91 Ga. 174 | Ga. | 1893
On certiorari the superior court rendered final judgment in favor of the plaintiffs, and the defendant excepted. The action was by Fite & Boston against Shope, in a justice’s court on a promissory note, an unconditional contract in writing, returnable to the November term, held on the 14th day of that month. On the 26th of October service was acknowledged by the defendant, and at the November term the case was continued at the instance of the defendant, without any plea being filed. At the December term the defendant by his attorney moved to file a plea of non est factum. Both he and the defendant stated that a plea had been prepared and given to the defendant to file at the first term, but
To the answer of the justice setting forth the facts as above stated, the defendant excepted on the following grounds: (1) That the answer fails to show that defendant’s attorney also stated that after preparing the-plea, a few days before the November term, he wrote to-plaintiffs’ attorney that he had been employed by defendant and that he had prepared this plea to be filed and had given it to defendant, and desiped to know if he had any objections to the case going over to the second term, as he did not wish to go to the court unless-there was some certainty of the ease being tried; to-which plaintiffs’ attorney replied consenting to the case going over as requested; that at the time he gave this plea to defendant he told him it could be filed on the court day when it was set for trial, and that he would write to plaintiffs’ attorney suggesting that the ease go-over to the next term, and for him to go and see plaintiffs’ attorney before the day set for trial to see if he-had consented for the case to be continued, and if so- it-would be unnecessary to have the witnesses subpoenaed for that term. (2) The answer fails to state as a part-of the defendant’s evidence, that he went and saw plain
In addition to the plea of non est factum which was sworn to, the record shows that at the same time another plea was offered by the defendant, not sworn to, alleging that the note sued on had been changed in a material manner since it was made, which change was without his knowledge and consent, and consisted in the addition of the words “ witness my hand and seal.”