Patterson v. Corn Exchange of Buffalo
Patterson v. Corn Exchange of Buffalo
Opinion of the Court
The defendant the Corn Exchange of Buffalo and others of the defendants, there being upwards of 50 of them represented by different counsel, have moved the court on the pleadings and on the affidavit of one Pond, the secretary of the Corn Exchange, for a bill of particulars in this action. The defendants in whose behalf this motion was made have answered, denying generally the allegations of the complaint. The plaintiff in opposition to the motion has submitted his own affidavit, and claims to have suffered actual damage in his business in the sum of $50,000 by reason of the asserted unlawful conduct of the defendants and demands an additional amount of $100,000 for loss of reputation and as punitive damages. In paragraph 8 of the complaint it is substantially alleged that the plaintiff was injured in his business and in his good name, reputation, and credit by reason of the unlawful combination and conspiracy of the defendants; that on October 7,1907, the defendants unlawfully posted, blacklisted, and boycotted him on the Corn Exchange of Buffalo, since which time he has been prevented from buying grain or grain products in the Buffalo market. In paragraph 9 he asserts that he was forced to abandon his business as a shipper of grain in the city of Wilkes-Barre, and because of the unlawful combination has been compelled to seek other markets in which to buy grain and grain products in order to continue his business as a miller; that such markets are remote from his place of business; and that the transportation facilities are so inadequate and unsatisfactory and the freight rates so exorbitant that his business was destroyed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- PATTERSON v. CORN EXCHANGE OF BUFFALO
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Pleading (§ 317*) — Bill of Particulars — Blacklist—Boycott. Plaintiff sued an exchange and various individual defendants, alleging injury to his business, good name, reputation, and credit by reason of defendants’ unlawful combination and conspiracy, in that on October 7, 1907, defendants unlawfully blacklisted and boycotted him on the exr change,, since which time he had been prevented from buying grain in the Buffalo market, and had been forced to abandon his business as a shipper of grain in Wilkes-Barre, and compelled to accept other unfavorable markets or discontinue his business entirely, seeking to recover both actual and punitive damages. Held that, though the words “post” and “blacklist” did not lack definiteness, yet, they being used in connection with the word “boycott,” which was indefinite, defendants were entitled to a bill of particulars stating the respects in which their acts were unlawful and the manner of their combination or agreement to injure plaintiff in his business or reputation, without setting out the evidence as to the details of the conspiracy, or disclosing the witnesses on whom plaintiff relied to prove his case. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Pleading, Cent. Dig. §§ 954r-969; Dec. Dig. § 317.*] 2. Pleading (§ 313*) — Bill of Particulars. An application for a bill of particulars in an action for conspiracy is usually granted on the theory that such bill tends to define the issue more clearly, and tends to expedite the trial and to promote justice. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Pleading, Cent. Dig. § 949; Dee. Dig. § 313.*] 3. Damages (§ 141*) — Birx of Pabtictjxabs — Damages. Where, In an action for conspiracy, plaintiff did not claim special damages, he should not be required to particularize his claim for actual and punitive damages. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Damages, Cent. Dig. §§ 406-408; Dec: Dig. § 141.*]