Johnson v. Schmoller & Mueller Piano Co.
Johnson v. Schmoller & Mueller Piano Co.
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff brought this action in the district court for Douglas county to recover $3,457.47, alleged to be due him as commissions earned in the sale of pianos for defendant under two contracts covering the years 1911 and 1912. Defendant denies that there is anything due plaintiff under the contract, for the reason, as stated in its brief, that “the repossessions of pianos and the amount charged back thereunder against the appellee would offset, at the time of the trial, a large portion of the commissions, and that the contracts really contemplated that the appellant should retain sufficient of the commissions in its hands to offset future charges for repossessions under the contracts until the business between appellant and appellee was finally closed.” There was a verdict and.judgment for plaintiff for $2,512.62, and defendant appeals.
The court instructed the jury that the questions to be considered had narrowed down to a single issue; that one of the defenses pleaded by defendant was a set-off amounting to $305.40, which plaintiff claimed on account of repossessions of certain pianos which plaintiff had sold during the year 1910. By instruction No. 2 the court told the jury: “The burden of proof is upon the defendant to establish by a preponderance of the testimony that the terms of the contract were as it claims', and as above set forth. And, if the defendant has so established this fact, then under the testimony in this case the plaintiff is entitled to a verdict at your hands for $2,512.62. If the defendant has not established that the contract for 1910 was as it claims with respect to charging back the commissions as above set forth, then .the plaintiff is entitled to a verdict for $2,818.02.” After being out for about 24 hours without reaching an agreement, the jury were brought into court and interrogated as to the' probability of their arriving at a verdict. The foreman and several members of the jury stated that they did not think it would be possible for them to agree. The court then called the attorneys before it, and, after some conference with them, counsel for plaintiff stated that, rather than have a disagreement, he would be
Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.