Blumenthal v. Pacific Meat Co.
Blumenthal v. Pacific Meat Co.
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Respondents brought this action to recover damages for the alleged breach of a contract for the sale of neat cattle. The answer of appellant contained certain denials and set up certain facts by way of affirmative defense, which were denied by the reply. The trial resulted in a judgment for the plaintiffs, to reverse which this appeal has been prosecuted.
The appellant objected to the introduction of any evidence, for the alleged reason that the complaint did not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. This objection was overruled, and such ruling furnishes the first ground upon which a reversal of the judgment is sought. A reversal is also sought upon the ground that the evidence was not sufficient to support-the verdict.
If the sufficiency of the complaint is to be determined by the same rules, under the circumstances of this case as it would have been had it been seasonably attacked by a motion or a demurrer, there would be some grounds for the contention that it was insuffi
As to the other questions, after the introduction of proofs by the respective parties, the court instructed the jury as to the rules which should govern in its determination of the questions submitted to them. To these instructions no exceptions were taken, and it must follow that if the evidence was sufficient upon any theory which might be suggested, such verdict must stand. If exceptions had been taken to the instructions of the court, it might have been our duty to have gone into the evidence somewhat in detail to determine whether or not the theory upon which the cause was submitted to the jury found support therein. 'But no fault having been found with the theory under which the cause was submitted to the jury, the only thing which we have to do is to see whether there was evidence which warranted the jury, upon the theory on which the cause was submitted, in finding for the plaintiffs. That the evidence was sufficient to warrant a verdict for the plaintiffs under the instructions given, upon the theory that the market price of the cattle had been shown, is conceded by the appellant, except that it is claimed by it that the witnesses who
Several other questions have been suggested in the brief of the appellant, hut under the two alleged errors above stated, which are all that are contained in its brief, we are not called upon to say anything in reference thereto. That- the cause was submitted to the jury upon proper issues and upon a theory warranted by the proofs, must be conclusively presumed for the reason that no exceptions were taken to the instructions, and we are of the opinion that the pleadings and proofs were sufficient to sustain the verdict rendered upon the issues and theory presented to the jury ' by such instructions. -
The judgment must he affirmed.
Scott, J., concurs.
Anders, Dunbar and Gordon, JJ., concur in the result.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- I. Blumenthal v. Pacific Meat Company
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- PLEADING — WAIVER OF SUFFICIENCY — APPEAL — ABSENCE OF EXCEPTIONS— SUFFICIENCY OF EVIDENCE—ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR — JUDICIAL NOTICE. Although a complaint may be subject to attack by motion or demurrer on the ground that it does not allege facts sufficient to state a cause of action, yet, if the objection thereto is not raised until after answer, the complaint will be held sufficient, if the facts stated will justify a recovery upon any theory upon which a right can be founded. Where no exceptions are taken to the instructions it must be conclusively presumed that the cause was submitted to the jury upon proper issues and upon a theory warranted, by the proofs; and if there is sufficient evidence upon any theory, which maybe suggested to support plaintiff’s cause, a verdict in his favor will not be disturbed. On appeal, witnesses who testify to the market price of cattle will be held to have been competent, where the errors assigned do not raise the question of their competency. Judicial notice of the distance between Seattle and Puyallup and of their relation to each other will be taken by the court for the purpose of determining from the market price of cattle in one place what it must be in the other.