Benton Fuel Co. v. O. W. Shipman Co.
Benton Fuel Co. v. O. W. Shipman Co.
Opinion of the Court
(after stating the facts).
“ ‘Defendant was entitled to the full period to and including October 31, 1902, for the delivery of the coal under its contract, and the plaintiff had no right to purchase coal before that date upon the open market, and charge excess of price to defendant.’
“ If the court refuses to give this request, then defendant submits:
“ ‘ The defendant having the right to deliver coal during August, September, and October, 1902, the damages, if any, awarded, must be based on pro rata delivery during each month, in equal installments, and the difference between the contract price and the market price on the last day of each month, August, September, and October, for each month’s proportionate delivery, is the measure of plaintiff’s damages.’”
We think the parties, by their contract, contemplated a delivery of a part of the coal each month, and that the first part of the instruction was properly refused. The latter part of the instruction was in accord with the theory of the defendant throughout the taking of testimony.
“ It is agreed on' this question that, if a set-off is necessary, these pleadings may be amended so that a set-off may be pleaded. At any rate, if it is passed upon by you under the charge I have given you, it would be a bar to .any other suit concerning these eight cars of coal.”
It is true that the court did not, in express terms, as he might properly have done, direct the jury to allow this .set-off. But the amendment was allowed in the presence of the jury for the sole purpose of ending all litigation between them. Besides, the court said, in the presence of the jury, that no plea of set-off was necessary as to the coal delivered under the contract. Any j ury of intelligence would understand that these two amounts were to be allowed to defendant. We are also of the opinion that the jury did deduct them. There was no dispute about the ■amount of the coal, and the price of coal on the last day ■of each month was established by the evidence.
We find no error upon the record, and the judgment is affirmed.
This part of the instruction was given, in substance.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.