Abraham v. Durward
Decision Date | 06 December 1920 |
Docket Number | 6 |
Citation | 180 N.W. 783,46 N.D. 611 |
Court | North Dakota Supreme Court |
Appeal from the District Court of Barnes County, Englert, J.
Defendant appeals from a judgment and from an order denying a new trial.
Affirmed.
W. J Lorsbough and Pollock & Pollock, for appellant.
The telegram is neither a contract nor sufficient memorandum of one. Hastings v. Webber, 56 Am. Rep. 671.
"The stipulated price of such sale is an essential part of the contract, and must be stated in the note or memorandum thereof required by statute." Hanson v. March (Minn.) 40 N.W. 817; Watt v. Wisconsin Cranberry Co. 18 N.W. 898.
"A memorandum, when a contract is not in writing, must embrace all its substantial terms." Plamer v. Marquette & P Rolling Mill Co. 32 Mich. 274.
There can be no acceptance while the purchaser has the right to object to either quality or quantity. 24 Ga. 215.
Sale void under the Statute of Frauds unless there was not only a delivery by the vendor, but an acceptance on the part of the purchaser. Simmons Hardware Co. v. Mullen (Minn.) 22 N.W. 294.
The law seems to be well settled that the objection that an alleged contract which is void under the Statute of Frauds may be availed of by general denial. Riif v. Riibe (Neb.) 94 N.W. 517; Livingston v. Smith, 14 How. 490; Allen v. Richard, 83 Mo. 55; Wiswell v Tifft, 5 Kan. 263; Bliss, Code Pl. 2d ed. § 355.
W. J Courtney, for respondent.
Where the Statute of Frauds was neither alleged in the answer nor mentioned at the trial, obviously it cannot be relied upon as a defense for the first time in this court. Groff v. Cook, 34 N.D. 126.
This action is brought to recover the purchase price of a carload of potatoes alleged to have been shipped by the plaintiff to one D. E. Hollinshead, of Thomson, Illinois, under an agreement with the defendant. In his complaint the plaintiff alleges:
The complaint further alleges that a sight draft was drawn upon a bank of Thomson, Illinois, as directed by the defendant, and payment thereof refused; and that defendant is justly indebted to the plaintiff in the sum of $ 720, the amount agreed to be paid for the potatoes, and that no part of the sum has been paid.
In his answer the defendant denied that he "on or about September 20, 1918, or at any other time, made any contract, arrangement, or bargain or agreement with the plaintiff or with any other person for the plaintiff, for the purchase of potatoes in car upon the track at Pillsbury or elsewhere."
He further denied that M. L. Peterson was his agent or in any manner authorized to represent him. He further denied that he wrote, signed, or authorized to be sent or transmitted the telegram set forth in the complaint. He also denied, generally, the allegations of the complaint.
The case was tried to a jury and resulted in a verdict in favor of the plaintiff for the sum demanded in the complaint. The defendant moved for a new trial. The motion was denied, and defendant has appealed from the judgment and from the order denying a new trial.
The evidence adduced by the plaintiff tended to establish the allegations of his complaint. The plaintiff testified: Plaintiff further testified that, upon the delivery to him of the telegram set out in the complaint, he loaded a car containing over 900 bushels of potatoes; that Peterson (the banker) figured out the amount coming to the plaintiff, and prepared a sight draft and a bill of lading, which papers were left with Peterson for attention.
Peterson testified that he received the telegram set out in the complaint, and delivered it to the plaintiff; that, later, he received a long-distance telephone message from Illinois, inquiring whether plaintiff had shipped the potatoes or how soon he could ship them; that after plaintiff had loaded the car he brought the weight slips or tickets to Peterson; that he (Peterson) computed the number of bushels and the amount coming to the plaintiff for the potatoes, and prepared a bill of lading for the car, and attached to it a sight draft for the amount coming to the plaintiff, and sent the papers to the bank at Thomson, Illinois, for collection, in accordance with the directions of the telegram; that payment of such draft was refused.
One Tillmony testified that in the fall of 1918 he was a tenant on one of defendant's farms; that one morning the defendant (who was staying with Tillmony) went over to plaintiff's place; that defendant said: "Well, I can buy potatoes from Mr. Abraham, and I will buy them when I can get ready on the other end for them." That when he came back defendant said: "I bought the potatoes, and when I trade them down at the other end, as soon as I get home and trade them then I send him word to ship them."
Hollinshead testified (in a deposition taken by the plaintiff October 31, 1919):
In the fall of 1918, I [Hollinshead] heard the defendant make some remarks in regard to potatoes and the price in Dakota where he had been, and I told him that I could use a car of potatoes of that kind at the price. He said he would give me the party's name and address, and I could get them, he giving the assurance as to the quality of the potatoes and the name of the man that owned them.
Q. What, if anything, was said with reference to using his [defendant's] name on the telegram?
A. Don't remember just exactly. He told me, in order to make them understand that everything was all right, that I could send the telegram in his name to insure getting the potatoes quickly.
Q. Then, as I understand it, you went to the telegraph office and sent the telegram we have introduced in evidence and signed his name to it?
A. Yes.
Hollinshead further testified that he called Peterson on the telephone and had a conversation with him over the long-distance telephone of the import testified to by Peterson, and that in such telephone conversation he (Hollinshead) stated that it was the defendant who was talking. He further testified that the telegram offered in evidence is like the one he wrote, with the exception that the word "light" was written, and should be "load."
In a subsequent deposition (taken by the defendant on December 29, 1919) Hollinshead attempts to qualify, to some degree, the testimony formerly given as to the authorization given by the defendant to sign his (defendant's) name to the telegram. He says: "Defendant did not tell me to order them in his name." He also says:
The defendant admitted that he had some conversation with the plaintiff about potatoes; but denied that the conversation was as related by the plaintiff. He also denied that he had...
To continue reading
Request your trial