Orvis v. Wells, Fargo & Co.
Opinion of the Court
On July 22, 1881, William T. Whiting-sold to Duncan F. Blount, by an agreement in writing, 500 shares of the capital stock of the Cheyenne Consolidated Mining Company, at one dollar per share, “payable and deliverable, at seller’s option, within thirty days.” The contract was expressly declared to be governed by the laws of the New York Mining Stock Exchange, of which each party was a member. In this transaction, Whiting was the broker of Wells, Fargo & Co., and Blount was the broker of the plaintiff, Charles E. Orvis. Wells, Fargo & Co. guarantied the performance of the contract. Under the rules of the’ exchange, deposits of margin are required to be made in case the market price of the stock moves from the contract price. After July 22d the stock rose in value, and, under repeated calls for margin, Wells,- Fargo & Co. deposited $4,000. When the stock reached $15 per share, Whiting, the defendant’s broker, refused to deposit more margin. On July 20, 1891, the stock reached $20 per share, and Blount notified Whiting- that he would buy the stock in under the rule of the ex
The theory of the jilaintiff is that out of the transaction two distinct and different contract obligations arose, viz. the obligation of the brokers, who were ostensible principals, and the contract between rhe plaintiff and defendant, who were undisclosed principals, and that the extinguishment, by award or otherwise, of the broker's liability, did not: affect the contract between the plaintiff and defendant. While it is true that a party to a contract may elect to sue the ostensible principal, or the actual and undisclosed principal, when he is disclosed, yet there are not two different contracts, for a breach of which he can obtain satisfaction from each of the respective parties. In this case, Blount, who was Orvis’ agent, submitted the questions in dispute under this contract to arbitration. If, when he first submitted the case, he did not act under Orvis’ authority, the submission, the arbitration, and the award were ratified by his principal, who complied with the provisions of the award, paid the amount due, and accepted the stock, which was declared to constitute a good delivery. It is difficult to see liow- the acts of an agent can he more fully ratified by his principal, and how a valid
But it is said that tbe award was invalid by reason of tbe misconduct of one of tbe arbitrators. It is true that a court of equity has the power to set aside an award by reason of tbe fraud or fraudulent conduct of tbe arbitrators, and while, at common law, fraud was not a defense to an action at law upon tbe award, yet, in many of tbe states, fraud of tbe arbitrators is a defense to such an action. 2 Greenl. Ev. § 78; Power Co. v. Gray, 6 Metc. (Mass.) 131, 169. In this case, however, the award has been performed, and tbe plaintiff is suing upon tbe original cause of action, without attempting to rescind or disaffirm tbe award, but is retaining its fruits. He retains that wbicb be received in satisfaction of the alleged breach of contract, and seeks a new satisfaction. If á party wishes to disaffirm or rescind a contract because it was vitiated by fraud, be must return, or offer to return, tbe property wbicb be received under tbe contract. Kellogg v. Denslow, 14 Conn. 411. Tbe judgment of tbe circuit court is affirmed, with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ORVIS v. WELLS, FARGO & CO.
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published