Lafon v. Chinn
Lafon v. Chinn
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
Chinn sued Caldwell and Lafon as co-partners in a baging factory, in assumpsit, for the services of a slave hired by Caldwell, to work in the factory, and who was employed in the same, and for medical services rendered by himself as a physician, in attending the hands in the factory. Lafon pleaded non-assumpsit, contending that he was not a partner, nor liable as such to pay the de-' mand sued for. The facts and law having been submitted to the Court, judgment was rendered for the plaintiff, and Lafon has appealed to this Court.
The plaintiff proved that at the instance of Caldwell he rendered the services sued for, and hired the slave to Caldwell to work in the factory, and he was so employed, and read to the Court an article of agreement between Cald
It is clear, by the terms of the article, that Caldwell was to provide the hands and machinery and manufacture the hemp at a fixed price, at his own cost and upon his individual responsibility. Lafon was not to be responsible for either, nor could he, in the least, be benefitted, whether they were furnished atone price or another; nor could Caldwell’s compensation be increased or diminished by the price given, or the costs of superintending the hands. Certainly between the parties, Caldwell could not be made liable for the hemp to be purchased by Lafon, nor Lafon be made, liable for the machinery and hands furnished by Caldwell. That Caldwell might make a contract with third persons, for the hire and superintendence of the hands upon his individual responsibility, cannot be doubted. In this case it does not appear that he made the contract for the use or in behalf of the firm, but the presumption may be fairly indulged that he made it, as he should have made it, according to the stipulations with Lafon, in his own name, and for his own use, and upon his individual responsibility. And if he did so, Chinn must have known it and looked to him only for pay. That Chinn was not deluded into the contract upon the faith of the firm, is obvious from the fact, that
Upon the whole, we think, as the case now stands in the proof,-that the Circuit Court erred in rendering judgment against Lafon. The judgment is, therefore, reversed, and cause remanded, that a new trial may be granted and further proceedings had.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.