Johnston-Woodbury Hat Co. v. Lightbody
Johnston-Woodbury Hat Co. v. Lightbody
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff was employed by defendant, a wholesale mercantile company, as a travelling salesman under a verbal contract, “for a period of one year, for the season commencing December 1st, 1897.” He brings this suit to recover a balance alleged to be due him on his salary. The defensé is that plaintiff abandoned the contract without cause, about the 22d day of October, 1898, and thereafter failed, neglected and refused to render any services for or on behalf of defendant, as required by the contract. The controlling question involved is one of fact exclusively. This having been found against the defendant by the trial court, upon conflicting testimony, and the finding not being manifestly against the weight of the evidence, and there being sufficient to support it, this court under the usual rule must be concluded by it.
About the only question of law which it would appear could be raised by the defendant, is with reference to the admission of evidence oh the part of the plaintiff to show when the season for the discharge of duties by the plaintiff as travelling sales-, man under the contract ended. Upon the ruling of the court in this respect, the defendant predicates-
Besides, all testimony in regard to the custom or usage of the trade, and explanatory of what was meant by the season, could be eliminated, and still the finding of the court should be sustained. Even if the admission of such testimony was error, it was error without prejudice, because there was some evidence showing that plaintiff actually did perform: services in the line of his employment by the de- ■ fendant during the month of November, 1898, which was the month .in dispute.
For the reasons given, the judgment must be affirmed. -. ■ Affirmed.
Gunter, J., not sitting.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.