Hazard v. Boyd
Hazard v. Boyd
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the 'court. This ⅛ a suit brought by a partner against his co-partner, in which he claims on account a certain sum, as set forth in his petition. The partnership appears to have been special. and limited to profit and loss on the wages and perquisites of the plaintiff, as master of a vessel, and those of the defendant as supercargo. The claim is made for items im-'c property charged by the defendant on the debit side of an account by him rendered of the concerns of the partnership ; and also, for
A bill of exceptions was taken to the opinion of the judge a quo, bj which he admitted the testimony of the owners of the vessel or brig, offered on the part of the defendant, and also a letter addressed by one of the former to him as supercargo. These witnesses, we believe, were competent to testify between the parties to the present suit: it does not appear, nor is it pretended, that they have any interest in common with them, as partners in the manner above stated. The circumstance of the defendant being a partner with them, or either of them, does not in any way connect them with the society which existed between plaintiff and defendant; for socii met socius, mem socáis non est, Digest, 50, 17, 470. The latter relates to the interest which the defendant had, or was to have had, as a partner with the owner in the profit or loss which might have accrued in a trade which was to be carried on between the port of New-Orleans and Mexico, in tobacco, &c,
The principal facts necessary to be considered in the decision of the cause, as they appear by the testimony, are these: I. The alleged partnership is proven; 2. The amount of profit on the return in medicine is esta-Wished, and forms the largest item of the unsettled accounts of the partners; 3. The sums credited to the plaintiff for money gained by carrying passengers, seems not to have been allowed by either of the owners of the vessel: Huntington, the first proprietor, and Young, the second, both deny the authority of the supercargo to make that allowance to the captain or master. 4. The item of forty-seven dollars charged to the plaintiff appears to be erroneous: 5, No vouchers are produced to
"The right of the plaintiff to more than one sixth of the half of the profits made on the sale of medicine, is denied, it being agreed that Doctor Purnel, who was concerned with him, was entitled to one half of the profits: the remaining half, it is contended by the defendant, ought rightfully to be divided between him and the owners of the brig, giving to the latter two thirds, alleging that he purchased said medicine with their funds. This disposition of the profits would probably be correct, if this kind of traffic thus entered into, comes within the lawful scope of the trade intended to be carried on by the owners. The only article of commerce expressly mentioned. is tobacco, to which is added &c. Under this &c, we cannot believe that the supercargo was at liberty to become an apothecary, and as such bind the owners, for whom he conducted ordinary commerce, by contracts for the purchase and sale of drugs and medicines. The circumstance of the purchase in the present instance, having been made with their money, cannot alter the case.
It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed, that the judgment of the parish court
Reference
- Full Case Name
- HAZARD v. BOYD
- Status
- Published