Butcher v. Gibson
Butcher v. Gibson
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff was employed to prospect for coal on defendant’s farm by drilling at places suggested by defendant, for $1 per foot, for which he was to give'his note, due the following January. He began near the Missouri river, and after going down twenty-five feet or more (they agreed to consider it twenty-five
The defendant asked ■ the following instructions, to-wit: “1. The court declares the law to be that, if the court shall find from the evidence that the plaintiff agreed to bore for coal upon defendant’s land, near his house, and at a place selected by the defendant, for which the plaintiff was to be paid $1 per foot, and that, before the boring near the house was begun, it was agreed as a part of said contract, that if coal was not found the defendant, if he so desired, might use said hole as a well, and, in that event, the plaintiff should furnish and leave in said well the necessary tubing for said well, for which defendant was to pay thirty cents per foot, and that after boring ninety-seven feet, the plaintiff took the tubing out of said hole, and thereby destroyed it as a well, after he was notified by defendant that he desired to use said hole as a well, and
The court struck out the italicized portion and gave the remainder. In this we think the court did right. The parties agree that the agreement was that defendant was to pay $1 per foot for drilling by giving his note for the amount, and, if he wanted to adopt the work as a well, he was to pay for the tubing (as plaintiff says, and the instruction, as it stood, conceded), in cash. We look upon this as an ordinary sale of personal property to be paid for in cash. If A is to take goods to B’s house to sell him at a certain cash price, and B upon the arrival of the goods refuses to pay cash, A has the right to bring the goods away without delivery. This is clear, and yet it is no more than this case. The tubing was plaintiff’s personal property. He had to use it to prevent the hole from caving in while drilling for coal. It was his personal property, and in his possession; as much so as his drill. It could become defendant’s joroperty by his paying cash according to his contract. N ot doing so, plaintiff refused to turn .it over to him, as he had a legal right to do.
Defendant’s argument is that the plaintiff was employed to bore or drill a well; that, even though he was to be paid cash for the tubing, yet he had no right to destroy the well and then recover for the boring, no more than he would recover the price of the house he had built, if he were to tear down- the house on his not getting cash agreed upon for a part of the material; that he had other remedies. The undisputed facts make this argument inapplicable. The primary object
Defendant’s last point is not tenable. He did not refuse to give the note, because cash was demanded for ■ the tubing. He testified that plaintiff took the tubing out before saying anything about pay. He further testified that he refused to give the note, not because of a demand for cash, but because ‘-‘he (defendant) had not' made a well out of it.”
We have examined the other points made, and are satisfied that no substantial error was committed, and, therefore, affirm the judgment.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.