Case Name: Gordius A. Hall v. William Williamson's Administrators
Court: Supreme Court of Ohio
Jurisdiction: Ohio
Decision Date: 1858-12
Citations: 9 Ohio St. 17
Docket Number: 
Parties: Gordius A. Hall v. William Williamson’s Administrators.
Judges: Swan, O. J., and Brinkerhoee, Scott, and Peck, JJ., concurred.
Reporter: Ohio State Reports, New Service
Volume: 9
Pages: 14–22

Head Matter:
Gordius A. Hall v. William Williamson’s Administrators.
in a suit against a surety upon an injunction bond conditioned to pay all moneys due or to become due upon a judgment “for the sum of $2,300 and costs,” in favor of the obligee, against the principal, in case the injunction should be dissolved, under a plea of the general issue — Held,
1. That the surety was only liable according to the express terms of the bond.
.2. That it was incompetent for the plaintiffoto give in evidence an exemplification of a record showing a judgment for $2,346.06 and costs, although in other respects answering to the judgment mentioned in the condition of the bond.
*3. That it was incompetent for the plaintiff to give in evidence a copy of the petition for the injunction.
In error to the district court of Eranklin county.
The original action was debt, brought in the court of common pleas of Franklin county, upon an injunction bond made to William Williamson, by James Hampson as principal, and Gordius A. Hall as surety.
The case was before this court on error, on demurrer to the declaration, at the January term, 1853. 1 Ohio St. 190.
The case is hero now on questions arising under pleas in bar.
There is but one count in the declaration of Williamson’s administrators. It sets forth—
That on the 12th of November, 1842, Williamson recovered a judgment against James Hampson, in the Supreme Court of Fair-field county, for the sum of $2,346.06 damages, and $52.05 costs. That on the 14th of November, 1842, Hampson exhibited his bill in chancery to the judges of said Supreme Court, then still in session, and moved said court for leave to file the same, and for an injunction “against the said William Williamson, to prevent him from the collection of the same judgment at law herein above mentioned and referred unto,” which motion was reserved for decision on the ■circuit in Franklin county. That at the December teim, 1842, of the Supreme Court in Franklin county, leave was given to Hampson to file said bill, “called a supplemental bill,” and “that an injunction should be allowed as prayed for in said bill, on said complainant Hampson executing a bond in three thousand dollars, as the statute required.” That on the 16th of January, 1843, Hampson filed his said bill, 11 in and by which said bill of complaint the said James Hampson alleged and averred the fact of the recovery, in said court, of the judgment at law aforesaid by the said William Williamson ^against him, the said James Hampson,” and prayed an injunction, etc., “to prevent him from the collection of said judgment at law.” That thereupon the said Hampson filed his injunction bond, with said Hall as his surety, in the penalty of $3,000, the bond reciting the judgment as for $2,300, instead of $2,346.06 damages, and $52.05 costs, but (as the declaration alleges) “ meaning the same judgment at law herein first above alluded and referred to.” That afterward a writ of injunction was issued. That the bill was finally dismissed, and the injunction dissolved. That execution was issued, etc.; and the breach assigned is that no part of the judgment “herein first above mentioned” has been paid.
To this declaration there was a general demurrer. The court of common pleas sustained the demurrer, and gave judgment in favor of the defendant. And for the alleged error of that court in sustaining the demurrer and rendering judgment in favor of the defendant, the case was brought by the plaintiffs before this court, on, petition in error; and the judgment of the common pleas was reversed at the January term, 1853, of this court. 1 Ohio St. 190. Upon reversal, the cause was remanded to the common pleas, and’ Hall put in four pleas in bar, setting out the bond on oyer. A copy of the bond is set out in the opinion of the court.
1. The first plea is that the bond was never approved as an injunction bond by the clerk in manner and 'form as required by statute. To this plea Williamson’s administrators reply, tendering-an issue to the country. Thereupon, Hall demurs specially, because — 1. No time of approval is set out. 2. The manner of approval is not shown. 3. There is no averment of an indorsement of approval.
2. The second plea is that Hampson never filed any such bill as-is set out in the declaration.
To this plea Williamson’s administrators demurred specially, because the plea concludes with a verification.
3. The third plea is “ that there is not any such record *of the supplemental bill and proceedings and decree thereon, as is mentioned in said declaration remaining in said Supreme Court of the county of Fairfield.”
To this plea it is replied. “ that there is such a record of the said supplemental bill and proceedings and decree thereon, as the said plaintiffs have in their said declaration alleged, and this they are ready to verify by a duly certified transcript of said record, and pi'ays that the same be inspected by the court here.”
4. The fourth plea is non est factum, upon which issue was joined.
On appeal, the district court overruled the demurrer to the replication to the first special plea, and sustained the demurrer to the second special plea'.
As to the issue of nul tiel record, joined upon the third special plea, the court found “ that there is such a record of the supjfiemental bill and proceedings and decree thereon, as is mentioned in the declaration.”
As to the issue joined upon the fourth plea of non est factum, the court found against the plea.
