Bernheisel v. Smothers
Bernheisel v. Smothers
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
Whether or not there was an oral contract whereby the plaintiff was to receive a per diem compensation for services to be rendered beyond and outside the services stipulated for in his written contract was a question of fact. There was testimony on both sides, and, although, as the learned trial judge well says, the witnesses for the defendants were more numerous than those for the plaintiff, the value of their testimony was necessarily impaired by the significant fact, that, if (as they agreed in testifying) there was no such additional contract, the defendants had paid to the plaintiff two or three hundred dollars more than they were bound to pay; whereas if the contract was as the plaintiff declared it to be, these payments were natural and proper. It is not our province, however, to determine on which side of the scale the evidence preponderates; it is sufficient for us to know that there was ample evidence bo warrant the submission of the question of fact to the jury, and that it was fairly submitted. The verdict of the jury having established the fact that there was such a contract, was there sufficient proof of the items of the plaintiff’s claim to warrant a recovery in his favor ? It is needless to say that a mechanic’s claim is a claim only, and its averments prove nothing on the trial. But the claim appears
The question raised by the second and third assignments of error were fully and ably discussed, and correctly decided by the learned trial judge in overruling the motion for judgment non obstante veredicto. It would be idle for us to attempt to add anything, and for the reasons given in his opinion those assignments are overruled.
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Peter Bernheisel v. Simon Smothers, Trustees of the African M. E. Church, Owners, and John H. Early, Contractor
- Cited By
- 8 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Contract — Evidence—Question for jury. A case is properly for the jury where the issue turns on the existence of a verbal contract for per diem compensation for services as a supervising architect, although the witnesses for the defendants were more numerous than those for the plaintiff. There was incidental, corroborative evidence in favor of plaintiff, and it was possible for the jury to determine with absolute certainty, if they believed the plaintiff, the number of days he was employed and for which he was entitled to compensation if the contract was found to exist. Mechanics claim — Evidence—Province of the court. A mechanic’s claim is not evidence, but it is not error for the trial judge, while refusing to let the claim go out with the jury, to state the total amount claimed by plaintiff adding, You will have to determine whether it is all due and, if not, how much is due.” Mechanic's claim — Formal objections to face of claim — Waiver by trial. If the subject-matter of a mechanic’s claim is apparently within the statutes, other objections to the face of the claim must be made either by motion to strike off or by demurrer to the scire facias. After a trial on the merits defects of form must be taken as waived.