Medlin v. Adams Grain & Provision Co.
Medlin v. Adams Grain & Provision Co.
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
This was an action for damages for breach of contract. The defendant-appellant- agreed to deliver to plaintiff-respondent carloads of hay at different times and failed to do so. Plaintiff brought his suit, alleging that he has been damaged for the sum of $310.95. The cause was tried before Judge Frank B. Gary and a ju'ry, at the Fall term of Court, 1914, for Marlboro county, and resulted in a verdict in favor of the plaintiff for $198.95. Defendant appeals and by four exceptions asks for a new trial. The first ground of appeal alleges error in admitting an alleged conversation over the telephone with the defendant over defendant’s objection
This exception is overruled. His Honor committed no error, and the defendant introduced testimony, but he did not deny, explain, or contradict the plaintiff on this point, and it was competent to go to the jury for what it was worth. Plaintiff put in a long distance call for defendant; he was connected with that office; some one responded; he made complaint as to quality of hay and the person conversing expressed surprise, telling how hay was procured, bought by them from another party for plaintiff, and showed a familiarity with the transaction from which jury could infer that the plaintiff had procured the right party, and ihe one he had asked to be connected with by long distance phone, the defendant in this case, and the admission of evidence is not shown to be prejudicial to the defendant.
Footnote.—As to conversation by telephones as evidence, see notes in 1 A. & E. Ann. Cas. 802; 20 A. & E. Ann. Cas. 705; 6 L. R. A. (N. S.) 1180; 17 L. R. A. 440.
Reference
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- Medlin v. Adams Grain and Provision Co.
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- Syllabus
- Evidence. Telephone Conversations. Sales. Breach of Warranty. Measure op Damages. Charge. 1. Evidence—Telephone Conversations.—Where a corporation is called up over the telephone at its place of business, and some one answers showing familiarity with the matter about which inquiry is made, and stating he was one of the corporation, the conversation is admissible in evidence, especially where it is not denied, explained or contradicted when the corporation offered testimony. 2. Sales—Failure to Deliver—Damages.—For breach of a contract to sell and deliver goods, the measure of damages is the difference between the contract price and the market price at the time of the breach of contract. 3. Trial—Instructions—Error Cured.—In an action for failure to deliver hay contracted for, where the Court erroneously charged that the measure of damages was the difference between the contract price and the highest market price of the same article at the time the suit was brought, the error was harmless, when corrected in other portions of the charge, stating that the measure of damages was the difference in the value of the article furnished and the article purchased at the time and place agreed upon for delivery, and where the verdict of the jury showed that they were not misled by the error; their judgment being greatly less than it would have been, had they fixed the damages under the Court’s erroneous charge. 4. Charge—Trial..—It is the duty of counsel to listen to the charge and when called upon by the Court for further suggestions, to call its attention to any inconsistent instructions inadvertently given therein.