Hyler v. Wellington
Hyler v. Wellington
Opinion of the Court
During the progress of the trial the plaintiff asked leave to amend her petition, and leave was refused. She complains of the action of the court in this respect.
The court, in our opinion, did not err in disallowing the amendment. The object of the amendment was to let in parol evidence as to the meaning of the agreement. The plaintiff’s position is that the agreement by its terms does not clearty show whether the defendant was bound to pay to the plaintiff more than fifty dollars from the proceeds or not, in case there was more than fifty dollars collected in excess of the $400 and interest thereon, and her proposition of law is that where the parties to a written agreement have not clearly expressed their intent it is competent to show by parol what their intent was, provided only the parol evidence of their intent does not contra-
There was no occasion in the case at bar to apply .the language of the contract by parol evidence to any specific thing nr person, nor do we think that there was any such ambiguity as to let in parol evidence.
It is very clear that for some consideration, it matters not what, the defendant acquired an interest in the note to the extent of $400, which amount, with interest which should accrue thereon, should be retained by the defendant from the proceeds; and that his right thereto should be paramount to any right of the plaintiff in the note. It is equally clear that $50 was to be paid the plaintiff, if that amount should be collected in excess of the $400 and interest, and that her right to be paid tho $50 was paramount to the right of the defendant to be paid foi his services if he was to be paid. As to what wras to be done with the balance the agreement does not expressly provide. But we cannot hold that it was to be paid to the plaintiff and gi ve any reason for the specific provision whereby the defendant was to pay her $50. The plaintiff contends .that the meaning of that provision is that she was to have that amount whatever he might sell the note for, and that the balance w7as contingent. But we cannot so regard it because the payment to her of the $50 was expressly made contingent upon its being realized.
By the transfer of the note to the defendant he became the
Affirmed.
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