( 1 ) THIS is an appeal by the defendants 6, 7, 8 and 10 against the decree in O. S. No. 28 of 1955 on the file of the Subordinate Judges Court, Guntur. The suit was filed by the three plaintiffs, who are the respondents in this appeal to recover a sum of Rs. 18,173-12-2 being the amount of principal and interest due on three promissory notes for Rs. 10,000. 00 each. There are 11 defendants in this suit. The 11th defendant is Gokul Krishna Film Distributing Company, Vijayawada. It is alleged in the plaint that the defendants 1 to 10 are the partners of the 11th defendant firm. One promissory note was executed by the 5th defendant in favour of the 1st plaintiff for Rs. 10,000. 00 on 17-12-1951. Another promissory note was executed by the 1st defendant in favour of the 2nd plaintiff for another sum of Rs. 10,000. 00 on 9-9-1951. The third promissory note was executed also by the 1st defendant for another sum of Rs. 10,000. 00 in favour of the third plaintiff on 9-9-1951. The three promissory notes are marked as Exs. A-1 to A-3 in the suit. According to the allegations in the plaint, the 1st defendant has been the managing partner of the 11th defendant-firm and the 5th defe