Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1913

Drew v. Western Union Telegraph Co.

Drew v. Western Union Telegraph Co.
Supreme Judicial Court of Maine · Decided December 30, 1913 · Brook, Cornish, Hanson, King, Phil, Savage, Spear
111 Me. 346; 89 A. 144; 1913 Me. LEXIS 131

Drew v. Western Union Telegraph Co.

Opinion of the Court

Savage, C. J.

This action was brought “in a plea of the case” namely, assumpsit, to recover damages, as set forth in the declara*347tion, for breaches of certain “promises, covenants and agreements” to do certain acts, contained in a certain “lease and indenture.” The lease was offered in evidence by the plaintiff. It was under seal. On this ground, its admissibility to support an action on the case was challenged by the defendant. Thereupon, the question of admissibility was reported to this court.'

The precise question involved was determined by this court in Dann v. Auburn Electric Motor Company, 92 Maine, 165, and that case is decisive of this one. It was there held that “when one covenants or agrees under seal with another to pay a sum or to do an act, the other cannot maintain assumpsit upon the agreement. The action must be debt or covenant broken.” Therefore the lease under seal was not admissible to support an action in assumpsit.

In accordance with the stipulation, the certificate will be,

Judgment for the defendant, but without prejudice to the right of the plaintiff to bring and maintain an action for covenant broken upon the same instrument.

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.