Jourdain ex rel. Baker v. Boissière
Jourdain ex rel. Baker v. Boissière
Opinion of the Court
This is a redhibitory action in which the petitioner claims four hundred dollars, the price of a negro woman sold to her by the defendant, under a warranty against all redhibitory vices and maladies, except the vice of running away. It is alleged that, from the moment of the purchase, the slave has been constantly suffering from various diseases, but more particularly from ulcers in her legs and knees, which have rendered her perfectly useless, and that this malady existed previous to the sale ; that for drugs and medical attendance the petitioner has expended $125, and has, finally, been compelled to return her to Boissiere, who refuses to rescind the sale, and refund the purchase money, together with the $ 125 expended on account of the slave. The general issue was pleaded. There was a judgment below annulling the sale, and allowing the plaintiff $450. The defendant has appealed.
Two physicians, one of whom had the girl under treatment for several months while she was in plaintiff’s possession, have declared that she was unsound, having ulcers on her left knee which must have existed for a long time, and which, in their opinion, cannot be radically cured ; that even if the ulcers were healed, they would, from the nature of the disease, break out again, and that she could never have the same use of the sore, leg as of the other. Two other witnesses have testified that, in consquence of this malady, the girl was unable to work at the plaintiff’s house.
On the other hand, a physician has testified that the defendant
The declaration of the broker, at the time of the sale, that the girl had a wound on her knee, and had hurt herself in scrubbing floors, did not apprize the plaintiff that she had a disease of a character not to be radically cured.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Matilda Jourdain, for the use of Ann Eliza Baker v. Isaac Boissière
- Status
- Published