to be delivered up as evidence of the said settlement and transfer.
It is not entirely clear from the complaint whether the pleader intended to allege as the cause of action the original indebtedness or the note. But if a cause of action has been properly alleged, and proved, it must be upon the note, since there is not a word of evidence touching the original indebtedness. Nor is there any profert made of the note, except as evidence, — evidence, in the words of the offer, of the settlement and transfer, but this statement of course can avail nothing, since the note can only be evidence of what it states or contains. In every suit rtpon a note the instrument is properly introduced in evidence as proof of indebtedness, and not for some different purpose. One witness stated that his name was signed by him to the note'as trustee, and that Baid note was given to Gray for the balance due him on settlement. It was also proved that the note was endorsed to the Attorney of Plaintiff for collection. The justice in his return, and all the parties seem to treat the note as the cause of action. It is true, the Justice in his return states, that the “ Plaintiff appears by his Attorney, B. I. Hinman, and files his complaint on oath, to wit, that Defendant is indebted to him in the sum of $66,50 and interest, for teaching in 1858, by O. C. Gray, said Gray having assigned said demand to Plaintiff.” But the complaint itself is on file and made a part
¥e have then, in the case at bar, a promissory note, made by the agents of a quasi corporation, set up as the cause of action, without anything either in the instrument itself, or in the pleadings to show the consideration for which it was
We do not, however, propose in this case to go so far as to hold that in no circumstances, will a note made by the Trustees of a School District be valid, but only that in all cases where it is set up as a cause of action, it must be shown affirmatively by the party pleading it, to have been given for a debt which the Trustees were authorised to contract. There is no presumption in favor of its validity, but rather the contrary. McCullough vs. Moss 5 Denio 567 ; Halstead vs. The Mayor, &c. of the City of N. Y., 5 Bar. 218. In this last case it is stated that “ it has long been a settled doctrine in this state, that a corporation without any express power in its charter for that purpose, may make a negotiable
The judgment below is reversed.