No. 79-3
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
1980
FRED BEYER,
Plaintiff and Appellant,
VS .
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF DILLON,
Defendant and Respondent.
Appeal from: District Court of the Fifth Judicial District,
In and for the County of Beaverhead,
Honorable Frank E. Blair, Judge presiding.
Counsel of Record:
For Appellant:
Hooks and Budewitz, Townsend, Montana
For Respondent:
Frank M. Davis, Dillon, Montana
W. G. Gilbert 111, Dillon, Montana
Submitted on briefs: April 3, 1980
Filed: juF\I 2 1980
Mr. J u s t i c e Gene B. Daly d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of t h e C o u r t .
P l a i n t i f f a p p e a l s from a judgment e n t e r e d i n t h e D i s -
t r i c t C o u r t of t h e F i f t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t , t h e Honorable
Frank E. B l a i r , p r e s i d i n g , i n f a v o r o f d e f e n d a n t F i r s t
N a t i o n a l Bank of D i l l o n (Bank), i n a n a c t i o n by p l a i n t i f f t o
r e c o v e r on a check a l l e g e d l y i m p r o p e r l y n e g o t i a t e d by t h e
Bank and d e p o s i t e d i n a j o i n t a c c o u n t c o n t r o l l e d by p l a i n -
t i f f ' s then wife.
On August 8, 1974, Checking Account No. 2-227-7 was
opened a t t h e Bank i n t h e names o f p l a i n t i f f Fred Beyer and
h i s t h e n w i f e , Peggy Beyer. The a c c o u n t w a s d e s i g n a t e d a s a
j o i n t t e n a n c y w i t h r i g h t of s u r v i v o r s h i p . The w i f e , Peggy
Beyer, e x e c u t e d t h e s i g n a t u r e c a r d which e v i d e n c e d t h e
a c c o u n t and made a n opening d e p o s i t t h e r e i n of money and
c h e c k s b e l o n g i n g t o h e r s e l f and h e r husband. She c a u s e d t o
b e o r d e r e d , and t h e r e a f t e r r e c e i v e d , p r i n t e d p e r s o n a l c h e c k s
embossed "Fred and Peggy Beyer, 35 North I d a h o No. 2, D i l l o n ,
Montana 59725."
Peggy Beyer e x e c u t e d t h e s i g n a t u r e c a r d r e q u i r e d by t h e
Bank which e v i d e n c e d t h e a c c o u n t . Plaintiff did not sign
t h e c a r d ; however, a t y p e d n o t a t i o n on t h e c a r d r e a d , "Fred
Beyer i n t h e h o s p i t a l , w i l l s i g n c a r d l a t e r . " F r e d Beyer
never d i d s i g n t h e s i g n a t u r e card.
From t h e d a t e t h e a c c o u n t w a s opened o n August 8 , 1974,
u n t i l i t w a s c l o s e d on J u n e 3 0 , 1975, p l a i n t i f f and h i s w i f e
used t h e c h e c k i n g a c c o u n t . Monthly bank s t a t e m e n t s r e c e i v e d
by p l a i n t i f f and h i s w i f e a t t h e i r home a d d r e s s i n d i c a t e d
normal c h e c k i n g and d e p o s i t a c t i v i t y o v e r a p e r i o d of some
t e n months w h i l e t h e a c c o u n t was open. P l a i n t i f f himself,
however, d i d n o t w r i t e any c h e c k s a g a i n s t t h e a c c o u n t .
Both p l a i n t i f f and h i s w i f e i n d i v i d u a l l y and j o i n t l y
d e p o s i t e d f u n d s t o t h e a c c o u n t from v a r i o u s s o u r c e s , i n c l u d -
i n g c h e c k s p a y a b l e s o l e l y t o Peggy Beyer as wages, unemploy-
ment i n s u r a n c e , and h o s p i t a l i z a t i o n i n s u r a n c e , c h e c k s pay-
a b l e s o l e l y t o p l a i n t i f f a s wages, and c h e c k s p a y a b l e t o
p l a i n t i f f and t o h i s w i f e , which w e r e r e c e i v e d from p l a i n -
t i f f ' s parents. The D i s t r i c t C o u r t found t h a t a l l t h e
d e p o s i t s made and c h e c k s drawn on t h i s a c c o u n t w e r e made
w i t h t h e knowledge, c o n s e n t and p e r m i s s i o n of p l a i n t i f f .
