Naested v. Scott
Naested v. Scott
Opinion of the Court
We are not-prepared to say, that the contract, as laid in the declaration, or as it might be * ' o lected from the testimony, would authorise a recovery in this action, even if the contract had been definitively concluded. The declaration is for an injury to the plaintiff’s right of property, and supposes, therefore, that the contract vested the right of property, if not the right of possession, in the plain-iiff. That cannot be so, if the agreement was merely exec-utory; but the action ought to have been assumpsit for the breach of the agreement. But we are not obliged to determine how that would be, since the jury have found that the parties made no contract. That puts an end to the plaintiff’s demand in any form of action, provided the Judge did not submit that enquiry to the jury without any evidence that could authorize a response in the negative. In our o~ pinion, there was not only evidence proper to be left to the jury on the point, but such as might well warrant their verdict, as given. The question is, whether the parties considered they had conclusively bargained so as to change the property. Now, a man from the country arrives in town with a parcel of timber in the river for sale, and is met by a dealer m the streets, who enquires of the owner his price and says he will give it. Bat, he does not give it; and on the contrary, goes off without taking any account of the article, neither inspecting nor measuring it, nor telling the other where to carry it for measurement and delivery; and above al!, not paying for it nor offering at any time to make payment. What could the country-man think, under such circumstances, but that the stranger meant to practice on him either a jest or a fraud? What must any one think of it, even when subsequently considering it with deliberation? It seems to us, that the parties must have conversed upon the tacit understanding, that the timber was to be measured and received immediately, and paid for on the spot; and that, without the cash, it was -no bargain. Therefore, when the pretended buyer went away and staid, it does not appear how long, but long enough for the other party to find out that he svas insolvent and could not pay for the timber, and to make a sale to another person, what could the jury reasonably in
Per Curiam. Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- FREDERICK NAESTED v. BENJAMIN SCOTT
- Status
- Published