Blakney v. Rowell
Blakney v. Rowell
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
The testimony given at the trial shows that prior to December 27, 1913, the plaintiffs were living in the vicinity of the “Nórdica Apartments,” and having a general knowledge of its patronage they, desiring to secure the house and furniture, sought an interview with Mrs. Rowell, who informed them that during the preceding year the income from the rooms had been $150 a month in excess of all the expenses, and the plaintiffs were assured that if they purchased the property they would have no difficulty in obtaining a like monthly sum, if the rooms were kept well occupied. Mrs. Rowell also stated to the plaintiffs that she was then paying for the use of the house $200 a month, but at her request the landlord would reduce the rent $25 a month. Mr. and Mrs'. Rowell represented to the plaintiffs that their only reason for assigning the lease and selling the furniture, etc., was a desire to remove to the state of Idaho, where they owned irrigated land which required immediate attention, even if they were obliged to dispose of the rooming-house and its furnishings at a loss. After the sale was consummated neither Mr. Rowell nor his wife went to Idaho, and the evidence discloses that when they transferred the property they were paying only $150 a month rent, though the lease demanded a greater sum, and that no difficulty was encountered in obtaining for the plaintiffs the use of the premises at $175 a month. The plaintiffs, in January, 1914, collected from tenants, $426.70, while the operating expenses during that time were $435.95. They made complaint about such loss to Mr. and Mrs. Rowell, who informed them that the expenses during the spring and summer would not be so great owing to less consumption of fuel and the electric lights
Mrs. Rowell testified that she and her husband purchased the household goods in and took possession of the “Nórdica Apartments” March 23, 1911, agreeing to pay therefor $4,500; that they conducted the rooming-house until December 29,1913, when they turned it over to the plaintiff; that during the 33 months and 6 days in which they were engaged in that business they made a net profit therefrom of $5,000, or a monthly average gain of $150; that they kept no books, but of the sum of money so received they paid off an indebtedness of $3,000, expended on their Idaho lands $1,108.74, discharged taxes in that state and in Oregon and street assessments in Portland in the latter state, amounting to $562.67, and also paid for wearing apparel, fraternal insurance, and other obligations. Mrs. Rowell
The testimony of several real estate brokers, who were engaged in negotiating sales and exchanges of rooming-houses and their contents, is to the effect that during the year 1913, Mr. Rowell listed with them for sale or exchange an assignment of the lease of the “Nórdica Apartments” and a transfer of the furnishings therein at valuations much less than the purchase price received from the plaintiffs, such owner then saying to each agent that the business in which he and his wife were engaged did not pay.
Other witnesses impute to Mr. and Mrs. Rowell remarks which it is asserted they made about the plaintiffs, such as: “They could not succeed in operating the lodging-house unless they had other income”; “they could not expect to hold possession of the property very long and would be obliged to give it up when the chattel mortgage was foreclosed”; and in referring to the purchasers of the goods and to the price which they paid: ‘ ‘ The suckers are not all dead yet. ’ ’ Mrs. Rowell denied the comments attributed to her, but her husband having died the expressions ascribed to him were unchallenged. She, at plaintiff’s request, tried for some time to secure for them a purchaser of the personal property, but was unable to do so. It was asserted by a witness that Mrs. Rowell directed Mrs.
In the case at bar the representations made by Mrs. Rowell to the plaintiffs were to the effect that if they could keep the apartment house well filled with tenants, $150 a month could be made in excess of the expenses. Mr. Blakney, referring to the representations made by Mr. Rowell, testified as follows:
“He said they always made money.
“Q. He did not say they made $150 or any definite amount?
“A. No.”
The first three months the plaintiffs conducted the business their average receipts were about equal to the sums which they were assured could be obtained.
“We never had any hot water, and never had any heat; that was, to amount to anything.”
As sustaining the decree rendered herein the plaintiffs’ counsel cite the case of Koehler v. Dennison, 72 Or. 362 (143 Pac. 653), where it was held that Hull, one of the defendants, who was the plaintiff’s agent in securing for his principal a place of business, conspired with Dennison, the other defendant, and represented to the plaintiff that he could obtain from the landlord a lease of the premises, and that such confidential relation having existed between the plaintiff
The decree is, therefore, reversed and the suit dismissed. Reversed. Suit Dismissed.
Rehearing Denied.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BLAKNEY v. ROWELL
- Status
- Published