From the bill of exceptions taken at the trial in the district court, it appears that the administrators of Williamson, to maintain on their part the issue of nul tiel record, offered in evidence a certain document purporting to be a transcript of certain proceedings in chancery in the Supremo Court of Fairfield county, between Gordius A. Hall, administrator of James Hampson, and Henry N. Hedges and 'Joash Miller, administrators of William Williamson -r and also a certain other document, purporting to be a transcript of a judgment at law for $2,346.06 and costs in favor of William Williamson against James Hampson, at the November term, 1842, of the Supreme Court of Fairfield county, although in other respects-answering to the judgment mentioned in the condition of the bond; and also parol evidence that there was no other judgment between the same parties at the same term of said Supreme Court, than the judgment first mentioned in the declaration.
*The defendant objected to the admission of said documents on the ground of variance, and to said parol evidence on the ground of irrelevancy and incompetency. But the objections were overruled as to the documents, and they were admitted by the court But the court did not admit the parol evidence. And the court found said issue with the plaintiffs, and rendered judgment in favor of the plaintiff's as administrators of said Williamson, and against said Hall, for the sum of $3,000 and costs of suit.
The defendant below excepted to this action of the court below, and now seeks to reverse said judgment.
The plaintiff in error insists that the district court erred:
1. In overruling his demurrer.
2. In sustaining the demurrer of the administrators of Williamson.
3. In admitting in evidence the transcripts of the record of the judgment, and of the supplemental bill in chancery, etc.; and
4. In rendering judgment in favor of the defendants in error.
P. B. Wilcox and N. H. Swayne, for plaintiff in error.
Henry Stanbery and H. H. Hunter, for defendants in error.

Opinion:
Sutliff, J.
The bond sued upon in this case, as shown by the record, is of the following tenor:
"Know all men by these presents, that we, James Hampson and <Gordius A. Hall, are held and firmly bound to 'William Williamson an the penal sum of three thousand dollars, to the payment of which we jointly and severally bind ourselves, our heirs, executors, and administrators. Sealed with our seals, and dated this 13th of January, 1843
" The condition of the above obligation is such that, *whereas the above-named James Hampson hath obtained the allowance of an injunction in the Supremo Court of Fairfield county and State of Ohio, to stay all further proceedings upon a judgment obtained in the same Supreme Court by the said William Williamson against the said James Hampson, at the November term thereof, a. d. 1842, for the sum of $2,300 and costs of suit, until the matters thereof -can be heard in equity. Now, if the said James Hampson shall pay nil moneys and costs due or to become due from him, the said James Hampson, in said judgment at law, and all moneys and costs which shall be decreed against the said James Hampson in case the said injunction shall be' dissolved, then this obligation shall be void; «otherwise in full force and virtue in law. ' '
"James Hampson, [seal.]
" Gordius A. Hall, [seal.] "
The action was against the surety, and a recovery could, therefore, only be had against him strictly upon the contract into which, .as such surety, he had so entered. The surety upon the injunction bond, being in nowise liable upon the j udgment, and having received no consideration for executing such a bond as surety, ought not, in •equity, and could not, in law, be holden to the judgment creditor except by force of the obligation, as clearly expressed by the terms -of the bond which he had so voluntarily executed. No principle -of law is better settled, generally, and none has been more explicitly .asserted in this state, than that a surety can only be bound by the terms of his undertaking. In the case of The Bank of Steubenville v. Carroll's Adm'rs, 5 Ohio, 207, the court say: " No principle is better settled at the present day, than that a surety can not be further bound than by the terms of his undertaking." And again in the case of The State v. Crooks & Shaw, 7 Ohio, 573, Judge Hitchcock, in giving the opinion of the court, uses the following language: "No principle is better settled, perhaps^-than that securities *shall not be bound beyond the scope of their undertaking." In the ease of The State v. Medary and others, 17 Ohio, 554, in giving their opinion in relation to the liability of the sureties upon theif bond, the court say: "The bond speaks for itself, and the law is, that it shall so speak; and that the liability of sureties is limited to the exact letter of the bond. Sureties stand upon the words of the bond, and if the words will not make them liable, nothing can. There is no construction, no equity against sureties. . . . . It is not like a grant, where everything is construed most strongly against the grantor, and where the intent governs, and will be sought after from the object or extrinsic facts, to give such construction to words, as to carry into effect the intention of the parties." Again, in the case of McG-ovney v. The State, 20 Ohio, 93, the judge delivering the opinion, in remarking upon the liability of sureties, says " they are mere sureties, and as such, may demand to be brought strictly within the terms of the obligation, before they are charged." Nor is the holding of the. courts of this state different from that of the Supremo Court of the United States, and of other states and other countries, upon this subject. See the cases of Miller v. Stewart, 9 Wheat. 702; United States v. Boyd, 15 Pet. 208; Evans v. Bradley, 17 Wend. 422; Hunt v. Smith, 17 Wend. 180; Arlington v. Merrick, 2 Saund. 403; Liverpool Water-works Co. v. Harper, 6 East, 507; Wardens, etc. v. Bostock, 2 Bos. & Pull. 175, et passim.
