Magner v. Fairchild Motor Car Co.
Magner v. Fairchild Motor Car Co.
Opinion of the Court
This la a damage suit baaed on the failure of the vendor to deliver the thing sold. The plaintiff alleges that one Emile A. Rainold purchased from the defendant a new automobile, and in part payment thereof gave a number 42 Five passenger second hand ''Oldsmobile; that knowing the value of the automobile ao given in payment by Rainold ho authorized him to offer the defendant Company $500 for the same; that the defendant Company accepted the offer and advised Rainold that the car would be delivered on March 31; that on April 2 the defendant Company notified Rainold that the car had been sold and delivered to some one else and could not be delivered to him; that petitioner could not buy another second hand car of same grade and value unless he had had previous experience with it and that dealers refuse to guarantee them; that a new car of the .same size and make is worth $1250, and that therefore defendant owes him $750; that he had spoken of his purchase to a number of his friends and even made engagements to take some of them out on a ride; but that the failure of the defendant to deliver the car to him had caused theso friends "to joke, annoy and ridicule" him, and that he was not only "bitterly disappointed" in not receiving the car, but "was in addition likewise humiliated" to the extent of $750; wherefore he prayed for $1500 damages.
The defendant admitted the sale to Rainold; admitted failure to deliver the car to him for the reason that toe oar had been sold to another in ignorance of the previous sale to Rainold -; but denied that the plaintiff could not have bought another second hand car.
There was judgment for defendant and plaintiff has appealed.
Mr. Rainold testifies that, through Mr. Miller King,
Mr. King corroborates Mr. Rainold. He adds that Mr. Har-die was in good faith in the matter, and that he tried to get other second hand cars for Mr. Magner; Mr. Hardie sent 'him out to see the man who had bought the car with a view of getting him to return it, but the man refused; then Mr. Hardie went to Zilbermann and got two cars second hand Oldsmobile.
The plaintiff testified that he knew Mr. Rainold's old car and had ridden in it often and no accident had happened; that Rainold had refused to take less than $600 for it; that he had business in Westwego, Jefferson Parish, and that is why he wanted a car; that he saw a car that suited him but tne owner wanted $800 or $900 for it; it was second or third hand; he did not buy any other car; the whole Sugar Exchange knew about his buying this car; after the deal fell through "they all started to guy and kid him and even up to this day they still joke him right in front of everybody".
C. F. Hardie, president of defendant Company testifies
The letter addressed by Mr. Rainold to the defendant on April 2d is in the following words:
"Fairchild Motor Car Co., Inc.
Dear Sirs,
Confirming phone conversation held with your Mr. Ear die this morning, I was very much surprised to lean: that you made the mistake of reselling the model 42 five passenger second hand Oldsmobile, formerly belonging to me, and which you resold to me through your agent, Mr. Miller King, on Friday March 30th for $500 which amount I now tender to you according to agreement and am ready to pay on delivery of the car. I have been ready to take and pay for the car ever since I bought it but at Mr. King's request I waited until to-day to call for the car,as he claimed it was necessary to make some repairs on same and he could not deliver the car before to-day. I now make formal demand on you for my car and if you do not deliver same at once, I beg to notify you that I will hold you responsible to fullest extent that the law allows".
On April 14th, 1917, plaintiff’s attorney addressed the*525 following letter to the defendant:
"Fairchild Rotor Car Company.
Gentlemen;
Since my conversation with your Mr. Hardy, X have seen Mr. Bnile A. Rainold, and he declines to make any other proposition than the one covered in my letter of April 3dj that is, that he considers himself damaged to the extent of $1600.00. Mr. Rainold tells me that Mr. Mysing phoned him twice in your behalf, and that he told Mr. Mysing that if you would make a proposition, he would take it up with his friend to whom he had agreed to sell the car, and would see whether the matter could be adjusted. Mr. Rainold does not consider that your offer to keep him advised regarding bargains in second hand cars is worthy of serious consideration. Unless the matter can be settled amicably, I am instructed to file suit".
Yours truly,
William C. McLeod".
The theory of an action in damages is to grant compensation or indemnity to the plaintiff for the injury suffered by him resulting from an offense or from the breach of an obligation, and to restore him as much as possible to the same situation he occupied prior to the injury. The rule by which this object is attained differs with the causes which gave rise to it. ^hus by his failure to perform an obligation to pay money the debtor owes interest; this fixed and immutable. C.C.,1935 (1929). When the object of the contract is anything but tha payment of money, and the damages suffered from its violation are pecuniary and are susceptible of definite estimate by a pecuniary standard, then the damage consists in a pecuniary compensation for the pecuniary loss sustained or for the pecuniary loss suffered, and as to these the Courts have no discretion. These are compensatory damages. C.C.,1934 (1928). But when the injury suffered is not susceptible of pecuniary measurement of reparatiim and does not admit of definite ascertainment in dollars and cents as where the contract has for its object
In every contract of sale when the object sold is not unique of its kind and. is not connected with any manner of sentiment, but may be duplicated upon the market, the damage sustained by the vendee resulting from the failure of the vendor to deliver consists in the loss he has sustained. That loss is the sum he would have to pay for another article of the same kind. 6 M., 553; 1 Pothier Oblig. p. 102 § 161; 24 Damol § 583; 2 Delvincourt p. 532 (4); 13 La., 225; 4 A., 24; 14 A., 45; 788; 20 A., 291; 24 A., 344; 36 A., 425; 11 La., 729; 29 A., 286; 108 La., 247; 109 La., 1023; 111 La., 394, 395; 124 La., 590; 127 La., 350; 128 La., 121; 130 La., 388 (400); 35 Cyc 615 (b), 633 (c), 640 (VII).
But plaintiff made no effort to buy another car, and refused defendant's offer to procure another for him of like make and in equal condition. Pis ultimatum was a new car plus $750 damages. As far as the demand for the new car is concerned, it was not justified by law. Article C. C. 1934 and the common lav; upon the subject merely-undertake to secure a full indemnity to the disappointed purchaser, but does not contemplate giving him an opportunity to speculate to his advantage at the expense of the vendor. 6 A., 491; 4 Colo. 7. He had bought for $500 a second hand car which had seen two years service, and .there was neither lav/ nor equity in his demand for a new oar costing $1250. By failing to buy a second hand car and by refusing to allow the defendant to procure one he put it out of his power to ascertain the amount of damage he had sustained. There is no contention that there were no other second hand numb er 42 five passenger Oldsmobile on the market; on the contrary, the defendant testifies that he knew of two such, and his testimony is corroborated by King.
The case of Burdette vs. Steward, 107 La., 258, did not arise from a contract. It was based upon a violation of a legal right claimed by plaintiff under the Constitution and Jaws of the State to insepot the books of the Corporation as a stockholder thereof. It was an offense.
Inasmuch as the plaintiff's action was for the increased price of an automobile, he cannot have, in addition, an action for disappointment and vexation. We know of no decision granting such right. The failure of the defendant to deliver the machine could not be a source of humiliation to plaintiff. The fact that the plaintiff's friends "all started to guy and kid him and joke him-* upon the subject caused him no pecuniary damage for which the defendant is liable.
The judgment was for the defendant and it is affirmed.
June 12th, 1919.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.