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9 Tenn. 494

Williams v. Hickman

Tennessee Supreme Court

Decided January 15, 1831

Tennessee Supreme Court · decided 1831-01-15

Williams instituted an action of covenant in the county court of Davidson county, against the defendants, upon a bond executed by them, jointly, with Roger B. Sapping-ion. They pleaded — 1st, covenants performed; 2d, that they were securities for Sappington; and that usurious interest, to a large amount, was included in the note, hy reason of a corrupt agreement between Sappington (their principal) and the plaintiff.

Decided 1831-01-15

Per Curiam.

¶1The act of 1819, ch. 32, was intended by the Legislature, to make the plea of usury, when sworn to, evidence for the defendants, unless the plaintiff’s replication to the plea was also sworn to. This is the only sound construction of the act. When the plaintiff does not reply, or when he replies without an affidavit of the truth of the replication, the truth of the plea is admitted, when the replication is sworn to, and denies the truth of the plea, it then devolves upon the defendant to prove it, as he would have been bound to do before the passage of the act.

¶2The judgment of the circuit court must be affirmed.

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