Simmons v. Rock Island Plow Co.
Simmons v. Rock Island Plow Co.
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff brought this action for damages alleged to have been suffered by him on account of the failure of a certain tractor and plow rig to work as agreed. It is alleged that said tractor -was purchased from the defendant under an express warranty that the same was in good condition and working order, and had sufficient power to pull the plows so as to successfully plow land to a depth of 7 to 11 inches, if necessary; that said tractor failed to fulfill or comply with the conditions of said warranty; that plaintiff thereupon offered to return said tractor to defendant, but defendant refused to receive it or return to plaintiff the price paid therefor; that at the time of purchase of said tractor plaintiff paid to defendant the sum of $1,025, as the purchase price therefor ; that plaintiff in good faith endeavored to use said tractor and plows for the purposes for which they were warranted and sold, and in so doing was obliged to and did incur expense in the sum of $400; and that 'by reason of the premises plaintiff sustained damages.in the amount of $1,425. Defendant answered, specifically denying that it sold the said tractor and plow rig to plaintiff, and further alleged that if said tractor and plow failed to work ■or perform properly the work for which it was intended, or failed to comply with the terms of said warranty, that such failure was due not to any defect in the construction or condition of said tractor and plow, but was due entirely to the failure of plaintiff to properly or efficiently operate or care for said tractor and plow, and that plaintiff failed and neglected to use ordinary care in the ■operation thereof. There was verdict and judgment in favor of plaintiff for the sum of $1,150 damages.
“Rock Island Plow Company of Sioux Falls, S>. D.- — -Gentlemen: Please enter the following order for shipment on or about at once from Sioux Falls, S. D., via C. & N. W. R. R. Consigned to J. A. Scheier, ¡Salem, in accordance with agreements and conditions herein expressed.
Quantity. ' Description. Net Price of Each.
1 Model ¡C, Heider tractor and plow.
1 No. 12 engine gang.
3 No. 68 shares.
“For which the undersigned hereby agrees to make settlement as per prices herein named and on the following terms $ioo.oO‘ with order and ¡balance when tractor arrives.
¡Sign here: “J. E. Simmons.
“J. A. Scheier.
*508 “Accepted, subject to approval of the Rock Island Plow 'Company of Sioux Falls, S. D.
“L. D. Bridges, Agent.”
Respondent further testified that said contract was drawn and executed in duplicate, and Bridges took possession of the original, and the carbon copy was delivered to respondent; that two or three days later Scheier telephoned him that the tractor was in Salem; that the tractor was unloaded and operated by Bridges, who “in-' structed us how to operate the same; that we plowed two fields three to four inches deep; the engine would not pull the plows at greater depth than four inches; the following day we tried to operate, and it would not plow properly; we notified Scheier, and Bridges came and made some adjustments;” it would not plow any deeper; he told Bridges that he had to have it fixed immediately, or have an outfit that he could plow with; Bridges told him to get heavier oil, and that he did so, and instructed on how to operate the machine; that he made complaint to Scheier as agent of the appellant, and in answer thereto one Waugh, an expert mechanic employed by the Rock Island Plow Company, came out in the fall of 1916, and again tried to make it work in the spring of 1917, and.it would not work; that after the failure of the expert to make said rig work he wrote the Rock Island Plow Company, demanding- the return of the purchase price, and notified appellant that the rig would be thereafter at its risk, and that he did not consider the machine his during the litigation; that appellant failed and refused to pay back to respondent any part of the said purchase price.
The appellant offered in evidence a contract between itself and 'Scheier whereby appellant purported to sell said tractor rig to Scheier on the 9th day of October, 1916. Appellant also offered testimony tending to show that Scheier was not an agent of appellant, and had no connection with appellant in this transaction, other than that of a retail implement dealer to whom appellant as wholesaler had sold said rig; that Bridges was not a general agent, and had no authority to make such sales to any person other than local retail dealers, and that the only function of Bridges or Waugh in connection with this transaction was to assist the local dealer, Scheier, in carrying out his contract with
Finding no error in the record, the judgment and order appealed from are affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- SIMMONS v. ROCK ISLAND PLOW COMPANY
- Status
- Published