Smith v. Fisher
Smith v. Fisher
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The action is general assumpsit for a quantity of logs sold and delivered to the defendant. The plaintiffs stand upon an alleged sale completed in all respects, with nothing remaining to be done except payment. The objection to the form of action is therefore without avail. The defence more particularly relied upon is the Statute 'of Frauds. The contract price was above $40, and nothing in earnest or part payment was given. A letter written by .the defendant in answer to and acceptance of a verbal proposal of sale of the logs by the plaintiff’s was put in evidence ; but that is not relied upon by the plaintiffs to take the case from the operation of the statute. There is some doubt whether it constituted a sufficient memorandum for that purpose; even if the contract had not been subsequently altered. It was the only memorandum ever made, and after that the parties modified the contract as therein expressed, but not as to the price per thousand feet. ' This
The ground of the plaintiffs’ contention is that the Statute of Frauds is not a defence, because the case shows a complete sale, including delivery and acceptance. In this we think they axe right. The exceptions state there was no dispute between the parties as to the terms of the contract. It was a sale of all the plaintiffs’ logs in the mill-yard of a third person. The parties saw the logs there, and the defendant agreed to take them at $15 per thousand, with the right to throw out one-fourth part of the lumber cut from them, as he might select. The defendant was to pay for the sawing, and directed as to it. The plaintiffs had no duty in respect to the sawing. The logs were all sawed and the defendant took away the boards, tin-owing out as he saw fit, until he had taken all but six or seven thousand feet, and measured them as he took them, and all without notice to the plaintiffs or participation on their part. The case further states that the court submitted the case to the jury under a charge not excepted to. If there was an acceptance of the logs at the time of the contract the defendant had no defence. It would seem so far as appears that the question of acceptance was the only fact in dispute. The evidence plainly tended to show an acceptance. The verdict therefore necessarily implies the finding of an acceptance. As the evidence tended to show an acceptance the court was clearly right in refusing to direct a verdict for the defendant.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- E. L. & H. W. SMITH v. LUKE C. FISHER
- Cited By
- 1 case
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- Published