Sweet v. Sweet
Sweet v. Sweet
Opinion of the Court
The appellant and appellee were partners engáged in dealing in grain and general merchandise and each had a one-half interest in the business and partnership property. On the 8th day of May, 1893,
The only error assigned is the overruling of the motion for a new trial.
The appellant insists that the finding is not supported by the evidence and is contrary to the law.
The only evidence given upon the issue was the written article of dissolution and of a demand of payment made by the appellant. In the article of dissolution is this clause:
‘‘An adjustment of the liabilities of each partner to the partnership has been made, and it is found that William E. Sweet is indebted to his co-partner in excess of the amount that said Theodore P. Sweet is indebted to him on account of the profits and funds withdrawn from the partnership in the sum of $3,000.00. It is hereby acknowledged by the said T. P. Sweet that he has been fully paid said sum of $3,000.00 as follows: $1,000.00 by transfer of an interest in a certain stock of goods, and $2,000.00 by the conveyance of certain real estate.”
The appellant’s insistence is, that the only fair and
It is stated that the appellee is also indebted. If both parties were indebted to the partnership then each would be the owner of one-half of the amount which he owed to the partnership, and it is not probable that appellant would only be indebted to his co-partner in the sum of $1,500.00, for one-half of the amount of what the other partner owed the firm should be deducted from this amount in order to adjust the account between the partners. It is also possible to construe this clause so that the $3,000.00 represents the indebtedness due one partner from the other after the partnership affairs had been adjusted and the partners have reached a settlement between themselves. If after the dissolution of the partnership it should have been foimd that the appellant had drawn out $8,000.00, and the appellee $2,000.00, this would make a total of $10,000.00, of which each partner would be entitled to $5,000.00. The appellant would then have $3,000.00 more than he was entitled to, and the appellee $3,000.00 less than he was entitled to; or, in other words, the appellant would be indebted to the appellee in the sum $3,000.00.
At the least the parties seem to have put this kind of a construction upon the contract for themselves and the appellant paid the difference upon such a construction and basis. Where there is an ambiguity or uncertainty in a contract, and the parties have voluntarily executed or construed it for themselves, the courts generally adopt the construction put upon it by the parties to it.
In the absence of any evidence of an actual mistake, this court must affirm the judgment rendered.
Judgment affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.