Ferguson v. Thacher

• Decision Date: 31 October 1883
• Citation: 79 Mo. 511
• Parties: FERGUSON, Plaintiff in Error, v. THACHER.
• Court: Missouri Supreme Court

79 Mo. 511

FERGUSON, Plaintiff in Error,

v.THACHER.

Supreme Court of Missouri.

October Term, 1883.

Error to Jackson Circuit Court.--HON. S. H. WOODSON, Judge.

REVERSED.

Bryant, Holmes & Waddill for plaintiff in error.

Tichenor & Warner and Belch & Silver for defendant in error.

HENRY, J.

This suit originated in the Jackson circuit court, and is for the recovery of $3,000 against defendants, on a dishonored check, alleged to have been drawn by the firm of Thacher, Webster & Ellison on the Commercial National Bank, in favor of Corrilla Ferguson, who indorsed it to plaintiff, who presented it for payment to said bank, which was refused. The defendant Thacher answered, admitting the partnership, but denying that the check was drawn by the firm; charging that his co-partners, co-defendants, are insolvent, and that this suit is the result of a conspiracy between plaintiff and his wife, Corrilla, and the defendant Webster, to cheat and defraud Thacher. Ellison also answered, denying each allegation in the petition. There was a verdict and judgment in favor of plaintiff against defendant Webster, and no finding or judgment as to the other defendants. Plaintiff has brought the cause to this court by writ of error.

The only issues presented by the pleadings upon which there was any evidence, relate to the drawing of the check in question by and for the firm of Thacher, Webster & Ellison. Plaintiff affirms that it was drawn by defendants; Thacher and Webster averring that it was given for money borrowed by Webster of Corrilla Ferguson for his individual use. Webster filed no answer.

1. PAPER GIVEN IN FIRM NAME FOR INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT: evidence.

Against plaintiff's objection, defendants were permitted to prove the state of partnership accounts between the several members of the firm, for what purpose except to prejudice plaintiff's case with the jury, we are unable to perceive. Webster, as the evidence tended to prove, was largely indebted to the firm, and Thacher sustained heavy losses on his account. Webster is the son-in-law of plaintiff, and the evidence objected to and admitted, might incline a jury to make the father-in-law rather than the co-partners of Webster suffer the loss, if the evidence on the issues of fact were not decidedly in favor of plaintiff. The state of the account between the several members of the firm is not a matter either directly or collaterally in issue in this cause. It is wholly immaterial whether Webster, on a settlement of the parthership accounts, was indebted to the firm or not. The state of the account between them would throw no light upon the real issue which the jury had to try, and the court erred in admitting the evidence, and, afterward, in refusing instructions asked by defendant, declaring that it is not a suit for the settlement of the partnership, and asking the court to withdraw from the consideration of the jury the evidence in question.

Nor do we perceive the relevancy of the printed circular, sent by...