Rock v. Joseph
Rock v. Joseph
Opinion of the Court
Respondents brought this action against the appellants to set aside a deed to certain real estate in King-county, on the ground of fraud and misrepresentations. The appellants, for answer to the complaint, denied the allegations of fraud, and denied that any misrepresentations had been made to the respondents. Upon the trial of the case, the court found in favor of the plaintiffs, and entered a decree-setting aside the deed and restoring the parties to their original status. The defendants have appealed.
A careful reading of the evidence in the case convinces us that the respondents were imposed upon. The appellant O. B. Joseph knew the condition of the business of the corporation at the time the trade was made, and that the corporation was almost, if not wholly, insolvent; and yet he represented to the respondents that the company was doing a prosperous business, and was not incumbered by debt; that the stock was valuable, when the reverse was the truth. The respondents relied implicitly upon the statements of the appellant, and made no further inquiries until after the trade was made. Upon the record in the case, the trial court could not have come to any other conclusion than the one found.
It is argued by the appellants that the respondents ought not to recover, because they did not promptly upon discovery of the facts rescind, or offer to rescind, the contract. The evidence is not clear as to the exact time when the respond
The other errors assigned are not of sufficient importance to justify a reversal, and need not be discussed. Upon the whole record, we are satisfied that the judgment was just, and it is therefore affirmed.
Rudkin, C. J., Parker, Gose, and Fullerton, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Josiah Rock v. O. B. Joseph
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Corporations — Sale op Stock — -Fraud—Evidence—Sufficiency— Deeds — Exchange op Property. A sale of stock in a foreign mercantile company and a deed given in exchange is properly rescinded for fraud, where the vendors represented that it was solvent, doing a prosperous business, and that they had sold shares to their son at $8 per share, the statements being false and implicitly relied upon by the vendees. Same — Rescission—Time—Laches. A delay of three months,, after hearing of false representations, in bringing suit to rescind a sale of corporate stock and cancel a deed, will not preclude a recovery, where the delay was at the request of the plaintiff’s son, connected with the corporation, and for the reason that it was being, pressed by creditors.