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145 Mass. 342

Marble v. Mellen

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Decided November 23, 1887

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · decided 1887-11-23

<p>In an action upon a paper writing, signed by the defendant, a married woman, and reciting the receipt from the plaintiff of a certain sum to be paid to him in the stock of a certain corporation, or in cash, within a time named, the plaintiff testified that he and the defendant’s husband made a settlement, at the latter’s house, of demands which the plaintiff had against him ; that the husband proposed to give to the plaintiff in settlement the stock named in the paper declared ■ on, or a certain sum, in ten days; that the husband said that the stock was in the defendant’s name; that she was in the house, but was not present in the room with them; that the husband wrote the agreement, and left the room to get his wife’s signature to the paper; and that he soon returned with the paper signed by her. The defendant and her husband were present at the trial, but did not testify. Held, that the judge properly submitted to the jury the question whether the defendant knew of the consideration for her agreement.</p>

Decided 1887-11-23

DEVENS, J.

¶1The ruling of the presiding judge submitted to the jury the question whether the defendant knew of the consideration for her agreement. She has no ground of complaint, if there was evidence sufficient to go to the jury of such knowledge. Direct evidence was not necessary. It could be inferred from the conduct of the party.

¶2The instrument recited an adequate money consideration, and was signed by the defendant. The plaintiff’s testimony was that he made a settlement of certain demands with the defendant’s husband at his house; that the husband was to transfer to him the stock described in the paper signed by the defendant; that the defendant was in the house, but not in the room; and that the husband went out of the room to get her to sign the paper, as the stock was in her name, and soon returned with it. It further appeared that the husband and the defendant were present at the trial, heard the plaintiff’s testimony as to the transaction, did not contradict it, and did not testify that the defendant did not know of the consideration. Upon these facts, it could not have been ruled that there was no evidence to go to the jury, who might fairly have inferred that, even if the money consideration recited was not the actual one, the real consideration, namely, the settlement between her husband and the plaintiff, was known to the defendant. Exceptions overruled.

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