Cox v. Early, Foster Co.
Cox v. Early, Foster Co.
Opinion of the Court
This suit was brought by ap-pellees, who were, plaintiffs below, against appellant, to recover damages on account of his refusal to accept four cars .of potatoes which he had purchased from them, alleging that defendant had previously entered into a contract with them to purchase five cars of seed potatoes, and that they thereafter tendered to him said five cars of potatoes, one of which was accepted by him and the others refused; that, upon his failure to accept said potatoes, they sold the same to the best advantage, and, after deducting expenses of suclh sales, that defendant was due them the sum of $681. 41, with interest thereon, which was the difference between the contract price and the. amount of said respective sales, less, the expenses incident thereto. Defendant, after a general demurrer and general denial, contested plaintiffs’ *346 right to recover on the ground that they did not have the possession nor ownership of the potatoes when tendered; second, that they tendered to defendant invoices for six cars of potatoes, instead of five, which he had agreed to purchase, and that certain of the cars of potatoes so tendered were in bad condition, having become frozen and rotten. And defendant further pleaded the existence of an established custom in the produce trade, in which both parties were engaged, to the effect that, where a contract is made for sale and delivery of certain number of cars of produce, the purchaser has the right to refuse any particular car when tendered not in compliance with the contract, and that, upon such rejection being lawfully made, the purchaser is under no legal obligation to accept other and different cars that may be thereafter tendered by the seller as in compliance with the order so made. The case was tried by the court without a jury, who filed his conclusions of fact and law, finding that plaintiffs had in all respects fully complied with their contract of sale to defendant, rendering judgment in their behalf for the sum of $647.66, with interest from Biarch 19, 1907, from which judgment this appeal is prosecuted.
We think no reasonable objection can be urged to the fact that plaintiffs tendered invoices for six cars, to defendant, from which to select his five cars. If the tender in this case had been of a much greater quantity of potatoes in bulk and this fact had devolved additional labor and expense upon defendant in order to make his selection, then there might be some reason for his refusal to accept, based upon such facts; but the present case does not come within the reason of such rule, and furnishes no excuse for such refusal. See section 1158, Meehem on Sales and authorities there cited. Benj. on Sales, 1030, and notes; Lockhart v. Bonsall, 77 Pa. 53; Brownfield v. Johnson, 128 Pa. 254, 18 Atl. 543, 6 L. R. A. 48. It is said in 35 Cyc. 170: “A tender of a larger number of the specific kind of articles, with the proposal that the buyer shall select the number purchased, is a substantial offer of performance, if there is no material difference in the quality of the articles tendered.” For which reason we think this assignment should be overruled.
We have duly considered each of the remaining assignments, and, believing they are without merit, overrule the, same. Finding no error in the judgment of the court, it is in all things affirmed.
Affirmed.
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