Clark v. Phillips

• Decision Date: 04 March 1889
• Citation: 99 Mo. 550,11 S.W. 53
• Parties: CLARK v. PHILLIPS et al.
• Court: Missouri Supreme Court

11 S.W. 53

99 Mo. 550

CLARK v. PHILLIPS et al.

Supreme Court of Missouri.

March 4, 1889.

REFERENCE — FINDINGS.

In an action at law on an account, the trial court has power to set aside altogether the finding of a referee, but not to amend it. Following Hardware Co. v. Wolter, 3 S. W. Rep. 865.

Appeal from circuit court, Cole county; J. L. SMITH, Special Judge.

Action by C. L. Clark against E. A. Phillips and G. W. Sedgwick, copartners. The original petition contained but two counts, to which defendants filed an answer, when plaintiff filed an amended petition containing a third count. The first and second counts of the petition are not involved in this appeal. The third count is as follows, to-wit: "And plaintiff, for a further and another cause of action, states and says that defendants, as said partners hereinbefore stated, are indebted to him, after allowing all just credits, in the sum of $7,079.24, for money had and recovered for plaintiff's use, and for ties (other than those mentioned in the first and second counts of this petition) sold and delivered by plaintiffs to defendants, at divers times between the 6th day of June, 1877, and the 1st day of August, 1879, as will more fully appear by the account herewith filed and annexed to this petition, for which said sum of $7,079.24 plaintiff asks judgment, with costs." The account is as follows:

                E. A. Phillips & Co., To C. L. Clark,            Dr
                ======================================================
                To railroad ties delivered from the 6th
                  day of June, 1877, to October 24, 1877
                  at various landings on the north bank
                  of the Missouri river and Auxvasse
                  river, (in Callaway county,) numbering
                  16,350, 1st-class ties, at 33 cents
                  per tie..................................  $5,395 50
                1060 2d-class ties, at 18 cents............     191 52
                From January 31, 1878, to December 31
                  1878, 21,979 1st-class ties, at 33c......   7,252 07
                16,000 1st-class ties, at 32 cents.........   5,280 00
                2,581 2d-class ties, at 18 cents...........     464 58
                To balance percentage on ties taken
                  from Allen land..........................     125 00
                To timber for twenty sets switch ties
                  at $27 per set...........................     240 00
                To five $100 notes given by Douglass &
                  Martin...................................     500 00
                From January 1, 1879, to August 1, 1879,
                  to 14,083 1st-class ties at same landing,
                  at 33 cents per tie......................   4,317 39
                To 2,281 2d-class ties, at 18 cents........     408 58
                To 46 ties, at 18 cents....................       4 60
                                                            __________
                   Total................................... $24,079 24
                By credits by drafts and checks given
                  payable to my order, and cash, $25,
                  received, and orders made on me on
                  Phillips & Co., aggregating..............  17,000 00
                                                            __________
                   Balance.................................  $7,079 24
                ------------------------------------------------------
                

Defendants filed a general denial to the third count, and alleged that they had settled and paid all their indebtedness to plaintiff. J. L. Smith was elected as special judge for the trial of the cause, and D. H. McIntyre was appointed referee. The latter filed his report, finding for the plaintiff on the first and second count, and for defendants on the third count. Plaintiff filed exceptions to the report of the referee on all three counts. The circuit judge overruled plaintiff's exceptions to the first and second counts, and sustained them to the third count, and set aside the finding of the referee on the third count for defendants, and rendered and entered up another and different finding for plaintiff. Defendants filed motions for a new trial and in arrest of judgment, which were overruled. Defendants appeal. That portion of the report of the referee pertaining to the third count is as follows: "Plaintiff in the third count in his amended petition alleges that defendants are indebted to him in the sum of $7,079.24 for money had and received for plaintiff's use, and for ties other than those mentioned in the first and second counts in his petition. Plaintiff at the hearing admitted and testified that there was a further credit of $1,500...