Mather Bros. v. Mount Airy Mantel & Table Co.
Mather Bros. v. Mount Airy Mantel & Table Co.
Opinion of the Court
The controlling question presented for determination here is whether or not the following letters and telegram make an enforceable contract for the purchase and sale of goods. On May 16, 1919, Mount Airy Mantel & Table Company offered for sale certain center and extension tables to Mather Brothers. The letter containing the offer was as follows: “Your favor of 12th received. We mailed you an order yesterday, and now if you want some center tables and ex. tables [extension tables], send us your order and we will leave the same price open for a few dajis only, although we are selling our entire list now at November 1st price list.” Immediately upon receipt of this letter, on May 19, 1919, Mather Brothers telegraphed to Mount Airy Mantel & Table Company as follows: “ Ship us twelve only fifty four inch plain quartered number one and twenty four only forty eight inch plain quartered number one twenty four only forty five inch quartered number fourteen twenty four only for
“Mount Airy Mantel & Table. Co., May 19, 1919. Ship to Mather Bros. At Austell, Ga. 30 days, ck. settlement. Salesman Mail. Terms 30%,
13 # 1 ex 6-54 sta-plank 37.00 . 334.00
34 # 1 ex 6-48 ” ” 33.50 564.00
34 # 14 ex 6-45 ” ” 13.50 334.00
34 # 16 ex 6-45 ” ” 13.50 334.00
50 # 76 ex 6-45 plain 11.50 575.00
30 # 14 ex 6-45 plain f. o. 11.50 330.00.
30 # 14 ex 6-43 plain f. o. 11.00 330.00
1 # 76 ex 6-43 plain 11.00 11.00
60 414 ex 6-43 plain 11.00 660.00
13 doz. #38 center tables, plain 3.6.00 313.Q0
13 doz. # 38 center tables, sta. 39.00 348.00
4003.007
Do. the communications quoted above make a binding contract ? Have the parties consented to the contract, and have they each assented to all the terms of the contract? Was there a proposition to sell the goods ordered in the letter of May 16, and was the telegram such an acceptance of the proposition as to bind the parties? The Civil Code (1910), § 4331, referring to contracts
There are letters in this record which were written subsequently to the contract, the wording of which is convincing that the minds of the parties met and that there was a mutual assent in the same sense to the same thing. These letters fortify the position that we take. There are letters in this record written some time subsequently to May 19, which indicate that Mount Airy Mantel & Table Company intended to comply with the contract. There are a great many other letters which have to do with other transactions between the parties to this ease, but are not material to the question as to whether there was a binding contract between the parties.
Inasmuch as the record in this ease is narrowed to a determination of the question as to whether the letters and telegram hereinbefore referred to made a binding contract, it becomes unnecessary to deal with other letters or to discuss the testimony of
The alleged errors not dealt with above are not likely to recur upon another trial.
For the reason that the court erred in not construing the proposition to sell and the acceptance thereof to make a complete and binding contract, it was error to overrule the motion for a new trial.
Judgment reversed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.