Manegold v. Grange
Manegold v. Grange
Opinion of the Court
This action was brought to recover the value of a quantity of feed, oats, and middlings, and 532 sacks, alleged to have been sold by the respondents to the appellant and one Croissant as partners in business. The evidence shows that the feed and other articles were spld to Croissant in person, the appellant not being present at the sale or having knowledge thereof at the time the sale was mude. The evidence also shows that said Croissant and the appellant were joint owners of a small schooner named “ Eliza,” each owning one half thereof; that the schooner was run by Croissant in person, and was engaged in a trading business between the ports on Lake Michigan; that Croissant was accustomed to buy cargo for the schooner in one port, and transport it to another, and there sell it or trade it off 'for other property to be transported and sold in some other market. The appellant admits that he was to have one half the earnings of the boat after paying the expenses, but denies that he had anything1 to do with the buying and selling of the cargo for said boat.
The only question litigated on the trial was whether the appellant was interested in the buying and selling of cargo by Croissant in the business in which the schooner was used
The learned county judge distinctly instructed the jury that the fact that the appellant was a part owner of the schooner with Croissant did not make him a partner in his purchasing and selling property which was loaded upon the schooner and transported by it for trading purposes. The language of the court is as follows: “ The mere fact of their owning the vessel, that would not constitute a copartnership. There must be something stated beyond that. There must be evidence showing the fact whether there was a copart-ner-ship or not, and that is whether they were engaged together as copartners and doing business in the vessel that they owned jointly at the time, dealing in merchandise, selling it, and dividing the profits and sharing the losses. That must be shown on the part of the plaintiff by a preponderance of the testimony. It resolves itself to that question, and yon are to decide that. You are the judges of the facts; I can only give you the law. I believe this bill sold was $759.29, upon which there was paid $200, leaving a balance of $559.29. Of course, the captain bought the goods, and the captain made the payment. The only question is whether he did it on his own account or on account of the copartners. If you find for the plaintiff, you will find this amount, with interest from May 5, 1885, at seven per cent.” To the foregoing instructions no exceptions were taken by either party to the action.
If there was any evidence to go to the jury tending to prove a partnership in the trading business of the schooner, then the refusal to nonsuit or direct a verdict for the appellant was not error, and the instructions given were properly
There being some evidence to sustain the verdict, and the county court having refused to set aside the verdict on the ground that it was clearly against the preponderance of the evidence, this court will not reverse the judgment for that cause.
It is urged that there should not have been a verdict for the value of the sacks, as they were not sold, but were to be returned to the plaintiffs. No such objection was made or suggested on the trial. The judge directed the jury as to the amount of their verdict if in favor of the plaintiffs, and to that direction no exception was taken. It is too late now to raise that objection, even if the proofs had failed to make out a case for the value of the sacks. If the defendants took the sacks under ah agreement to return them to the plaintiffs, and afterwards sold them, the plaintiffs were entitled to recover the value of the sacks in some form of action. And no exceptions having been taken to the in
By the Court.— The judgment of the county court is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Manegold and another v. Grange, imp.
- Status
- Published