Simultaneous actions for same cause against same party prohibited.

No plaintiff is entitled to prosecute two actions in the courts of this state at the same time for the same cause and against the same party. In such a case, the defendant may require the plaintiff to elect which he will prosecute, if commenced simultaneously, and the pendency of the former is a good defense to the latter if commenced at different times.

(Code 1907, §2451; Code 1923, §5657; Code 1940, T. 7, §146.)