Ebsary v. Raymond & Whitcomb Co.
Ebsary v. Raymond & Whitcomb Co.
Opinion of the Court
Section 954, U. S. R. S. (Comp. St. § 1591), does not in terms require interposition of a demurrer to raise questions in an action at law of sufficiency of the complaint. The provision, it is true, substantially states that judgment shall be given without regard to any defect or want of form “except those which, in cases of demurrer, the party demurring specially sets down, together with his demurrer, as the cause thereof”; but this is not an authorization of demurrers, but merely a recognition of such form of pleading. Demurrers have been abolished in equity in this court, and on the law
Although this determination renders it unnecessary to pass on any other question presented, still, since I have investigated the point, I do not mind stating that I think the objection to the complaint is not well taken, and that two or more causes of action are not improperly united. See section 258, subds. 1-9, Civil Practice Act. Though the complaint in one instance uses the word “fraud,” and in another place states that slanderous language was used in the presence of other passengers, and that defendant suffered humiliation, I think these references do not conceal the real purpose of the complaint, namely, to simply allege a breach of contract and resultant damages. All these phrases, as I read the complaint, are perhaps surplusage and irrelevant, but they may bear on the alleged breach of contract, and may have been incidents arising in connection therewith. See Dock Co. v. Niagara Falls P. Co. (D. C.) 280 Fed. 122. A bill of particulars, of course, would fully apprise the defendant of the specific manner in which the contract was broken and of what the insults and humiliation, to which reference is made, consists, or, indeed, if defendant feels aggrieved, it may move to strike out irrelevant or redundant matter.
The motion is granted, but defendant has leave to answer within 10 days.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- EBSARY v. RAYMOND & WHITCOMB CO. (two cases)
- Status
- Published