Hopkins v. Smathers
Hopkins v. Smathers
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
This case was tried before County Judge Whaley, and a jury, and resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff for $355. After entry of judgment defendant appealed. Exceptions 1 and 2 allege error on the part of his Honor in not continuing the case on account of defendant’s counsel being a witness and interested in the Court of General Sessions.
*490 From the affidavit presented to his Honor and what took place when motion was made, we are decidedly of the opinion that his Honor was in error in not continuing the case as moved for, and erroneously exercised his discretion.
Was there any evidence in the case to hold the defendant as principal and Rhodes as agent? The possession by Rhodes of Smathers’ car is explained. It was left with Rhodes to be washed. This is done every day. Hopkins admits that he did not know Smathers was in the transaction until he failed to get the car from Rhodes. He did not know anything about the car; had never seen it before. Plaintiff gave check to Rhodes, and Rhodes got it washed.' Smathers’ name did not appear in the check transaction. Check was not made payable to him or to Rhodes as his agent. Smathers never saw the check of received any part of it. The first time Smathers was called upon was when-he was in Charleston, when plaintiff talked with him over *491 long distance telephone. Such conversations are unsatisfactory, and mistakes naturally arise as to what did take place. There is no competent evidence to fix liability on defendant that Rhodes was his agent.
The judgment is reversed, and complaint dismissed.
Reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Hopkins v. Smathers.
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- 10 cases
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- Syllabus
- 1. Continuance — Should Be Allowed on Account op Enqagement op Counsel in Other Court. — The County Judge on defendant’s motion erred in not continuing the case on account of defendant’s counsel being a witness and interested in,the Court of General Sessions; the County Court being inferior to the Circuit Court, whose terms are fixed by law. 2. Princiipal and Agent — Agency and Ratification Are Questhons of Pact. — Agency is a question of fact for the jury, as is ratification of agency, and if there was any competent evidence as to such issues, the trial Court was right in submitting it to the jury. 3. Principal and Agent — Agency Not Provable by Mebe Declaration of Party. — The mere declaration of a party that he is the agent of another will not prove his agency. 4. Principal and Agent — No Presumption op Agency to Sell from Possession of Automobile to Wash It. — Where plaintiff bought the car of another from a person with whom it had been left to be washed, doing so at his peril and without proper inquiry, there was no presumption raised of agency to sell for the owner in the person having possession of the car to wash it. 5. Principal and Agent — -Evidence Insufficient to Sustain Finding of Agency. — In an action by plaintiff, claiming to have purchased defendant’s automobile from one who had possession to wash it, and that such person in possession was defendant’s agent to sell, evidence held insufficient to justify any finding of such agency to sell in the person who had possession, or ratification of his act in selling by defendant owner.