Smith v. Smith
Smith v. Smith
Opinion of the Court
It appears in this case that the Penn-Cities Oil Company, of Pennsylvania, made one Montgomery, of Oklahoma, its agent to sell oil properties it owned in Texas. Montgomery was unable to do so and, in order to secure aid in Texas, he made, without any knowledge of the defendants, an oral agreement with the plaintiff to endeavor to secure a purchaser and agreed to divide commissions with him if he succeeded. Thereafter, on November 28,1922, the plaintiff telegraphed the defendants as follows:
“Seaboard Oil and Gas Company will look at your Herron City 371 acre property priced $1,000,000.00, about $200,000.00 cash, balance notes Stop I am agent here Montgomery, Oklahoma City. Our commission five per cent cash on gross selling price. Wire answer quick 225 North Crawford St., Dallas, Texas.
“R. E. I. Smith”
To this message the defendants replied:
“Will not sell for less than half million cash. Balance to he arranged.”
To this latter the plaintiff made no reply and, indeed, did not communicate in any way with defendants. On March 23, 1923, the latter sold their property to the Seaboard Oil & Gas Company and, on such sale becoming public, the plaintiff wrote the defendants claiming commissions and thereafter brought this suit to recover the same. The court below held that the facts pleaded by the plaintiff did not “disclose either expressed or implied agreement between the plaintiff and the defendants to employ him as their sales agent for the property of the defendants. If there is any contract disclosed, it is with Montgomery and not with the plaintiff.”
Without discussing the other questions argued, and confining ourselves to a. single basic and decisive one involved, wo are of opinion that in so holding and entering judgment in favor of tho defendants, no error was committed. The defendants appointed Montgomery their agent; their dealings were with him. There was no- agreement, express or implied, between them and the plaintiff.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- SMITH v. SMITH
- Status
- Published