P l a i n t i f f ' s o b j e c t i o n t o t h e manner i n which t h e a c c o u n t w a s
u t i l i z e d a p p a r e n t l y developed when t h e c o u p l e s t a r t e d h a v i n g
marital difficulties.
On o r a b o u t May 1 0 , 1975, p l a i n t i f f and h i s w i f e r e c e i v e d
from a n i n s u r a n c e company a check p a y a b l e t o them and t o a n
a t t o r n e y i n Great F a l l s , Montana. T h i s check r e p r e s e n t e d
t h e p r o c e e d s of t h e s e t t l e m e n t of a p e r s o n a l i n j u r y claim
f o r i n j u r i e s which p l a i n t i f f had s u s t a i n e d i n a J u l y 25,
1974, m o t o r c y c l e a c c i d e n t . A s a r e s u l t of t h i s accident,
p l a i n t i f f w a s h o s p i t a l i z e d u n t i l mid-October 1974, d u r i n g
which t i m e h i s w i f e opened Checking Account No. 2-227-7 on
August 8 , 1974. The l i t i g a t i o n r e s u l t i n g i n t h i s s e t t l e m e n t
w a s i n s t i t u t e d by p l a i n t i f f and h i s w i f e a s p l a i n t i f f s
a g a i n s t Peggy B e y e r ' s i n s u r a n c e company under t h e u n i n s u r e d
m o t o r i s t s c o v e r a g e o f t h e i r motor v e h i c l e l i a b i l i t y p o l i c y .
The p a r t i e s j o i n t l y , by a w r i t t e n c o n t r a c t , employed a law
f i r m t o p r o s e c u t e t h e a c t i o n on t h e i r b e h a l f .
Following t h e r e c e i p t of t h e i n s u r a n c e company check,
p l a i n t i f f endorsed t h e s a m e , a s d i d h i s w i f e , and r e t u r n e d
i t t o t h e i r a t t o r n e y , who w a s a l s o a payee, t o b e n e g o t i a t e d
by t h e a t t o r n e y and d i s b u r s e d by him p u r s u a n t t o t h e con-
t r a c t of employment.
On o r a b o u t May 1 3 , 1975, p l a i n t i f f and h i s w i f e re-
c e i v e d a check from t h e i r a t t o r n e y i n t h e amount o f $5,899.00,
which was t h e i r s h a r e of t h e p r o c e e d s of t h e p e r s o n a l i n j u r y
settlement. The check w a s p a y a b l e t o "Fred Beyer and Peggy
Beyer." I t was d e p o s i t e d t o t h e a c c o u n t by Peggy Beyer
w i t h o u t b e i n g e n d o r s e d by h e r o r by t h e p l a i n t i f f . The Bank
n e g o t i a t e d t h i s check a f t e r a Bank employee stamped t h e
check w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g endorsement:
" D e p o s i t e d t o t h e a c c o u n t of t h e w i t h i n named
payee i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h p a y e e ' s i n s t r u c t i o n .
Absence of t h e endorsement g u a r a n t e e d by t h e
F i r s t N a t i o n a l Bank of D i l l o n , Montana."
The t r i a l c o u r t found t h a t t h i s d e p o s i t w a s made w i t h t h e
s p e c i f i c knowledge and c o n s e n t o f p l a i n t i f f .
The c o u r t f u r t h e r found t h a t when t h e $5,899 check w a s
r e c e i v e d , t h e c o u p l e a g r e e d t h a t i t would b e d e p o s i t e d t o
t h e i r a c c o u n t a t t h e bank and c h e c k s drawn f o r t h e payment
o f t h e i r o u t s t a n d i n g b i l l s and f o r t h e o p e n i n g o f a j o i n t
savings account. Peggy Beyer immediately proceeded t o draw
c h e c k s on t h e a c c o u n t i n payment of t h e b i l l s . These c h e c k s
r e p r e s e n t e d payments f o r r e n t , m e d i c a l b i l l s , h o s p i t a l
b i l l s , b i l l s f o r l o c a l s e r v i c e s and s u p p l i e s , c r e d i t c a r d
i n v o i c e s c h a r g e d t o b o t h p a r t i e s , and t h e repayment of a
$1,780.10 l o a n which was owed by Peggy Beyer on t h e f a m i l y
a u t o m o b i l e , a l l of which a g g r e g a t e d t h e s m o f $3,333.51.
