Dooley v. Gallagher
Dooley v. Gallagher
Opinion of the Court
The only question here is, whether there was an implied warranty by Gallagher & Co. that the iron, sent to Snyder in September and January was really of the quality described in their letters of the 21st and 20th August, and of later dates. None of these letters were written with a view to selling the iron to Snyder. They were the letters of consignors to a consignee, and not of . a vendor to a vendee. The iron was the first that had been made at a new furnace, and the consignee was so informed. The consignors were confident of the truth of their representations of its quality, but they stated the grounds of that confidence, viz., that theirs was “Cripple Creek” iron, a species which had a good reputation; and that their founderer, who had made the best brand of the Cripple Creek iron at another furnace, and who was now making this iron of theirs, pronounced theirs to be as good as the “Wythe” iron. They made their statements not to a novice in the iron business, but to an expert, to a professional and experienced “dealer in pig iron.” They describe the irou as a consignor would to a consignee, and their letters all implied that the consignee was expected to judge of the quality for himself; and they expressly requested him to get his customers
So much for the equities of this case. Technically it is conclusively against the plaintiff. We must not confound the law of implied warranty in general with the law as it applies particularly to the quality of the article sold. Benjamin lays down the law of caveat emptor very strongly as to warranty of the quality of chattels. He says: “So far as an ascertained specific chattel, already existing, and which the buyer has inspected, is concerned, the rule, caveat emptor, admits of no exception by implied warranty of quality.” The rule as to title is, of course, different; for the knowledge of title is more or less exclusively in the vendor. So also is the rule as to the soundness of an animal different; for the vendor is supposed to be fully informed on this subject, if he has custody and the purchaser has not custody of the animal. So also is the rule different as to chattels not yet in the custody of the buyer or not yet manufactured, but sold for future delivery; for there a warranty is implied that the goods will, when delivered, in all respects conform to the sample or description according to which they were purchased. In this case it is not shown or pretended that the iron delivered in January differed in quality from that delivered in September. But in the case put by Benjamin, which is our case, of a specific chattel, already existing, and which the buyer has inspected (much more has had in his custody for four months), the rule of caveat emptor admits of no exception by implied warranty. This is not only well-settled law, but it is sound, just, equitable law, and must govern this case. This doctrine is fully established in this state by Mason v. Chappell, 15 Grat. 572. It governs not only the sale of January, but also the consignments made before that time, and the acceptances given on the consignments. The finding of the court and the judgment in the case must be for the defendants. A finding may be drawn in accordance with the facts, and a judgment entered for the defendants.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- DOOLEY v. GALLAGHER
- Status
- Published