Fendler v. Daigre
Fendler v. Daigre
Opinion of the Court
This suit is, to a great extent, the same in character and purpose with the one heretofore before this court, bearing the same title, and reported in 19 An. p. 190. The x>ar-ties are the
In the opinion of this court, rendered in the former case, the xolaintiff failed to make out his allegation of fraud against the tutrix; and it was announced that, as the debt contracted by her with the plaintiff was contracted subsequent to the adjudication and the account he. complains of, he would be precluded from showing their illegality, if it existed. Wo are inclined to concur with the judge a quo in assuming from the pleadings that the whole matter is, in substance, narrowea down to the simple question, whether Lucy Daigre, now Mrs. Beard, having, as is alleged, received and appropriated the jewelry to her own use, shall not be condemned by judgment to pay the plaintiff’s demand, and wo shall confine the investigation to that issue.
The parties defendants put in general denials. Judgment was rendered in the court a qua in favor of the plaintiff, and against the defendant, Lucy Daigre, for the amount claimed, and she prosecutes this appeal.
The testimony, to no small extent, is conflicting. The plaintiff swears that the jewelry was purchased in 1862 for Miss Lucy Daigre. That she came to him several times, requesting that he would speak to her mother to have a diamond necklace made for her.’ To this request, it seems, the plaintiff was not unwilling to accede, and, accordingly, that he did speak to Mrs. Daigre about it, which resulted in his receiv
Bauman, a witness for the plaintiff, states, in substance, about the ■same facts. lie was, at the time these articles were furnished, a workman in tho x>laintiff’s shop. Mrs. Pike says that she was Avith Mrs. Daigre one day when she went to Mr. Fendler’s to order a necklace for Miss Lucy Daigre. That she remembered seeing the necklace only •once, and that was at Mrs. Daigre’s house on the day that the officers of tho Federal gunboats walked through the streets of Baton Rouge. On this occasion Miss Lucy produced a stocking which, she said, contained her jewels, and took from it a necklace, which she placed around her neck, saying: “ This is the necklace I purchased from Fendler.” This witness heard several conversations, respecting the necklace, between Mrs. Daigre, Miss Lucy, and Miss Napp, tho governess, at that time in Mrs. Daigre’s house, and it Avas always spoken of as Miss Lucy’s, and that it had been ordered for her; but did not recollect what Mrs. Daigre said on the subject. Miss Sheppers, the other lady AArho testified on the part of the plaintiff, know nothing of the matter, except that on one occasion in 1862 Miss Lucy stopped at the house of witness’ father, holding in her hand a morocco case, from Avhich she took and exhibited to tho witness a diamond necklace, Avhicli she said came from Mr. Fendler’s store.
This testimony establishes that Lucy Daigre in 18G2, then a girl ■about fourteen years of age, exhibited tho diamond necklace on two occasions — once at her mother’s house and once when she stopped at the house of Mr. Sheppers. On those occasions she called the necklace hers. The testimony, also, establishes that she Avas desirous to •obtain it, and that her mother gave orders to plaintiff to furnish if at a cost not to exceed two thousand dollars. The plaintiff is the only Avitness who testifies to seeing the young lady wear the jewelry. The mother undoubtedly purchased the jewelry, and the OAÚdencc seems strong that she intended it 1 or her daughter, but this is not entirely certain; for in her oavu testimony she swears positively that she bought the jewelry as a good investment, and that she afterwards .sold it on her oato account, and belore tho institution of the suit against her, for tho price of it. This apparent buying for tho daughter, whatever may have been her declarations at the time, that tho purchase was for tho daughter, may have taken place to gratify the AArhim of tlio girl, fostered and encouraged, as it was, by tho jeweler. She may have deemed the jewels more likely to retain a permanent value than the currency then prevailing. There is nothing whatever shoAving that she bought them as tutrix or that the price was
It is therefore ordered, adjudged, and decreed that the judgment of the district court be annulled, avoided, and reversed. It is further-ordered that there be judgment in favor of the defendant, Lucy Daigrc; the plaintiff and appellee paying costs in both courts.
Rehearing refused.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- E. Fendler v. M. C. Daigre
- Status
- Published