u
A t t h i s t i m e , Peggy Beyer opened a j o i n t s a v i n g s a c c o u n t t o
which s h e d e p o s i t e d t h e sum o f $1,000. The s i g n a t u r e c a r d
e v i d e n c i n g t h e s a v i n g s a c c o u n t was l i k e w i s e s i g n e d o n l y by
Peggy Beyer, b u t t h e t r i a l c o u r t found t h a t i t w a s opened
w i t h t h e knowledge, c o n s e n t and a t t h e d i r e c t i o n o f p l a i n -
tiff. Likewise, t h e c o u r t found t h a t Peggy Beyer s i g n e d a l l
t h e c h e c k s i n payment o f t h e o u t s t a n d i n g b i l l s w i t h p l a i n -
t i f f ' s c o n s e n t and a t h i s d i r e c t i o n .
~aritaldifficulties had arisen between Fred and Peggy
Beyer, and on May 28, 1975, two weeks after the arrival of
the $5,899 check, plaintiff returned to the State of Penn-
sylvania where he had formerly resided. He did not return
to Montana until the trial of the dissolution of his mar-
riage in the summer of 1976. In the meantime, plaintiff's
wife went to Pennsylvania in an unsuccessful effort to
effect a reconciliation, purchasing an airline ticket for
her transportation in the amount of $198 with a check drawn
on the account. While in Pennsylvania, plaintiff's wife
gave him various unspecified sums of money, and she also
sent him a check for $150 after she returned to Montana.
Plaintiff consulted with legal counsel in Pennsylvania
and called the Bank regarding the $5p99 check. He there-
after obtained counsel in Montana, who made a formal written
demand upon the Bank in December 1975. Plaintiff filed his
complaint in this action on May 6, 1977, and trial was held
on April 3, 1979. The District Court issued its findings of
fact and conclusions of law on July 6, 1979, and its judg-
ment in favor of defendant Bank on July 17, 1979.
The District Court found that the aggregate benefit
which plaintiff realized from the insurance settlement of
$5,899 was the sum of $4,681.51, consisting of $3,333.51 for
the payment of outstanding bills, including the loan on the
family automobile, $1,000 for the joint savings account
deposit, $198 for the airline ticket, and the $150 check.
Plaintiff acknowledged that he had received the benefit of
$1,831.52 for the payment of outstanding bills and expenses,
but he denied receiving any benefit from the remainder, in
particular, the repayment of the $1,780.10 car loan, the
$1,000 deposit opening the joint savings account, and the
$150 check. The c o u r t a l s o found t h a t a t no t i m e d u r i n g t h e
ten-month e x i s t e n c e of t h e j o i n t a c c o u n t d i d p l a i n t i f f e v e r
o b j e c t t o t h e manner i n which it was u t i l i z e d , e i t h e r w i t h
r e s p e c t t o t h e d e p o s i t i n g of f u n d s o r t h e w i t h d r a w a l of
f u n d s , and t h a t h e a f f i r m a t i v e l y p a r t i c i p a t e d i n b o t h t h e
d e p o s i t i n g and d i s b u r s e m e n t o f f u n d s .
I t was n o t d i s p u t e d t h a t Fred Beyer n e v e r s i g n e d t h e
s i g n a t u r e c a r d o r w r o t e any checks a g a i n s t t h e a c c o u n t .
Gary Kruger, c a s h i e r o f t h e d e f e n d a n t Bank and t h e o n l y bank
employee c a l l e d a s a w i t n e s s a t t r i a l , t e s t i f i e d t h a t F r e d
Beyer, n o t having s i g n e d t h e s i g n a t u r e c a r d , was n e v e r
a u t h o r i z e d t o draw c h e c k s on Account No. 2-227-7 and t h a t
Peggy Beyer was t h e o n l y p e r s o n who c o u l d draw a check on
t h e account. N e v e r t h e l e s s , when asked whether t h e Bank
would have honored a check w r i t t e n on t h e a c c o u n t by F r e d
Beyer, Kruger s t a t e d , " p o s s i b l y w e would have." H e admitted,
however, t h a t i t would n o t be good banking p r a c t i c e and t h a t
t h e r e would be no way of knowing whether t h e s i g n a t u r e w a s a
forgery o r not. T h i s t e s t i m o n y was a p p a r e n t l y t h e b a s i s of
t h a t p a r t of t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' s F i n d i n g No. 9, which s t a t e s :
"While t h e P l a i n t i f f n e v e r s i g n e d a check him-
s e l f , t h e C o u r t f i n d s t h a t h e c o u l d h a v e , and
t h a t any s u c h c h e c k s drawn by him would have
been p a i d , b e c a u s e o f t h e manner, h a b i t s and
u s a g e of t h e a c c o u n t f o r some t e n months."
