Mercantile Bank of the Americas v. West Porto Rico Sugar Co.
Mercantile Bank of the Americas v. West Porto Rico Sugar Co.
Opinion of the Court
delivered tlie following opinion:
The facts in this case present little difficulty inasmuch as-they are covered by a stipulation supplemented by a short examination of witnesses. There is no question that there was due to the plaintiff by the defendants on January 22, 1921, the sum of at least $46,474. The only question is as to what is duo in addition to this amount.
The claim arises from a contract between the West Porto Rico Sugar Company and the plaintiff, indorsed by the Piauclii defendants, whereby the bank loaned the West Porto Rico Sugar Company $600,000, available in certain instalments, the amount repayable out of sugar to be shipped to the bank, the bank to have a commission;, interest and other matters being also provided for. On the sugar sold the bank was to retain $6 per bag, and as security the Sugar company, under the Agricultural Contract Law of Porto Rico, hypothecated all crops of sugar cane and products to be raised, manufactured, or growing. upon properties of the company until the full payment of all sums duo under the. contract. The contract was for eighteen' months and was registered. There is no question of the, loan and of the repayment of the major part thereof. The ease relates to what price of sugar the commissions were to be calculated on. Sugar in the early part of July was worth $16.50 per 100 pounds, and about that time the Sugar company pledged their remaining sugar to Sobrinos de Ezquiaga and to the Banco
The argument of the plaintiff is, that, as the facts show there were shipping facilities during June and July, and the defendants had on hand at that time, when the crop season ended, 18,775 bags of sugar, , the commissions due should be calculated at the market price as of that time. The defendants claim on the- other hand that the commissions should be calculated upon .the actual selling price in November, which was less than one • third of the July price.
There is no doubt that the contract by its terms: allowed the defendants to sell the sugar, for themselves, provided they obtained the consent of the plaintiff and provided they paid the plaintiff the commissions in question. There was no such formal consent in the case at bar. The question in the case is whether this can be considered as waived.
If the plaintiff waived the terms of the contract, it cannot now set up that the contract was not carried out. As the defendants were doing business in Porto Pico and the plaintiff
It is so ordered.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MERCANTILE BANK OF THE AMERICAS v. WEST PORTO RICO SUGAR COMPANY, INC.
- Status
- Published