Fort v. Cummins
Fort v. Cummins
Opinion of the Court
Action by appellant against appellees to recover damages in the sum of $475 for the breach of a contract to purchase a carload of potatoes.
The facts as set forth in the second amended complaint, briefly stated, are as follows: That appellant is a dealer in potatoes in Denver, Colorado; that appellees are dealers in potatoes in Indianapolis, Indiana; that
“Indianapolis, Ind. 956 A.M. Feb. 21, 1917.
Z. J. Fort Prod. Co.
Denver, Col.
Wire best delivered' price five cars best Colorado Whites.
C. L. Dietz & Co.”
That the words “Colorado whites" used in the mes- ■ sage meant Colorado white potatoes.
That on Feb. 22, 1917, appellant sent to C. L. Dietz and- Company, and C. L. Dietz and Company received from appellant, the following telegram:
“Denver, Col. 2/22/17.
C. L. Dietz & Company,
Indianapolis, Ind.
Whites or Burbanks Five Dollars Five Cents cwt delivered.
Z. J. Fort Produce Company.”
That afterwards and on said last-mentioned date, said C. L. Dietz and Company sent to appellant, and appellant received, the following telegram:
“Indianapolis, Ind. 12:08 P. Feb. 22, 1917.
Z. J. Fort Prod. Co.
Denver, Colorado.
Sold Cummins Arszman Hartsock each one car
Whites Shideler two cars Whites. Afrup cwt Delivered Befek.
C. L. Dietz & Co.”
That said telegram was intended to mean that there
“Denver, Col. 2/22/17
C. L. Dietz & Co.
Indianapolis, Ind.
Confirm Schaub, Vondersaar Bruno Cummins Arszman Hartsock car each. Shideler two cars. Prompt shipment if cars obtainable. All your other orders are filled. Don’t sell more until advised.
Z. J. Fort Produce Company.”
That afterwards, on February 22, 1917, C. L. Dietz and Company delivered to appellant and to appellees a broker’s confirmation in writing and being a memorandum in writing of the terms of the purchase and sale negotiated between appellant and appellees, which memorandum in writing is as follows:
“C. L. Dietz & Co.
Indianapolis, Feb. 22j 1917.
302-303 Majestic Building,
Sold as agents G. W. Cummins & Co. Indianapolis, Ind. For account of Z. J. Fort Produce Co. < Denver Col. 1 car best sacked Col. Round White at $5.05 cwt. delivered. Prompt shipment. As per exchange of telegrams today.
Bonded Brokers
C. L. Dietz & Co.”
That appellant promptly loaded 369 sacks of potatoes of the kind and quality specified in said order and contract, all weighing 42,620 pounds, into car PFE 7386 and delivered same to a common carrier at Denver, Colorado, receiving therefor a bill of lading to appellant, which said bill of lading was attached to draft and forwarded to an Indianapolis bank for delivery to appellees upon the payment of the amount of said draft.
Demurrer to the second amended complaint being sustained, appellant abiding the ruling thereon and declining to further plead, prosecutes this appeal, assigning as error the action of the court in sustaining the demurrer to the second amended complaint.
It is contended by appellees that there is no averment in the complaint that C. L. Dietz and Company were, appellee’s agents duly authorized to sign the memorandum of the alleged order. There is, however, an allegation that said Dietz and Company were brokers and as such negotiated the sale, and that they furnished to the buyer and to the seller a memorandum of the sale, a copy of which is set out in the complaint.
In the case of Butler v. Thomson (1875), 92 U. S. 412, 23 L. Ed. 684, plaintiff employed certain brokers of the city of New York City to make sale for him of iron, which the brokers did, and made the following memorandum thereof:
“New York, July 10, 1867.
“Sold, for Messrs. Butler & Co., Boston, to Messrs. A. A. Thomson & Co., New York, seven hundred and five (705) packs first quality Russia sheet-iron, to arrive at New York, at twelve and three-quarters (12%) cents per pound, gold, cash, actual tare. Iron due Sept. 1 ’67.
“White & Hazard, Brokers.”
In the case of Reid v. Alaska Packing Co. (1903), 43 Ore. 429, 73 Pac. 337, C. M. Weber and Company; brokers of Chicago, on April 3, 1899, contracted to sell and deliver to plaintiff, for account of the defendant, 2,500 cases of salmon, delivering memorandum of the contract to defendant as follows:
“Chicago, April 3rd, 1899.
“Sold to Reid, Murdoch & Co.
For account of Alaska Fishermen Pkg. Co. Astoria, Oregon. (Then follows description of merchandise, and terms.)
(Signed)
“C. M. Weber & Co.”
The court says that “enough does appear, however, to show that the contract was made by a firm of brokers, probably acting as the agents of both parties — of the defendant to sell, and of the plaintiff to buy. The memorandum delivered by them to the defendant through Patton is in form a sold note. It is probable they delivered a bought note to the plaintiff, and entered the contract in their books. If so, their signature was the signature of both parties, and, if the notes were retained without objection by both parties, the contract is mutually binding upon them, and is a good contract of sale and purchase.”
In the case of Newberry v. Wall (1881), 84 N. Y. 576, it was held that a broker’s note, or memorandum of sale of goods, containing the names of the vendor and vendee and the terms of sale, and delivered to both parties, makes a valid contract of sale within the statute of frauds.
In the case of Coddington v. Goddard (1860), 82 Mass. (16 Gray) 436, it was held that an entry of a
Appellees contend that there was no agreement as to the place of delivery, and that therefore the place of delivery was at Denver, Colorado, where the goods were at the time of sale. There would be merit in the contention, had the original telegram read, “Wire best price five cars best Colorado Whites,” and had the answer thereto read, “Whites or Burbanks Five Dollars Five Cents cwt.” Clearly, with such a telegram, the place of delivery would not have been agreed upon, and the place would have been in Denver; but the first telegram read, “Wire best delivered price five cars best Colorado Whites.” And the answer reads, “White or Burbanks Five Dollars, Five Cents cwt. delivered.”
As we view this transaction, it presents a breach of a valid contract of sale. The judgment is reversed, with instructions to the trial court to overrule the demurrer to the complaint and for further proceedings.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.