North Texas Oil Co. v. Fuller, Reaser & Co.
Opinion of the Court
This suit was brought by Fuller, Reaser & Co. and M. T. Killion & Co., two copartnerships (hereinafter styled plaintiffs), against the North Texas Oil Company (hereinafter styled defendant), to recover commissions amounting to $5,000 alleged to be due them from the North Texas Oil Company for negotiating a sale for it of an oil lease on property near Wichita Falls, Tex. The facts were that the defendant had listed with plaintiffs said oil lease for sale at $75,000, all sums over that to be a commission to plaintiffs for selling the property.
Plaintiffs, on February 8, 1920, negotiated a tentative sale to one Newberry for $80,000. Newberry was not quite resolved on completing the sale, because he was considering the purchase of some property in Fort Worth, Tex. The proposed sale was reported to the defendant, who agreed that Newberry should have until 12 o’clock noon on February 9th to signify his acceptance. Newberry went to Fort Worth, and on February 9th, at 11:20 a; m., filed a telegram with the
The defendant’s agent refused to carry out the sale, because he claimed the acceptance came too late. The plaintiffs proved that New-berry was ready and able to complete the purchase, and that the refusal of the defendant to convey the lease alone had prevented the consummation of the sale. A verdict was returned for the plaintiffs.
The points made in plaintiff in error’s brief and argued in this court involve the single question whether the agreement between the proposing vendor and vendee was that the vendee should accept the option by telegram sent before 12 o’clock on February 9, 1920, or whether he must have communicated the acceptance to the vendor at Wichita Falls before 12 o’clock.
The charge of the court left it to the jury to say whether the agreement was that the option should be accepted by telegram, or whether the acceptance must be communicated at Wichita Falls to the vendor, in order to be binding. The proof fully warranted the jury in finding that the sending of a telegram was agreed upon as the method of acceptance, and that the filing of said telegram with the telegraph company was its delivery to the other party.
The judgment of the District Court is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- NORTH TEXAS OIL CO. v. FULLER, REASER & CO.
- Status
- Published