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Duckworth v. Rogers

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Nov 1, 1905
109 App. Div. 168 (N.Y. App. Div. 1905)

Summary

In Duckworth v. Rogers, 109 A.D. 168, 169, the court said: "The mere agreement by the trust company to make the loan was not sufficient to create a right in the plaintiff to the compensation sought.

Summary of this case from Slawson Hobbs v. Rafter

Opinion

November, 1905.

T.P. Pierce, for the appellant.


The respondent has not ventured to defend the judgment which he has recovered. The action is brought to recover commissions alleged to have been earned by the plaintiff, as broker, for the defendant, in procuring a building loan of $6,500. The allegation of the amended complaint is to the effect that the plaintiff procured an acceptance of the loan by the People's Safe Deposit and Trust Company of Jersey City, but that the company afterwards refused to make the loan because the defendant did not construct the building upon which the loan was desired in accordance with the plans and specifications which were submitted with the application for the loan.

The evidence does not establish the fact that the loan failed because of the defendant's failure to follow the plans and specifications. There is some evidence that the company assigned that fact as an excuse for not making the loan, and there is also some evidence that a change was made in the beams or joists; but the two facts are not connected in any way, nor is there anything to indicate that the change occurred before the refusal to make the loan, or that it was known to the company, and affected its action in that regard. The plans and specifications were not read in evidence, and no specific deviations from them were established as operative upon the trust company to induce non-compliance with its agreement to advance the money. Moreover, evidence was received, against the defendant's objection, that a prior application for a loan on the same security had been rejected. This was clearly improper.

The mere agreement by the trust company to make the loan was not sufficient to create a right in the plaintiff to the compensation sought. In Crasto v. White (52 Hun, 473) it was held that a broker employed to procure a loan on real estate was not entitled to his commissions on mere proof that he had secured a person able and willing to make the loan, who was accepted by his principal. The contract of brokerage in the matter of a loan differs from one with respect to a sale of real estate, in that it is not regarded as fully performed until the prospective lender actually makes the loan or refuses because of the fault or miscarriage of the principal. The case cited was followed in this court in Ashfield v. Case ( 93 App. Div. 452), where it was held that a broker employed to procure a loan was not entitled to recover commissions notwithstanding he had procured a written acceptance of the application for the loan from one who was financially able to make it, but who subsequently refused to do so.

The judgment should be reversed.

BARTLETT, WOODWARD, HOOKER and MILLER, JJ., concurred.

Judgment of the Municipal Court reversed and new trial ordered, costs to abide the event.


Summaries of

Duckworth v. Rogers

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Nov 1, 1905
109 App. Div. 168 (N.Y. App. Div. 1905)

In Duckworth v. Rogers, 109 A.D. 168, 169, the court said: "The mere agreement by the trust company to make the loan was not sufficient to create a right in the plaintiff to the compensation sought.

Summary of this case from Slawson Hobbs v. Rafter
Case details for

Duckworth v. Rogers

Case Details

Full title:WALTER F. DUCKWORTH, Respondent, v . CARMELIA ROGERS, Appellant

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department

Date published: Nov 1, 1905

Citations

109 App. Div. 168 (N.Y. App. Div. 1905)
95 N.Y.S. 1089

Citing Cases

Sugarman v. Fraser

The distinction between the cases has been pointed out frequently by various appellate courts, the last…

Slawson Hobbs v. Rafter

Rosenthal v. Gunn, 119 N.Y.S. 165. In Duckworth v. Rogers, 109 A.D. 168, 169, the court said: "The mere…