Kruger a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t F r e d Beyer d i d n o t e n d o r s e
t h e $5,899 check and t h a t h e d i d n o t a u t h o r i z e o r i n s t r u c t
t h e Bank t o d e p o s i t t h a t check t o Account No. 2-227-7.
P l a i n t i f f likewise t e s t i f i e d t h a t he d i d n o t a u t h o r i z e t h e
Bank t o e n d o r s e t h e $5,899 check, b u t t h e Bank n e v e r t h e l e s s
stamped i t s g u a r a n t e e d endorsement on t h e check and nego-
t i a t e d it.
The D i s t r i c t C o u r t concluded t h a t Checking Account No,
2-227-7 w a s e s t a b l i s h e d and owned by p l a i n t i f f and h i s w i f e
and t h a t b o t h were e n t i t l e d t o draw f u n d s on t h e a c c o u n t .
F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e p r o c e e d s of t h e $5,899 check w e r e t h e j o i n t
p r o p e r t y of p l a i n t i f f and h i s w i f e a s t e n a n t s i n common, and
i t was d e p o s i t e d t o Account No, 2-227-7 t o t h e c r e d i t of
both payees.
The D i s t r i c t C o u r t concluded t h a t p l a i n t i f f was e q u i t -
a b l y e s t o p p e d from d e n y i n g h i s j o i n t and b e n e f i c i a l owner-
s h i p of t h e a c c o u n t and t h e p r o c e e d s d e p o s i t e d and withdrawn
t h e r e f r o m by r e a s o n of h i s a f f i r m a t i v e a c t s , c o n d u c t and
s i l e n c e and t h e Bank's r e l i a n c e t h e r e u p o n t o i t s d e t r i m e n t .
The D i s t r i c t C o u r t a l s o concluded t h a t p l a i n t i f f w a s g u i l t y
o f l a c h e s and t h a t h e had s u s t a i n e d no damages, s o t h a t t o
g r a n t him r e l i e f would c o n s t i t u t e u n j u s t e n r i c h m e n t . In the
a l t e r n a t i v e , t h e c o u r t a l s o fouild t h a t p l a i n t i f f made a g i f t
t o Peggy Beyer t o t h e e x t e n t of h i s co-ownership of t h e
moneys d e p o s i t e d t o t h e a c c o u n t . From t h i s judgment, p l a i n -
t i f f appeals.
The i s s u e on a p p e a l i s whether t h e judgment of t h e D i s -
t r i c t C o u r t i s s u p p o r t e d by s u b s t a n t i a l c r e d i b l e e v i d e n c e .
Although t h e check a t i s s u e i n t h i s case i s a nonnego-
t i a b l e i n s t r u m e n t p a y a b l e t o "Fred Beyer and Peggy Beyer,"
s e c t i o n 30-3-805, MCA, and t h e commission comments t o t h a t
s e c t i o n of t h e Uniform Commercial Code make i t clear t h a t
C h a p t e r 3 of t h e U.C.C. a p p l i e s t o transactions involving
t h i s check, w i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n t h a t t h e r e c a n b e no h o l d e r
i n due c o u r s e o f s u c h a n i n s t r u m e n t . In particular, this
check i s governed by s e c t i o n 30-3-116, MCA, which p r o v i d e s :
" I n s t r u m e n t s p a y a b l e - - -r more p e r s o n s :
t o two o -
An i n s t r u m e n t p a y a b l e - -e o r d e r of - -r
- t o th - two o
more p e r s o n s :
" (a) i f i n t h e a l t e r n a t i v e i s p a y a b l e t o any
o n e o f them and may b e n e g o t i a t e d , d i s c h a r g e d
o r e n f o r c e d by a n y - o f them who h a s p o s s e s s i o n
o f it;
-l-f- -
a l o them and m a y be n e g o t i a t e d , d i s c h a r g e d ,
-- e n f o r c e d o n l y 5 all- -
or
- - . - of them." (Emphasis
added. )
S i n c e t h e check i s p a y a b l e o n l y t o "Fred Beyer and Peggy
Beyer" t o g e t h e r , s u b s e c t i o n ( b ) a p p l i e s and " b o t h must
endorse i n o r d e r t o n e g o t i a t e t h e instrument, although one,
of c o u r s e , may b e a u t h o r i z e d t o s i g n f o r t h e o t h e r . " Com-
ment t o t h e Uniform Commercial Code, s e c t i o n 30-3-116, MCA.
