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57 Ill. App. 331

Titcomb v. Straight

Appellate Court of Illinois

Decided January 10, 1895

Appellate Court of Illinois · decided 1895-01-10

<p>1. Pleading—Pleas Purporting to Answer the Whole Declaration While Answering Only a Part.—A plea which assumes in the introductory part to answer the whole declaration, and yet is pleaded only to a part, is bad.</p>

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently November 1933

1 state decisions

Relies on Campbell v. Harris

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Affirmed · Decided 1895-01-10

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Mr. Presiding Justice Waterman

¶1delivered the opinion ov the Court.

¶2This was an action by the indorsee of two promissory notes, bearing the signature of Titcomb & Pratt.

¶3The appellant, Titcomb, filed his plea of the general issue with an affidavit of merits.

¶4From the statements of his counsel, made during the trial of the cause and a brief here filed, it appears that appellant claimed as a defense, that his partner, Pratt, for his individual benefit, and not for the benefit of the firm, made the notes in question; that the firm received nothing therefor, and that the indorsee knew of this when he received the notes.

¶5The cause having been placed upon the short cause calendar and being called for trial, appellant asked leave to file his verified plea, setting forth that “ he did not make and deliver the writing in the said declaration mentioned, in manner and form as the plaintiff has above in that behalf alleged.”

¶6To which of the writings, two promissory notes, mentioned in the declaration, this plea was intended to be or is applicable, we are unable to tell. It clearly was not designed as a plea to the common counts of the declaration, and was for that reason also insufficient. It assumed, in-the introductory part, to answer the whole declaration, and yet in truth is pleaded only to a part. Harpham v. Haynes, 30 Ill. 395; Chitty’s Pleadings, 549.

¶7There was no error in refusing to permit the filing of this plea, and judgment was properly given for the plaintiff, there being on file no plea appropriate for the defense appellant desired to make. The judgment of the Superior Court is affirmed.

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