Opinion ID: 1962979
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidence of Fraud

Text: Mr. Williams, a Baltimore Transit Company operator, testified that a Reynolds Engineering salesman came to his home and asked if the Williams' needed any repairs or improvements on the house. The salesman quoted a price of approximately $500 for the installation of storm windows and storm doors. At the time, the Williams' owed $2160, payable in 120 weekly installments of $18 each, on a recently purchased automobile. The salesman showed the Williams' how his company would make the home improvements and assume the weekly car payments, at a cost to the Williams' of $53.33 per month. This amount was less than the monthly sum payable on the automobile. The salesman filled in an order and contract allegedly in accordance with this proposal, which the Williams' signed. The contract did not show the total price of the job, but provided for 120 monthly installments of $53.33 each ($6399.60). Approximately one week later, the Williams' received by mail a typed copy of the original contract, stating that the total price of the job was $3200. Mr. Williams' uncontradicted testimony was that he understood $3200 was all he was obligated to pay. Sometime thereafter, according to Mr. Williams' uncontradicted evidence, the salesman came to the house with some papers for the Williams' to sign. Among them were a mortgage and note in the face amount of $6399.60. The papers were placed on the table in a manner which prevented the Williams' from seeing the nature of the documents. The Williams' did not see the body of the mortgage or note, but, being assured by the salesman that their signatures were necessary to complete the formalities of the contract, signed what was placed in front of them. Although the mortgage contained a purported acknowledgement by the mortgagors before a Notary Public, Mr. Williams further testified he did not appear before a notary. We deem significant, in reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence of fraud, that the testimony on the point is entirely uncontradicted. Neither the salesman nor any official of Reynolds Engineering or Peerless Construction nor the notary was subpoenaed by the appellant or produced to rebut Mr. Williams' testimony. Nor did the appellant show they were unavailable as witnesses. The consistent and uncontradicted nature of Mr. Williams' testimony is itself sufficient to distinguish this case from Cromwell v. Sharon Bldg. & Loan Assn., 220 Md. 317, 152 A.2d 548 (1959) and Golden v. Kovner Bldg. & Loan Assn., 156 Md. 167, 143 Atl. 708 (1928) where no fraud was shown. In these cases, the lower courts were sustained in their findings upon conflicting and inconsistent evidence, that fraud had not been shown. We believe there was ample testimony in the present case to show that unfair and unconscionable methods were used in obtaining the execution of the mortgage and note by Reynolds Engineering, the appellant's assignor. At least, we can not say the finding was clearly erroneous. See, e.g., Wohlmuther v. Mt. Airy Plumbing & Heating, Inc., 244 Md. 321, 223 A.2d 562 (1966); Margolis v. Joh and Furman, 243 Md. 216, 220 A.2d 542 (1966).