The mere f a c t t h a t t h e copayees are husband and w i f e d o e s
n o t a u t h o r i z e one t o s i g n f o r t h e o t h e r :
"Normally, when a check i s made p a y a b l e t o
husband and w i f e , i t i s c o n s i d e r e d t o be
p a y a b l e t o them j o i n t l y and t h e check must
b e e n d o r s e d by b o t h o f them . . ."Murray,
-
J o i n t Payee Checks--Forged and M i s s i n g En- -
d o r s e m e n t s , 78 Comm. L. J. 393, 395 ( 1 9 7 3 ) .
I t i s u n d i s p u t e d t h a t n e i t h e r Peggy Beyer n o r F r e d
Beyer e n d o r s e d t h e $5,899 check, and t h a t i t was d e p o s i t e d
t o Account No. 2-227-7 by Peggy Beyer and stamped w i t h t h e
Bank's g u a r a n t e e d endorsement.
A s a general proposition,
" C o u r t s i n a number of c a s e s have h e l d o r
r e c o g n i z e d t h a t a c a s h i n g o r c o l l e c t i n g bank
which p a y s a check drawn t o j o i n t p a y e e s ,
o t h e r than p a r t n e r s , without obtaining t h e
a u t h e n t i c endorsement o f a l l s u c h p a y e e s ,
i s l i a b l e t o a n o n s i g n i n g payee f o r t h e
v a l u e of h i s i n t e r e s t i n t h e check, u n l e s s
t h e n o n s i g n i n g payee h a s a u t h o r i z e d o r r a t i -
f i e d s u c h payment." Annot., 47 A.L.R.3d 537,
543 ( 1 9 7 3 ) .
S e e Edwards Co. I n c . v . Long I s l a n d T r u s t Co. ( 1 9 7 3 ) , 75
The d e p o s i t o r y o r c o l l e c t i n g b a n k ' s l i a b i l i t y t o a non-
e n d o r s i n g copayee h a s been founded on a c o n v e r s i o n t h e o r y :
"A bank's liability for paying a check drawn
to joint payees without requiring the authentic
endorsement of all such payees usually has been
based upon the view that the payment of such
a check without the statutorily prescribed en-
dorsements constituted a conversion of the in-
strument or was a breach of a quasi-contractual
duty." Annot., 47 A.L.R. 3d 537, 540 (1973).
Peoples Nat'l Bank v. American Fidelity Fire Ins. Co. (1978),
39 Md.App. 614, 386 A.2d 1254; Trust Co. of Columbus v.
Refrigeration Supplies, Inc. (1978), 241 Ga. 406, 246 S.E.2d
282, 011 remand 146 Ga.App. 825, 247 S.E.2d 542; Berkheimers,
Inc. v. Citizens Valley Bank (1974), 270 0r.App. 807, 529
P.2d 903; Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. v. Marine Natl.
Bank (5th Cir. 1970), 431 F.2d 341; Cf., Insurance Co. of
North America v. Atlas Supply Co. (1970), 121 Ga.kpp. 1, 172
S.E.2d 632. In particular, this result has been reached
under the Uniform Commercial Code, section 30-3-419, MCA,
which provides: " (1) An instrument is converted when: ...
(c) it is paid on a forged endorsement." With reference to
this section, it has been observed:
"While the Code rule is strictly applicable
only to cases involving payment on a forged
endorsement, it may be applied by analogy
to those cases wherein a check was paid
without requiring the endorsement of a co-
payee. . ."
Annot., 47 A.L.R.3d 537, 541
(1973), citing Federal Deposit Ins. Corp.
v. Marine Natl. Bank (5th Cir. 1970), 431
F.2d 341.
