Hager v. Burnham
Hager v. Burnham
Opinion of the Court
This is an action at law brought to rescind a contract which plaintiff alleges was made between him and defendants. The cause was tried to a jury, and from a verdict and judgment in favor of plaintiff, defendants appeal.
For cause of action, it is alleged that defendants, through their duly authorized agent, represented to plaintiff that defendants were the owners in fee of certain lands, water rights and irrigation ditches in Wyoming; that the irrigation project was then in course of completion, and that water rights for the land, for which application was made by plaintiff, had been acquired from both the federal and state governments; that the irrigation system was then supplying enough water to irrigate all the land within the project, and that all such land had been segregated under the Carey act; that defendants had secured from the state of Wyoming the right to make contracts for the land described, and for water rights from the irrigation system mentioned; that all of the lands were fit for cultivation and were irrigable and were-then ready to be seeded; and that defendants were reliable persons and financially responsible. There was the further allegation that defendants’ agent represented one of the defendants to be the same man who was then at the head of
Defendants’ answer admits that defendants are a partnership; admits that they entered into a contract with plaintiff for the sale of the water rights described in his petition, but asserts that defendants were not acting as principals, but only as agents for the Lake View' Canal
Taking up the assignments of error in the order presented in appellant’s brief, we are urged to hold that the verdict and judgment are contrary to the evidence, and that there, is a failure of proof of any of the material allegations in the petition. In connection with this assignment, it is necessary to call special attention to the point made in defendants’ concluding assignment of error, viz., that the action cannot be maintained against defendants for the reason that, in entering into whatever contract or agreement was made with plaintiff, defendants were acting only as the agents of a corporation known as the Lake View Canal Company, and that this corporation was the real party to the contract, and that as mere agents defendants are not liable in an action for rescission of the contract. Without undertaking to say what would be the proper rule if the record supported the contention of defendants, we will consider the evidence upon which plaintiff relies to support his claim that his contract was with defendants, not as agents, but as principals.
Plaintiff has testified that he entered into the agreement with defendants through their agent Mr. White. The agency of White is not denied. In the bill of exceptions we find two exhibits which plaintiff alleges were furnished him either by defendants or their agent White. Exhibit No. 1, called a cropping contract, was executed in the name of defendants by their agent White. Exhibit No. 2, which appears to be an application for the land, “and water from the Lake View Canal Company,” L addressed to defendants, not as agents, but apparently as principals, and, although it contains numerous provisions, there is nothing in the body
Defendants’ relationship to the contract was, under the pleadings and evidence, one of the questions which it was proper to submit to the jury, and the jury fouqd the defendants to be principals acting in their own right, and the evidence is ample to sustain that finding. Throughout appellants’ brief this is the question most persistently urged, and most of the argument is based upon the assumption that the defendants are not liable because they are merely sales-agents. With this as a premise, it is argued that this action in rescission cannot be maintained. Holding, as we do, that the finding of the jury on this point is sustained by the evidence, it is unnecessary to further discuss that subect. However, in connection with this point, we do not overlook defendants’ objections to the introduction in evidence of exhibit No. 1, the cropping contract. It is claimed by defendants that all matters connected with this exhibit had been fully adjusted before this suit was instituted. It is admitted that whatever contract was made in relation to the cropping of the land was made with defendants as principals, and not as agents. And it is said that that was an dependent transaction, entirely separate and _.p^rt from the main contract in suit, exhibit No. 2, and that it was, therefore, prejudicial to defendants to permit its inspection by th° jury. A consideration of the two exhibits, together with the uncontradicted testimony of plaintiff, brings us irresistibly to the conclusion that the exhibits are interdependent.
In stating the issues, the court set out the substance of the petition, substantially in the language of the petition. It is claimed that this submitted to the jury many questions upon which no evidence had been offered. With this conclusion we can not agree. The instructions were proper under the pleadings and the evidence. There is no error in the record, and the judgment is
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- David C. Hager v. Silas H. Burnham, Jr.
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published