Lemmon v. East Palestine Rubber Co.
Lemmon v. East Palestine Rubber Co.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
There is no merit in the defense to this action. It is purely technical and should not be permitted to prevail unless the law clearly commands it. The plaintiff, by a contract in writing signed by himself and the defendant company, by its treasurer, and to which its seal was attached, purchased of the defendant 200 shares of its capital stock at $25 per share, and there was a stipulation in the contract that the defendant would furnish plaintiff a buyer for the stock within six months, if desired, at a price to net the plaintiff a profit of $2.50 per share. The plaintiff gave his note'for the stock, which was paid at maturity, and the money went into the treasury of the company. The stock remained in its custody. The defendant, at the expiration of six months and on request of plaintiff, declined or neglected- to furnish him with a' purchaser for his stock in accordance with the agreement between the parties, and this shit was brought to recover damages for the breach of the contract. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, and the court below directed judgment to be entered thereon.
It is not denied by the defendant company that the treasurer was empowered to contract for the sale of the stock to the plaintiff, but it contends that the part of the contract which relates to procuring a purchaser for the stock is invalid. It is claimed that the treasurer was without authority to make this part of the agreement; that it was ultra vires; and that the contract was divisible, the sale of the capital stock being valid and enforceable and the agreement to furnish a purchaser for the stock, if the plaintiff desired to sell within six months, was separate and collateral to the other part of the agreement. It will be observed that the two parts of the agreement are in one and the same instrument of writing
We think the contract to procure a purchaser was not ultra vires. The sale was not made to plaintiff as" an original incorporator but of undisposed stock remaining in the treasury. The learned court below has cited many authorities which sustain this position.
We also concur with the trial court that the defendant is estopped to plead ultra vires as a defense in this action. As observed above, it is not alleged that the treasurer did not have authority to contract in behalf of the corporation for the sale of the stock and receive payment therefor, and the only denial of his authority is that he could not bind the corporation to furnish a purchaser for the plaintiff’s stock, but, as already pointed out, he en
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Lemmon v. The East Palestine Rubber Company
- Cited By
- 11 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Corporations — Contracts—Entire or divisible — Sale of stoclc — Payment — Consideration—Agreement to obtain purchaser for subscriber's holdings — Breach—Suit against corporation — Defenses— Ultra vires — Estoppel. 1. A principal cannot avail himself of the benefits of an agent’s act, and at the same time repudiate his authority. 2. A corporation may not avail itself even of ultra vires as a defense where .a contract has been entered into and executed' in good faith by the other party and the corporation has received the benefit of the performance'. 3. Where a subscription to the capital stock of a corporation was made .upon the faith of a guarantee of the corporation signed by the treasurer on its behalf, that it would furnish the subscriber with a buyer for the stock within six months, if desired, at a price to net the subscriber a profit of $2.50 per share, and the subscriber paid the company for the stock, the company was liable at the expiration of six months, upon its failure to furnish a purchaser for the stock upon request, in accordance with the agreement, and the defense that the contract was ultra vires and that the treasurer was not authorized to make such a contract was without merit.