Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co. v. Kirven
Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co. v. Kirven
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
The appeal herein is from an order refusing a motion for a new trial. The issues are thus stated in the record: “This appeal is in a special proceeding arising under the provisions of section 2517 of the Revised Statutes. A warrant to seize crop was issued by the clerk of the Court for Darlington'County, under an affidavit in which it was claimed that the amount due under the agricultural lien was $2,298, with interest thereon at seven per cent, from the 25th day of October, 1898, and 85 cents protest fees. Under this warrant, crops of the appellant, J. P. Kirven, were seized by the sheriff of Darlington County and sold, bringing the sum of $693.35. Within thirty days after the sale, the following notice and affidavit was served on the sheriff and then filed with the clerk of the Court for Darling-ton County:
“To G. P. Scarborough, Sheriff of Darlington County: Please take notice that the defendant, J. P. Kirven, as will be seen by the affidavit hereto attached, claims that the amount called for by the warrant and papers in the above proceeding to seize crop is not justly due. J. P. Kirven.”
“Affidavit. — Personally appeared before me, J. P. Kirven, *199 who, being duly sworn, deposes and says that, under the above stated proceeding, the sheriff of Darlington County having seized thirty bales of cotton belonging to this deponent, has sold the same and holds the proceeds, and that thirty days have not elapsed since the said sale. That the amount claimed by the plaintiff in the said proceeding as bound by the lien claimed by him is not justly due. That on the 17th day of February, 1898, deponent bought from the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company, through its agent, S. M. McCall, 17T-|- tons of fertilizers, at the price of $2,298, and that on the 14th day of March, 1898, deponent gave his note to the said agent for the purchase money of the said fertilizers, and executed an agreement with him for an agricultural lien upon all the crops to be raised upon his home place in Darlington County during the year 1898, to secure the same. That the said fertilizers, 125}4 tons, of the value of $1,730, were delivered to plaintiff before the execution of said agreement of lien, and under the statutes of the State of South Carolina providing for agricultural liens are not covered by said agreement of lien. Forty-six tons, in value $567.75, constituted advances made after the execution of the agreement of lien and are affected by it. Deponent further says that the indebtedness claimed to be secured by the said agreement of lien was contracted as follows: That on or about the 17th day of February, 1898, deponent purchased from the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company, which is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey, and having for its business the manufacture and sale of commercial fertilizers, 171J-2 tons of commercial fertilizers as follows: Seventy-four tons of dissolved bone, at $10.50 per'ton; 7 tons of acid phosphate, at $10.25 per ton; 35 tons of National Special Tobacco Fertilizer, at $20 per ton, and 55^2 tons of kainit, at $13.50 per ton, making the price for the whole $2,298, for which, according to understanding, deponent gave his note and entered into the aforesaid agreement of lien. That the said fertilizers were sold to deponent as skillfully manufactured and well fitted in every *200 way to fertilize and increase the production of the crops on which they were to be used. That of the said fertilizers, the dissolved bone, acid phosphate and special tobacco fertilizer had been manufactured with such gross negligence and want of skill, that instead of being of any advantage to the crops to which they were applied, they destroyed the same in large part, and there was entire failure of consideration to deponent for the said fertilizer so purchased. J. P. Kirven.
“Sworn to before me this 17th day of January, A. D. 1899. W. Albert Parrott, Clerk of the Court D. C. (Official seal.)”
The jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendant, whereupon the plaintiff made a motion on the minutes of the Court for a new trial on the following grounds:
“I. Because it was admitted in the pleadings and testimony that plaintiff had advanced to the defendant thirteen tons of kainit, at the price of $175, and there was no contention that as to the kainit there was failure of consideration, or that the same was worthless or had injured the crop. On the contrary, the defendant stated that there was no contention against the kainit, and yet the jury found nothing for the plaintiff, the contention being that the plaintiff on defendant’s admission was at least entitled to a verdict of $175, and that the failure to give such verdict was absolute ground for a new trial.
“II. Because there was a total absence of testimony to support the verdict, in that there was no testimony going to show that the fertilizer was improperly manufactured, or manufactured with gross negligence or want of skill, or that it was of no advantage to the crops, or that it destroyed defendant’s crop, or that there was a failure of consideration. There was no testimony beyond, because the fertilizer was used in point of time previous to the damage, assuming the cause to produce the effect without proof, and because the plaintiff introduced uncontradicted testimony as to the actual cause showing defendant’s contention impossible.”
