Alabama Court of Appeals, 1920

Seals Piano & Organ Co. v. Bell

Seals Piano & Organ Co. v. Bell
Alabama Court of Appeals · Decided January 20, 1920 · Samford
84 So. 779; 17 Ala. App. 331; 1920 Ala. App. LEXIS 23 (Southern Reporter)

Counsel

Tilley Elmore and W.A. Gunter, all of Montgomery, for appellant. The court erred in its action on the evidence. 183 Ala. 633 , 62 So. 879 ; 59 Ala. 210 ; 5 Ky. Op. 63. For definition of "credit," see 2 Words and Phrases, 1711; 13 Ala. 513 ; 201 Ala. 428 , 78 So. 808 ; 69 Ala. 373 ; 97 Ala. 666 , 11 So. 916 ; 122 Ala. 534 , 26 So. 138 . The charges given should have been refused. 201 Ala. 428 , 78 So. 808 . Rushton, Williams Crenshaw, of Montgomery, for appellees. Loss of credit cannot be shown in the manner attempted. 93 Ala. 453 , 9 So. 818 ; 69 Ala. 373 ; 59 Ala. 210 . Exemplary damages could be recovered here. 201 Ala. 428 , 78 So. 806 . The charges were properly given. 11 Ala. App. 534 , 66 So. 897 ; 171 Ala. 291 , 54 So. 613 .

Seals Piano & Organ Co. v. Bell

Opinion of the Court

SAMFORD, J.

[1] The court did not err in sustaining the motion of the defendant to exclude the answer, “I do not think our credit .was as good.” This answer was not responsive to the question asked. Beside’s, the question did not limit -the inquiry to the effect of the attachment on plaintiff's credit. The condition of the market may have been different, or many other things not affected by the attachment.

[2] The court did not commit reversible error in sustaining defendant’s objection to plaintiff’s question:

“Did any manufacturer or person from whom you bought pianos refuse to sell you, or change, the term.s of sale, after the issuance of the attachment?”

For aught that appears, the witness might have answered “No,” and plaintiff did not inform the court otherwise.

The foregoing will also apply to questions made the basis of assignments Nos. 4 and 5.

Charge 5, made the basis of assignment 6, was properly given. Bell et al. v. Seals Piano & Organ Co., 201 Ala. 428, 78 South. 806.

[3] Charge 13 lias been 'approved in Birmingham Stove Co. v. Lawler, 11 Ala. App. 534, 66 South. 897; Birmingham Ry. Co. v. Humphries, 171 Ala. 291, 54 South. 613.

[4] Charge 12 asserts a correct proposition of law as applied to the facts in this case. The burden is upon the plaintiff in an action for damages to furnish proof from which the jury can determine the amount of damages, if any, to which the plaintiff is entitled, and if the plaintiff fail in this the jury cannot supply the omission by speculation. Ritter v. Hoy, 2 Ala. App. 358, 56 South. 814; Ala. R. R. Co. v. Hall, 105 Ala. 599. 17 South. 176.

The question of the amount of damages to which plaintiff was entitled was properly submitted to the jury, and we sec no good reason for disturbing the verdict. The court did not err in overruling the motion for a new trial. The judgment is affirmed.

Affirmed.

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.