Bell v. Shields
Bell v. Shields
Opinion of the Court
This is an action to recover damages for the alleged breach of a contract for the sale of standing timber on land in Latah county. The ease was tried by the court with a jury, and the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff for the sum of $660, and judgment was entered for that amount. A motion for a new trial was denied, and the appeal is from the judgment and order denying a new trial.
It appears from the record that on the 28th day of February, 1906, the respondent and M. J. Shields, who died since the trial of this action and is represented by the appellant, his administrator, entered into a contract whereby Shields sold to the plaintiff 500,000 feet of tamarack, fir and pine timber at the agreed price of one dollar per thousand feet stumpage, whereby the respondent was given two years
The evidence introduced on the trial is substantially in accordance with the facts above stated, and under that state of facts it is contended that the defendant, as administrator of the estate of said M. J. Shields, is not liable to respondent for any damages he sustained. It is contended under the facts of this case that Nolan, by selling the premises in controversy, converted the interests of the plaintiff in the common prop
It appears that the contract or sale of the land by Shields to Nolan was made in December, 1906, and that the respondent had no knowledge of it until about March, 1907. While the evidence shows that the respondent and Nolan had several conversations in regard to the timber on said land, he made no contract with him in regard to the same. The respondent thereafter saw Shields, and stated to him that.he 'did not like Nolan’s actions in regard to the matter, and it looked to him as if Nolan would try to beat him out of the timber, and informed Shields that he had a contract with him for it and would expect him (Shields) to carry out the contract. Shields replied that that was all right: “You look to me for it.” Mr. Shields testified on -the trial as follows: “And I told him [Bell] that Mr. Nolan had nothing at all to do with that timber — that any part of this timber that his contract would take was never transferred to Nolan, and that I would deal with him on that and see that he got everything as per his contract.” The record clearly shows that the respondent did not look to Nolan to carry out said contract in the place of Shields, but it does show that he looked to Shields all the time. In the contract between Shields and Nolan whereby Nolan agreed to protect Bell, there was no substitution of the agreement between Shields and Nolan for the contract between Shields and Bell. Bell did not agree to look to Nolan for protection under his contract with Shields, did not agree to accept Nolan in place of Shields to carry out the Shields^ Bell contract. There was no novation. After the controversy arose, Shields informed the respondent that he would deal with Nolan in regard to the matter and see that respondent got everything that he was entitled to under said contract. After Shields had sold to Nolan, Bell paid Shields the money claimed to be due him under the contract for timber. Shields did not look to Nolan for pay for the timber but to Bell. While Nolan agreed with Shields to protect the rights of Bell to remove said timber, Bell was no party to that contract, and
"We have examined the several errors assigned and find no reversible error in the record. The judgment must therefore be affirmed, and it is so ordered. Costs awarded in favor of respondent.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- C. D. BELL v. FRED M. SHIELDS, Administrator of the Estate of M. J. SHIELDS
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Option to Purchase Land — Standing Timbee — Sale of — Liability oe Seller — BREACH OF CONTRACT — IMPOSSIBILITY OF PERFORMANCE-Created by Party. (Syllabus by tbe court.) 1. Where S. has an option to purchase certain lands, and sells the standing timber thereon to B. and thereafter procures the title to said land to be conveyed to N., and contracts with N. to protect S. in his contract with B., without B.’s knowledge or consent, and thereafter N. sells the land to D. & D., who are innocent purchasers, without reserving the rights of B. to take such timber from said land, held, that S. is liable to B-. for whatever damages he sustained by being prevented from removing the timber from said land. 2. Where one party to a contract voluntarily places himself in a position whereby he is unable to carry out the provisions of his contract, he is as liable for a breach thereof as though he had deliberately refused to comply with its provisions.