In refusing the motion, his Honor said: * * * “The issue *201 betwixt the parties was tried pursuant to the proviso of section 2517 of the Rev. Stat. 1893. I regard the affidavit of the defendant made pursuant to that proviso as the pleading in the case. It appears therefrom that of the 171J4 tons of fertilizers sold by the plaintiff to defendant, 125J4 tons, worth $1,730.25, were delivered before a lien therefor was executed, and 46 tons, worth $567.75, were delivered after the lien therefor was executed. It also appears therefrom that of the fertilizer so sold, 74 tons were dissolved bone, 35 tons were tobacco fertilizer, and 55 tons were of kainit, and worth $749.25. It also appears therefrom that the bone and tobacco fertilizer were worthless, and destroyed the crops. The testimony of the defendant was that the kainit was free from complaint, and the other fertilizers were worthless. The plaintiff demands a new trial, because it was at least entitled to pay for the kainit which defendant received after the 14th day of March, 1898, the date of the execution of the lien. The plaintiff first testified that he thought all the kainit was delivered to him before the lien was made, but he afterwards testified that an affidavit made by him on 30th December, 1898, was correct, and by that affidavit it appears defendant received 13 tons of kainit after the lien was made, and that it was worth $176.50. This matter has perplexed me very much, but I cannot set aside the verdict. The plaintiff’s counsel only claimed a verdict for the price of those fertilizers delivered to defendant after the execution of the lien, to wit: $567.75; he made no request to charge, and the only issue submitted to the jury was, the amount ‘justly due’ for the 46 tons received by defendant after the execution of the lien. It was not drawn to my attention or to the attention of the jury during the trial that defendant had received 13 tons of kainit, worth $176.50, which he admitted was received after the lien was made, and admitted to be valuable. I first heard of the contention on the motion for a new trial. And this is the only reason I have to refuse the motion for a new trial. The defendant’s counsel contended in argument, that the affidavit of defendant framing the *202 issue, alleged that the fertilizer destroyed his crops; and the defendant’s testimony was to the effect he had been damaged thereby $10,000; and though defendant could not in this action set up a counter-claim for such damages, he could plead them in defense, and defeat plaintiff’s action. I do not see my way clear to concur in that view.
“I cannot grant the motion on the other ground urged by plaintiff, to wit: that the verdict was against the clear preponderance of the testimony. It is not clear to my mind what agency injured defendant’s cotton — whether it was an ingredient in the plant food or bacteria external to the plant life. .Practical observation was? arraigned on one side and the voice of science on the other. It was an issue for a jury. The motion for a new trial must be refused.”
*205
The defendant served notice that he would ask this Court, if unable to sustain the order of the Circuit Judge refusing the motion for a new trial on the grounds upon which he rests his conclusion as therein stated, that the said order and judgment be sustained on the following grounds:
3 “I. Because, although defendant could not set up a counter-claim proper in this special proceeding, yet, by way of defense, he testified without objection on the part of the plaintiff, the question being if anything was due upon the lien, that he had been damaged by reason of his agreement and the fertilizers furnished $10,000, and had been subjected to other losses, all of which testimony was before the jury, and they had a right to consider same in reaching a verdict as against the price of the kainit, to wit: the sum of $176.50, and thereby find a verdict for the defendant.
“II. Because the lien was taken by McCall, and the undisputed testimony was that the advances were made by the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company, and the lien was transferred to them after all advances had been made; and, therefore, McCall had no lien, because he had made no advances; and the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company had none, because it had no paper when it made the advances, and only acquired a paper, which was not signed by it, after the advances were made. Hence the verdict should have been for the defendant.
“III. Because the contract to make advances for agricul *207 tural purposes was not assignable by the lienee until he had made the advances contracted for; hence there could be nothing due on the lien to the plaintiff, and the verdict should have been for the defendant on the issue made.” Additional grounds in a law case urged in support of a judgment entered upon the verdict of a jury necessarily convey the idea that there was error either on the part of the Circuit Judge or the jury in the rendition of the verdict. They partake of the nature of an appeal for the purpose of sustaining the judgment upon rights denied the respondent on the trial of the case. If they do not partake of the nature of an appeal, they present mere arguments for sustaining the judgment. Even if there was error prejudicial to the respondent, it cannot be relied on as a ground for sustaining the judgment of the Circuit Court. This question has so recently been considered in the case of Lewis v. Hinson, 64 S. C., 571, that we deem it only necessary to cite that case as authority for this proposition. There are other reasons why the additional grounds cannot be sustained, but we do not deem it necessary to state them.
It is the judgment of this Court, that the judgment of Circuit Court be reversed, and the case remanded to that Court for a new trial.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co. v. Kirven.
- Cited By
- 2 cases
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- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. New Trial. — Where a defendant by his pleadings and evidence admits a liability in part to plaintiff, and jury finds for defendant generally, it is duty of trial Judge to grant a new trial, whether such admission were called to his attention and that of jury during trial or not. 2. Ibid. — Where a verdict might be sustained by any possible view of the evidence, and trial Judge refuses to set it aside, this Court has no power to interfere. 3. Ibid. — Additional Grounds. — Order refusing new trial in law case cannot be sustained on additional grounds urged by respondent.