Butler Produce & Canning Co. v. Edgerton State Bank Co.
Butler Produce & Canning Co. v. Edgerton State Bank Co.
Opinion of the Court
It is unnecessary to discuss any of the defenses or asserted grounds of error other than the defense of accord and satisfaction.
With respect to liability to the plaintiff, the obligation of Brant was primary and that of the defendant
The controlling question then is: Did the defendant present competent evidence to prove the execution of an agreement between Brant and plaintiff such as would constitute an accord and satisfaction?
The defense of accord and satisfaction was properly and sufficiently pleaded. Contrary to the apparent opinion of the Court of Appeals, we consider that the defense was supported by competent evidence and that no error prejudicial to the plaintiff was committed in the rulings of the trial court with respect to such evidence or in the charge on that subject.
The agreement of September 27, 1949, was drawn by the plaintiff’s attorney. Brant was not represented by counsel in the negotiations preceding the drafting or at the time of the execution of the agreement. The defendant did not know of the agreement until long after its execution. Hence the agreement must be construed against the plaintiff. For the purpose of determining the meaning of the parties and of explaining ambiguous language in the final contract, the preliminary draft was admissible in evidence. (32 American Jurisprudence, 757, Section 234.)
The agreement recites that the plaintiff believed that the defalcations exceeded $35,000. The proffered testimony of Frank Walz, rejection of which was held by the Court of Appeals to have been error, was that on the day the agreement was executed Brant stated that he did not know the amount which he had taken but that it was in excess of $35,000. The form of the agreement demonstrates that it was contemplated that
On this record, the jury was amply justified in find
When and to what extent defalcations Avere discovered subsequent to the execution of the agreement had no effect upon the obligations of Brant as fixed by the agreement. Therefore, it was immaterial that the defalcation with respect to these three checks Avas not known Avhen the agreement was executed. Error Avas not committed by the trial court in rejecting the evidence as to the date of discovery of the cashing of the checks by defendant.
Accord and satisfaction, if established, Avas a complete defense: It was submitted to the jury without error. The evidence Avas sufficient to support a verdict for the defendant on the issue of accord and satisfaction. No interrogatories were submitted and there Avas a general verdict for defendant. The verdict for the defendant must, therefore, be approved and the judgment thereon affirmed. It is unnecessary to consider or pass upon other assignments of error.
The judgment of the Court of Appeals is reversed and the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas is affirmed.
Judgment reversed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.