Standard Manufacturing Co. v. Etter
Standard Manufacturing Co. v. Etter
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff by written contract sold to defendant at the price of $173 certain flavoring extracts and other miscellaneous articles to be shipped to defendant at Sheldon, Mo. The contract
The following instruction was given at the request of plaintiff, viz:
“If the jury believe from the evidence that the coupons referred to in the contract between plaintiff and defendant were shipped to defendant along with the other goods, the verdict should be for the plaintiff for $173 with interest thereon from May 5, 1903, at the rate of 6 per cent per annum. Unless you so find your verdict should be for defendant. ’ ’
And the following asked by defendant was refused:
“The court instructs the jury that, if you shall find and believe from the evidence that the plaintiff, the Standard Manufacturing Co., failed or refused to send or deliver to the defendant, J. F. Etter, the 1001 invitation orders and coupons, as in their contract provided*535 for, then the defendant, Etter, was justifiable in returning to the plaintiff the goods and merchandise received from it, and that the plaintiff is not entitled to recover in this action, and you will return a verdict for the defendant.”
The giving of the first and refusal of the second are the alleged grounds of error.
We do not see how the defendant could have been prejudiced in either respect. The only issue before the jury was whether the plaintiff shipped with the other goods the “invitation orders” mentioned. The first instruction tells the jury if they find said orders had been so shipped their verdict should be for the plaintiff; if not, to find for defendant. And the second tells the jury that if they find said orders were not so shipped to defendant, then he was justified in returning the goods, and the finding would be for defendant. It was not material in the case to tell the jury that if such orders had not been shipped to defendant he was justified in sending them back to plaintiff. That was not denied. When the court told the jury that if the orders had not been shipped with the other goods to find for defendant, the instruction covered the whole'of defendant’s case. It is true, it would not have been error for the court to have given defendant’s instruction, but it was not necessary to do so.
The cause is affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.