Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

11 N.Y. St. Rep. 307

Barry v. Lewis

New York Supreme Court

Decided October 27, 1887

New York Supreme Court · decided 1887-10-27

<p>Action—On promissory notes—Pleading—Effect of admission at trial—Evidence.</p> <p>In an action on a promissory note, at the commencement of the trial the defendant’s counsel admitted everything, the making and delivery of the note and all except the ownership; and tile admission evidently referring to the allegations of the complaint, was an admission of evejy allegation therein contained, except that of ownership. Held, that as the complaint contained no allegation that the note was made and delivered for a valuable consideration, the admission, broad as it was, did not preclude the defendant from showing that the note, although made and delivered by him, never had any legal inception, because it was not supported by any consideration.</p>

Decided 1887-10-27

¶1Van Brunt, P. J.

¶2—This action was brought to recover $1,000 upon a promissory note made by the defendant and delivered to the plaintiffs whereby he promised to pay $500 apiece to the plaintiffs.

¶3The defendant set up, by way of answer, no consideration; that it was understood that the defendant was not to pay it, that the plaintiffs and defendant were co-partners; that plaintiffs were indebted to the defendant to an amount much greater than the note, and that the plaintiffs were not the owners and holders of the note.

¶4At the commencement of the trial the defendant’s counsel admitted everything, the making and delivery of the note and all except the ownership.

¶5This admission evidently referred to the allegations of the complaint, and was an admission of every allegation therein contained except that of ownership.

¶6It is to be observed that the complaint contains no allegation that the note was made and delivered for a valuable consideration, and, therefore, the admission, broad as it was, did not preclude the defendant from showing that the note, although made and delivered by him, never had any legal inception, because it was not supported by any consideration. This, however, by the rulings of the learned judge, he was precluded from doing, and such ruling being duly excepted to, error was committed, which requires a reversal of the judgment and the ordering of a new trial, with costs of this appeal to the appellant to abide event.

¶7Daniels and Bartlett, JJ., concur.

/11/nystrep/307 · .json · Public domain