See also Peoples Natl. Bank v. American Fidelity Fire Ins.
Co. (1978), 39 Md.App. 614, 386 A.2d 1254. The same result
was reached in Berkheimers, Inc. v. Citizens Valley Bank
(1974), 270 0r.App. 807, 529 P.2d 903, on general principles
of law relating to conversion under Section 1-103 of the
U.C.C.
"The rationale of such decisions appears to
be that since joint-payee instruments require
the endorsement of all payees under § 3-116(b),
payment on the endorsement of fewer than all
payees is an exercise of dominion and control
over the instrument inconsistent with the
rights of the owner, and results in liability
for conversion." Annot., 47 A.L.R.3d 537,
542 (1973).
Section 30-3-419(3), MCA, however, gives the depository
or collecting bank a defense to a suit for conversion and
limits the bank's liability where the bank acts in good
faith and in accordance with reasonable commercial standards:
", .. a representative, including a deposi-
tory or collecting bank, who has in good faith
and in accordance with the reasonable commer-
cial standards applicable to the business of
such representative dealt with an instrument
or its proceeds on behalf of one who was not
the true owner is not liable in conversion or
otherwise to the true owner beyond the amount
of any proceeds remaining in his hands."
See Murray, supra, 78 Comrn. L. J. at 402; Comment 5 to
section 3-419 of the U.C.C.; and sections 30-4-201(1) and
30-4-202(1) (a), MCA.
Therefore, if the defendant-respondent, First National
Bank of Dillon, acted in good faith and in accordance with
reasonable commercial standards when it permitted Peggy
Beyer to deposit the $5,899 check payable to "Fred Beyer and
Peggy Beyer" in Checking Account No. 2-227-7 without the
endorsement of either payee, the Bank would not be liable to
Fred Beyer beyond the amount of any proceeds remaining in
the Bank. Since the record indicates that neither the
instrument itself nor any proceeds of it remained in the
Bank at the time of suit, the Bank would not be liable at
all if it acted in good faith and in accordance with rea-
sonable commercial standards.
The Bank's good faith has not been challenged, and
since the account to which the check was deposited was in
fact the joint account of Fred and Peggy Beyer, as the trial
court found, the Bank has complied with reasonable com-
mercial standards.
Without a g a i n r e c i t i n g t h e f a c t s i n t h i s c a s e , w e f i n d
t h e c o n c l u s i o n s of t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t t o be s u p p o r t e d by
s u b s t a n t i a l evidence. Arrowhead, I n c . v. Safeway S t o r e s
(1978) - Mont. , 587 P.2d 4 1 1 , 35 St.Rep. 1830. In
p a r t i c u l a r , t h e r e i s s u b s t a n t i a l evidence t o support t h e
c o n c l u s i o n t h a t p l a i n t i f f - a p p e l l a n t F r e d Beyer i s e q u i t a b l y
e s t o p p e d from denying h i s j o i n t and b e n e f i c i a l ownership of
Account No. 2-227-7, by v i r t u e o f h i s acknowledgement and
u s e of t h e a c c o u n t o v e r a p e r i o d of t i m e , and t h e Bank's
r e l i a n c e t h e r e u p o n i n c r e d i t i n g t h e $5,899 check t o t h a t
account. S e c t i o n 26-1-601(3), MCA; Howeth v. D. A. Davidson
& Co. ( 1 9 7 3 ) , 163 Mont. 355, 517 P.2d 722; C i t y of B i l l i n g s
v . P i e r c e Pa.c!;ing Ca. ( 1 9 4 5 ) , 117 Mont. 255, 1 6 1 P - 2 d 636;
Mundt v. Mallon ( 1 9 3 8 ) , 106 Mont. 242, 76 P.2d 326, 329.
A p p e l l a n t c a n n o t b e h e a r d t o complain t h a t h e l a c k e d a u t h o r i t y
t o draw c h e c k s on t h e a c c o u n t when he c o u l d have remedied
t h a t s i t u a t i o n by t h e s i m p l e e x p e d i e n t s i g n i n g of t h e s i g n a -
t u r e card.
The judgment of t h e D i s t r i c t CourtJs affirmed.
,LGid)L Justice df
W e concur:
%A, 4 -
P- Chief J u s t i c e