Young Men's Christian Ass'n v. Olds Co.
Young Men's Christian Ass'n v. Olds Co.
Opinion of the Court
Defendants, for and on behalf of appellant, The Olds Company, a corporation, signed and delivered to a solicitor raising a fund for the construction of a Young Men’s Christian Association building in Wenatchee, a subscription agreement in writing as follows:
“$35,000.00 Y. M. C. A. Building Fund.
“$250. Wenatchee, Wash., 5-27, 1910.
“For the purpose of purchasing a site and erecting a building for the proposed Wenatchee Young Men’s Christian Association, and in consideration of the gift of others, I hereby agree to give the sum of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars*631 on condition that at least $25,000 is raised before May 29, 1910. Payable in two equal consecutive installments: $125 Dec. 81, 1910 $125 Dec. 81, 1911
“The Olds Company,
“By A. J. Olds, A. W. Olds and J. T. Olds.” “Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars Club 25 needed. (Obtained by Collier of Company I, Collier Captain.)”
The agreement was accepted by the respondent, and subscriptions aggregating the specified sum of $25,000 were obtained prior to May 29, 1910. The building cost a large sum in excess of the $35,000 originally contemplated, and other subscriptions were solicited and received to meet the total cost, amounting to $66,295. Defendants refused to pay the amount of their subscription agreement at the times therein specified, or at all, and this action was begun to recover the amount thereof, and judgment was granted in favor of respondent and against the appellant, The Olds Company, a corporation, alone, for the amount of the subscription agreement, with interest. From the judgment, The Olds Company appeals.
The appellant first lays great stress upon the clause at the head of the subscription agreement, reading: “$35,000 Y. M. C. A. Building Fund,” the same having been printed in red ink, and insists that this was a guaranty to the subscriber that the building should cost not to exceed $35,000. Appellant insists that the erection of a building greatly exceeding in cost the original contemplation of $35,000 was a violation of the subscription agreement and invalidated it, upon the principle that “any material change in the plan or purpose for which the subscription was made cannot be effected without the consent of the subscriber. He is thereby released unless there has been a waiver, or unless he has es-topped himself to deny his consent to the change.” 37 Cyc. 498. The reason underlying that principle is that there is a failure of consideration. Presbyterian Church of Albany v. Cooper, 112 N. Y. 517, 20 N. E. 352, 8 Am. St. 767, 3 L. R. A. 468.
Morris, C. J., Mount, and Parker, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Young Men's Christian Association of Wenatchee v. Olds Company, A. J. Olds
- Cited By
- 6 cases
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- Published
- Syllabus
- Subscriptions — Liability—Change ob Plan. A subscriber for a building fund for the erection of' a Y. M. C. A. building, planned to cost $35,000 but which in fact cost $66,295, cannot, on that ground, escape liability, when the only condition attached to the subscription was that $25,000 should be raised before a certain date and that condition was fully met; the enlargement of the scope and purpose of the beneficiary and the increase in the subscription fund constituting no detriment to defendant. Same. Where a subscriber to a building fund permits work on the construction of the building to be carried on for a length of time, he will be regarded as acquiescing in a change in plans whereby its cost was greater than originally contemplated, and cannot urge that fact as relieving him of liability.