Levan v. Wilten
Levan v. Wilten
Opinion of the Court
Opinion,
Both parties agree in their testimony that the title to tbe horse was not to pass to plaintiff below until he had paid for it. He paid $40, and then, being unable to make the next payment, he gave a note for the rest of the purchase money. He says this note was for the convenience of both parties; the defendant below says it was for the accommodation of the plaintiff, but neither of them make any suggestion that it was to change the terms of the original bargain, except as to the time and mode of payment. The title to the horse was still in the vendor, and the giving of the note did not make any change in that respect. A note given for an existing debt is not payment, unless it be expressly accepted as such. The presumption is that it is not to be payment unless it is itself paid, and the testimony in this case contains nothing to overcome this presumption of the law. If there had been any conflict as to this point, the case should have been left to the jury to find what was the intention of the parties ; but, as there was no conflict, the jury should have been told that the title to the horse was still in the vendor under the original contract.
The note was not paid, and a renewal note for three months longer was also due and unpaid, when the horse was brought back to the vendor’s stable. The time for payment in full, not only by the original agreement, but by the second extension, had more than passed; the title was still in the vendor, and the jury might well have found that the peaceable resumption of possession, under the circumstances, was a reasonable
Judgment reversed, and venire de novo awarded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- JOHN S. LEVAN v. HENRY WILTEN
- Cited By
- 6 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- (a) Plaintiff in trespass bought a horse from defendant, the price to he paid part in cash and the remainder in monthly instalments, and the title not to pass to the plaintiff until all the purchase money should be paid. Plaintiff received the horse,'paid the cash payment and one monthly instalment. (5) Unable to pay the next instalment, the plaintiff gave Ms note for the entire balance, without other change in the terms of the original contract. This note, and a renewal of it given after the instalments were all payable, being dishonored, the defendant took possession of the horse peaceably: 1. The testimony containing nothing to overcome the presumption of law that the note given was not to be payment unless it was itself paid, the jury should have been instructed that the title to the horse when retaken was still in the defendant under the original contract. 2. The title being still in him, the jury might well have found that the resumption of possession under the circumstances was a reasonable exercise of the right of rescission; but if they did not, the plaintiff’s interest in the horse was but tho amount he had paid, which was the measure of Ms damages recoverable.