Templin v. Poley
Templin v. Poley
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiffs brought suit against the defendants in the' circuit. court for St. Joseph county for $3,140.73,. plus interest, the balance of the purchase price of a taxicab business, including 2 automobiles, in Sturgis, Michigan. Issue was joined and testimony taken on trial by jury, at the conclusion of which the trial court granted plaintiffs’ motion for a directed verdict in the sum of $3,488.33. Judgment was entered for plaintiffs accordingly. The defendants appeal.
Plaintiffs declared on the common counts, adding special counts based on a certain promissory noté executed by the defendants and by their daughter, Lucille Foster, and her husband, George Foster, together with a chattel mortgage executed by the Fosters, promising to pay to plaintiffs $3,500, the purchase price of said taxicab business and said
“Now therefore, and as a part of the consideration of inducing said Templin and wife to sell to said Foster and wife, the said automobiles and taxicab business, it is agreed as follows:
“Second parties [defendants Poley and wife] for adequate consideration by them received hereby specifically agree and promise that they will and shall pay the entire balance, together with all accrued interest on said above-mentioned $3,500 note, any time after 8 months after date hereof, in event said first parties [the plaintiffs] require and demand said payment in full of said note.”
The defendants claim lack of consideration and more particularly rely upon a claim that the plaintiffs had represented that the operating income of the Fosters from the taxicab business would be sufficient to make payment of the purchase money; and that the plaintiff Ernest F. Templin had entered into a conspiracy with Lucille’s husband, George Foster, which prevented the successful operation of the taxicab business by Lucille.
The execution of the written instruments on which the plaintiffs sued has not been denied. The pre
“it is determined by the court and stipulated by counsel as follows: * * *
“4. That the issues are on the claim of plaintiffs upon the original contract, which is admitted as to its execution by defendants but in defense thereof defendants claim that performance of said contract was made impossible by the alleged conspiracy between plaintiffs and one Foster.”
The circumstances on which the defendants rely to establish their claim of an alleged conspiracy between the plaintiffs and the defendants’ son-in-law, George Foster, may be summarized as follows:
The plaintiffs had a taxicab business on one of the streets in Sturgis, and across the street the defendants had a restaurant business. The plaintiffs wanted to sell out their taxicab business and the defendants wanted to acquire it for their daughter Lucille and her husband George; the transaction was completed by the execution of the papers on which the plaintiffs have brought this suit. Shortly afterward Lucille filed a bill for divorce against George and was granted a decree of divorce, in which she was awarded the taxicab business, including the automobiles. In the meantime, George had gone to live with the plaintiffs’ son in his home, frequently visited the plaintiffs in their home, and the defendants claim that George and the plaintiffs “conspired” to prevent Lucille from successfully operating the taxicab business. During their separation, George had tried to run the business for a week, then Lucille took it over for about 2 weeks and then discontinued the operation, several months
Viewing the testimony in the light most favorable to appellants, we agree with the trial court that there is a complete absence of any proof that the plaintiffs had engaged in any conspiracy with George Foster to prevent the successful operation' of the taxicab business by the defendants’ daughter Lucille. Furthermore, we agree also with the trial court that it would not constitute a defense to plaintiffs’ suit on the written instruments, although the defendants may have had a remedy not available in .this suit. Appellants’ claim of a “conspiracy” is ■directed to the time subsequent to the sale and transfer of the business. There is no claim that plaintiffs “conspired” in any way prior to the completion of the sale. The trial court did not err in excluding testimony as to whether the plaintiffs had made a ■conditional promise that the money was to be paid them only, from proceeds of the business. It would have tended to vary the express terms of their contract, and there is no language in the exhibits which might be construed as such a promise. Nor do we find any reversible error in the admission or the exclusion of any testimony. Under the circumstances, there was no occasion for the trial court to charge the jury on any question of credibility >of witnesses, or the law relating to the legal effect of the testimony.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- TEMPLIN v. POLEY
- Status
- Published