Case Name: Gaskin v. Wells and Others
Court: Supreme Court of Indiana
Jurisdiction: Indiana
Decision Date: 1860-12-08
Citations: 15 Ind. 253
Docket Number: 
Parties: Gaskin v. Wells and Others.
Judges: 
Reporter: Indiana Reports
Volume: 15
Pages: 253–254

Head Matter:
Gaskin v. Wells and Others.
Suit by the appellees against the appellant on a promissory note, alleged to have been made by him, by the name of Gasten.
Held, that the note was correctly declared upon.
Held, also, there being no general denial, and no denial under oath, that the note made & prima facie case for the plaintiffs.
Held, also, that a note is pmna facie evidence of a settlement of accounts to its date.
Saturday, December 8.
APPEAL from the Grant Common Pleas.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
Cephas Gaskin is unable to write his name. Desiring to execute a note to Noah Harris, he procured PL. IL. Metcalf to write his name, Gaskin inserting his mark. PLetcalf being governed by the sound, wrote the name Cephas Gasten, and Gaskin, being unable to read, supposed it was all right, and made his mark.
Harris assigned the note to Wells & Co., who sued upon it, alleging that Gaskin, by the name of Gasten, made the note. This was a correct mode of declaring. The complaint was good.
The defendant did not answer by the general denial, as provided by the code, 2 R. S., p. 39: nor did he deny the note under oath. The note, therefore, with the assignment, on the trial, made a prima facie case for the plaintiff. The paragraph of the answer assuming to deny the interest of the plaintiffs in the note, was bad. 12 Ind. 398. The paragraph of the answer, by way of set-off, was bad for uncertainty. A note is prima facie evidence of a settlement of accounts to its date.
J. II. Jones, for appellant.
K. W. Gordon and A. W. Sanford, for appellees.
The judgment is affirmed, with 10 per cent, damages and costs.