Phoenix Lock Works v. Capelle Hardware Co.
Opinion of the Court
charged the jury:
Where goods ,are sold by sample, if those delivered are according to such sample, the buyer is bound to accept them. If accepted the sale is then complete in' all respects. If he refused to accept, he is liable to an action for such refusal, in which the seller is entitled to a verdict for damages for the breach of the duty of acceptanee.
Where the seller and buyer do not reside at the same place, and the goods bought are, by contract between the parties, to be forwarded to the latter above named to complete the sale, it is the duty of the former to send them in a reasonable time, and by some one of the ordinary means of transport (if there be more than one) that will be convenient to the buyer and not more expensive than others of like efficiency: this, in the absence of any agreement, or order by the buyer, that they shall be sent forward by any particular means.
Under such circumstances of shipment by a seller to a buyer, the goods are in law delivered to the buyer, and are no longer under„ the control of the seller, who, if they have not been paid for has lost his lien upon them for their price—which lien until shipment he had. Under such circumstances, the seller has no right of action against the carrier for default in his duty of transportation, as the goods ceased to be his, when the carrier took charge of them; though if he had advanced the freight to the carrier, he might recover that back. The responsibility of the carrier is to the buyer of the goods (the consignee), for safe carriage and delivery to him, and there is no responsibility in such respect to the seller. It would be otherwise, if any contract, express or implied, were shown, that delivery should be made by the seller to the buyer at the latter’s place of business.
It results, from the foregoing, that where the place of delivery is, by law, the place where the goods are, when sold, any refusal to accept the goods bought, must be communicated to the seller before he has parted with their custody, and placed them in the possession
The jury disagreed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.