It is, then, certain that the liability of the defendant below was 4o be determined solely by the terms of the bond, from which alone his liability sprung. The bond was the only writing signed by the defendant upon which he could be charged with any undertaking to pay the debt, the judgment against Hampson. The terms and conditions of the bond, as therein expressed, must ascertain and determine the liability of Hall.
If that obligation, so entered into by him, made reference to ^a debt expressed by a promissory note or by a judgment, or to any subject, object, or event, as a substantive matter of the contract, proof might and ought to be admitted in relation to such extraneous matter so referred to; but no evidence, by the law of the case, could be admitted to vary or extend the liability of the defendant from the expressed condition and terms of the injunction bond.
When this case came before this court upon a former exemplification of record, the only question submitted to the court seems to have been the sufficiency of the averments contained in the declaration, replied to, as they were, by only a general demurrer.
The majority of the court inclined to the opinion that the aver ments.in the declaration were sufficient, under a general demurrorthereto, to entitle the plaintiff to recover, and held that the court of common pleas had erred 'in sustaining the demurrer to the declaration. Reference is made in their opinion to the case of United. States v. Maurice and others, as containing an exemplification of the rule, "id cerium est, quod cerium potest," applicable to the case-then under consideration.
I apprehend, however, if that record had contained a copy of the-injunction bond and condition, there would have been no difference in opinion in the court holding the case then under consideration a very different one from that so referred to.
The case of The United States v. Maurice and others, 2 Brockenbrough, 96, was an action of debt, brought upon a bond executed, in the penalty of twenty thousand dollars, with the following condition : "Whereas, the said James Maurice has been appointed-agent for fortifications on the part of the United States; now,, therefore, if the said James Maurice shall truly and faithfully execute and discharge all the duties appertaining to the said office of agent as aforesaid, then the above obligation to bo void," etc.; and • the breach assigned in the declaration was, that Margo sums-of money came into the hands of Maurice as such agent, which he was, by the duties of his said office, bound to disburse and account for,'a part of which, namely, forty thousand dollars, he had, in violation- of his duty, utterly failed to disburse to the use of the-United States, or accounted for, etc.
The defendants, the sureties in the obligation, prayed oyer of the bond and condition, and demurred to the declaration. The plaintiff joined in the demurrer.
Chief Justice Marshall, in delivering the opinion of the court, used the following language: "If, instead of specifying the particular purposes for which the money was received, the condition of' a bond refers to a paper which does specify those purposes, I know of no principle of reason or of law, which varies the obligation of' the instrument from what it would be,.if containing that specification within itself. That is certain which may be rendered certain, and an undertaking to perform the duties prescribed in a distinct contract, or in a law, or -in any other known paper prescribing' those duties, is equivalent to an enumeration of those duties in the 'body of the contract itself."
And there is no doubt that in this case, if the condition of the bond, instead of being expressed, as it is, in the instrument, to pay a certain judgment specified in the instrument, had been to pay a judgment named in a supplemental bill referred to in the condition, at would have been equally good. But the ease presented by this record, containing, as it does, a proferí of the bond and condition, is quite different. Instead of omitting to specify the amount of the judgment in the condition itself, and referring to the supplemental bill for the amount or description of the judgment, the parties have fully expressed the amount in the condition of the bond, and have, in fact, made no reference to the bill of complaint for either the amount or description of the judgment.
But when the demurrer was overruled by this court, the record '*shows that oyer of the bond and condition had not been [26 •craved, nor -proferí of the bond made, and from the averments .made in the declaration, which were admitted by the demurrer, as expressed by the language of the declaration, the majority of the •court seem to have regarded the condition of the bond as containing .a reference to the bill in chancery for the amount. Had the copy •of the bond and condition been before the court, it would have been seen then, as it appears now, that no reference is thereby made to the bill in chancery, and that consequently the plaintiff could not legally give in evidence a copy of the bill of complaint as proof in the case.
This is evident from the fact that it is expressly stated in the opinion of the court, that they have carefully ro-examined the case of McGovney v. The State (20 Ohio, 93), and are entirely satisfied with that decision, and do not regard it as in the least conflicting with their holding in the case then under consideration.
The exemplification of' the record, as now presented in the case, discloses the fact that the supplemental bill, upon which the injunction was allowed, instead of correctly describing the judgment, so .as to correct the description expressed in the condition of the bond, if allowable to refer to it for that purpose, in fact contains no description of any judgment. The plea of the defendant, of nul tiel record as to the supplemental bill, and his plea of non est factum as to the bond declared upon, were well sustained by the proof. And the district court 'evidently erred in admitting in evidence the transcripts of the record of the bill of complaint, and of the judgment, as well as in finding the issue under the two pleas above mentioned in favor of the administrators of Williamson and against the plaint iff in error, and rendering judgment accordingly. And for this cause, the judgment of the district court must be reversed.
Swan, O. J., and Brinkerhoee, Scott, and Peck, JJ., concurred.