King v. Ham
King v. Ham
Opinion of the Court
Opinion delivered by
This was an action of assumpsit brought by Ham against King, in the Callaway circuit court; for'work, and labor, as a journeyman tailor. The plea was the general issue. The cause was submitted to the court sitting as a jury and there was a verdict and judgment for Ham. King moved for a new trial which was refused; he then took an appeal to this court. The facts are all preserved and set out in the bill of exceptions. King was a tailor and the owner of a shop, — Ham worked in the shop from the 13th of August 1832, until the 2nd of May 1834,— boarding with King until the 22nd of Feb. 1833, and boarding himself during the balance of the time. — Ham claimed wages as a journeyman hired by King. The claim was resisted upon the ground that he had been the partner of King in the tailoring business and not a hired journeyman. The only question that need be now considered, arises out of the evidence on this point. The
One other witness stated that “he had frequently heard the defendant say, in 1833 and 1834, that he and the plaintiff were in partnership.”
On the part of the plaintiff it was stated by one rvitness “that he commenced work with the defendant at the trade of a tailor, on the 13th day of August 1832; that' the plain tiff was then at work with the said defendant at said trade, and continued to work with him at said trade until the 2nd day of May 1834; that said plaintiff during, that lime was employed in all kinds of tairloring- — work
One other witness proved that an account for work done in the shop in 1834, was presented against the estate of Samuel Dyer deceased, of which he had the management, by the defendant in his own name, which account was in the handwriting of John Jamison.
John Jamison was then introduced, and stated, “that he had several times written accounts for the defendant, (King) none prior to the latter part of the year 1833,— that he had always drawn them in the defendants name— that the defendant had never produced any books or accounts for him to draw by, but would state the items and amount of each, and witness set them down as due to the defendant.” Witness further stated upon cross examination,' that he had frequently heard the defendant say, before and after he had made out accounts for him, that he and plaintiff were in partnership at the tailors trade; and that he received no directions from the defendant as to whose name to make out the accounts in, but made them out in the defendant’s name of his own accord. Thus stands the evidence on this point. In looking at it, we think the proof of partnership, was full and clear. The evidence on the part of the plaintiff is entirely negat ive, and entitled to but little weight against the declarations and admissions of the parties themselves. The circuit court, therefore, did wrong, in finding for the plaintiff, and exercised its discretion unsoundly, in refusing a new trial for that cause. The judgment is reversed with costs and for
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