Isaac v. Ellis
Isaac v. Ellis
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The plaintiff and defendant entered into a contract over the telephone for the-sale by plaintiff to defendant of five carloads of heavy melting steel, and thereafter on
The record discloses that the sole ground upon which the defendant rested its motion for the direction of -a verdict before the trial court was that the plaintiff, had failed to show affirmatively that the five carloads of steel “were acceptable upon the order to Coatesville,” .defendant’s contention being that its purchase, of the steel was conditional upon its being able to secure a permit from the railroad administration au
This contention, however, is predicated upon the assumption that the contract is admitted to he based upon the contingency of defendant being able to get the necessary permit for shipment; whereas, ihe record of the case discloses that the plaintiff expressly denied on the witness,-stand that there was any such condition attached to the salo, and that on the contrary the defendant agreed to obtain the necessary permit. The fundamental question, therefore, was whether the contract ivas made contingent on the ability of the defendant to procure a permit to ship the material, for If there was no such condition, then the plaintiff was under no necessity to prove affirmatively that a permit had been or could be obtained, and upon this question of a condition there was a direct, conflict in the evidence, and it was left to the jury to determine, and we think this was proper. It is true that both parties contemplated a movement of the ears by permit, but it does not follow from that fact t hat the sale was contingent upon the obtaining of the permit. There was a distinct issue of fact raised, and just what the contract between the parties was, ihe court property considered ivas a question for the jury to determine, for there ivas evidence to support plaintiff’s contention as to its terms.
Defendant in its brief, however, advances two other reasons why a verdict should have been directed in its favor. First, that the plaintiff failed to show affirmatively that the kind of material was “suitable” on the defendant’s order to Coatesville. and second, with reference to the damages, that there was no proof that plaintiff sold any of the steel ordered at open market after defendant refused to accept it; or the difference in value between the contract price and the market price 011 or about Febiuary 14th, 1919, when defendant claims ihe material was refused. The point intended to be raised involves the measure of damages,. Neither of these reasons,'
The judgment will be affirmed, with costs.
For affirmance—The Chancellor, Chief Justice, Swayzb, Trbnchard-, Parker, Bergen, Minturn,- Kalisch, Black, White, Hbppbnheimer, Williams, Taylor, Gardner,' Ackerson, JJ. • 15.
For reversal—None.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.