Eastburn v. Eddleblute
Eastburn v. Eddleblute
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
In his charge to the jury the learned trial court submitted to that body but a single question of fact, viz.: Did the defendant, at or about the time when he and some of his associates had negotiated a sale of the partnership property in which the plaintiff had an interest, promise that he would repay to the plaintiff the $1,000 which is the subject-matter of this suit? There can be no doubt under the evidence that the plaintiff had voluntarily agreed to contribute $2,000 to the capital of a partnership which was to open and operate a coal mine in Clearfield county. The defendant and three others were his co-partners and each went in on an equal basis. Whilst the plaintiff dealt apparently with the defendant and gave to him the two checks which represented his cash contribution and his note for the balance of it, all of the evidence shows that the cash at least went into the partnership. The plaintiff lived in Philadelphia. The business of the firm was in Clearfield county, Pennsylvania. It continued during a period of four years. The defendant and the other three members of the firm into which the plaintiff entered were more or less actively concerned, not only in the management and operation of the particular mine which was the subject of this partnership, but of other mines, stores, and business of that character. It was, of course, hoped that the opening of a new mine would be a profitable venture, but it apparently turned out to be a disappointment. The plaintiff was not consulted about and had no knowledge of the active operations of the firm. After its business had gone on for about four years, he was told by the defendant that the partnership property had
The verdict of the jury has established that the defendant made the promise on which the action is founded. The learned trial judge, in entering judgment for the defendant n. o. v., reached the conclusion there was no legal consideration to support that promise. The correctness of that proposition is the only question before us on this appeal.
There is no doubt the plaintiff invested his money in the partnership capital. He does not allege that he was induced so to do by any false or fraudulent representation. If his money was lost because of the financial misfortunes of the firm, that is no reason why he should attempt to collect it from the defendant. But if, at the time the defendant made the promise to repay him the money he had invested, he had the obligations of a partner, he also had the rights which are incidental to that relation. He was not told the purchase price of the property nor how it would be applied. He did not exercise his right as a partner to inquire into the conditions of the sale that had been made or the appropriation or disposition of the purchase money. He was content to take the word of the defendant that his money would be returned to him and he was satisfied with that result.
The defense now is that although the defendant returned to the plaintiff his note, the promise to repay him his money investment was without consideration and therefore not enforceable. The defendant attaches to his affidavit of defense a statement of how the purchase money was applied. On its face it shows large items of credit taken, into which the plaintiff would certainly have had a
The judgment is reversed and the record is remitted to the court below with direction to enter judgment for the plaintiff on the verdict unless other legal or equitable reason appear.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.