McGregor Noe Hardware Co. v. Livesay
McGregor Noe Hardware Co. v. Livesay
Opinion of the Court
— The defendant is engaged in business in South Eork, Missouri. On the seventh day of November, 1898, he delivered to one Moore, a salesman in the employ of plaintiff, an order for a bill of goods. The goods were to be shipped to West Plains, a station on the railroad near South Eork. The plaintiff’s place of business is in Springfield, Missouri. The order was received by plaintiff at Springfield on the ninth day of November and the goods were shipped on that day. On the following day (10th) the defendant received a letter from plaintiff notifying him of the receipt of the order and stating that it would be filled. The defendant took exception to something in the letter and immediately sent a telegram countermanding the order. This telegram was received after the goods had been shipped. The shipment arrived at West Plains and the defendant refused to receive it, upon the ground that he had countermanded the order. After some correspondence (during which time the goods remained in the custody of the railroad company at West Plains) the plaintiff offered to enter credit on its books for the amount of the goods if the defendant would pay the freight charges from Springfield to West Plains and return.
Unquestionably the defendant was in the wrong in refusing to receive the goods, and he must answer for their purchase price, unless the sale was rescinded. The defendant relies on a rescission of the contract, and that question was submitted to the jury by the following instruction:
“The court instructs the jury that on the fifteenth of November, 1898, plaintiff offered to take back the goods in question if defendant would pay all freight both ways, and reship the goods to plaintiff. Therefore if you .find from the evidence that defendant at once paid the freight on such goods from Springfield to West Plains and reshipped the goods to plaintiff at Springfield, and has since that time tendered in the justice court, the full amount of the freight on such goods from West Plains to Springfield, together with all costs up to such tender, then your finding should be for defendant.”
This instruction is indefensible. The proposition for a rescission of the sale was that the defendant should order the goods reshipped and pay the freight both ways. This proposition to be available to defendant required prompt acceptance and a full compliance with its terms. This is plain. The
The defendant in his testimony stated that there were one or two articles contained in the account sued on which he did not order. Were it not for this we would direct a judgment to be entered in favor of the plaintiff. As it is we will reverse the judgment of the circuit court and remand the case for further proceeding.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.