Universal Talking Machine Co. v. Rosenfield
Universal Talking Machine Co. v. Rosenfield
Opinion of the Court
Defendant, residing in Kansas City, Mo., owed the plaintiff, who resided in Chicago, Ill., an account for goods, wares and merchandise of $438.56. He claimed the right to return the goods unused, and so on the 30th of January, 1907, he wrote to plaintiff the following letter: “At the time I took your agency, it was agreed with your representative that I could give it up at any time I wished and return any goods that I might have on hands, and since our talking machine business is growing so I cannot give the Zonophone machines and records justice, so have decided to give up the agency and return the records and machines. Same were returned to you yesterday by the Santa Fe, as per enclosed B-L. The amount returned was $375.00, and enclosed you will find check for balance, $63.56.”
Plaintiff retained the check, cashed it, and sent a written receipt for the same to which it added: “As soon as goods are received we will give you credit for the same.” Several weeks afterwards, on the 7th of March, 1907, plaintiff wrote to defendant denying his right to return the goods and stating they were held for his order. Afterwards plaintiff instituted this action claiming judgment for the amount of the account, less $63.56, the amount of defendant’s check, and recovered judgment therefor in the trial court. Defendant appealed.
We think the judgment should have been for the defendant. His letter asserted two things, both of which plaintiff accepted and admitted. First, a right to return the goods; and second, that on returning them there was left a balance of $63.56, a check for which
Plaintiff reviews the authorities and seeks to make some difference in the tender being for balance “in full” and merely for “balance.” But in the connection in which the word was used by defendant it could only have been understood in one way, viz.: that the returned goods and the balance represented by the check were to be a full settlement of the entire account.
The judgment is reversed and cause remanded with directions to enter judgment for defendant.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.