Cazier v. Hart
Cazier v. Hart
Opinion of the Court
Tbe appellant urges that tbe trial court erred (1) in finding that no confidential relation existed between tbe defendant Elmer and the other stockholders of tbe corporation in relation to tbe sale and transfer of tbe stock; (2) in failing to find that said defendant procured such sale and transfer to himself by fraudulent concealment and misrepresentations, so that he should be held to account as a trustee de son tort; (3) in finding that after July 1, 1905, the parties dealt at arm’s length and that the fraudulent representations and concealments found did not vitiate the sale; (4) in finding that the plaintiff ratified the sale; (5) in finding that the plaintiff was guilty of gross laches in bringing her. action; and (6) in concluding that plaintiff was not entitled to judgment. ,
Mr. Cazier, the plaintiff’s husband, visited the ranch iii 1903, and again in April, 1905, when he looked it over thoroughly, although he made no examination of the books. His wife was with him on the latter occasion, but paid no particular attention to the ranch. They stopped in Minneapolis on their way home and called on Mrs. Crandall. Mr. Cazier advised her that the ranch was looking fine, but that it was not likely to pay a dividend so long as its present manager was in charge and that the present was the opportune time to-sell, owing to the fact that there was a good crop. He fer-ther thought that some pressure should be brought to bear
Tbe court found that Elmer bad always made correct entries on tbe books kept by bim of all moneys received and disbursed. Also that prior to May, 1905, be bad never been guilty of any fraudulent representations or concealments.
During the years 1901 to 1904 inclusive tbe JIart-Blake Company paid no dividends. Whatever gains there were, were put back in improvements, and it would not be far from tbe truth to say that during that period tbe ranch did little better than bold its own. Balance sheets, were sent to the stockholders for each of those years. Shortly after tbe death of John S. Hart tbe ranch was placed on the market for sale at $33,000. Later tbe price was reduced to $25,000, and tbe ' agents witb whom tbe property was listed were advised that
The first misrepresentation or false statement made by
The court also found that Elmer intentionally concealed from the plaintiff and his codefendants the fact that there was upwards of $4,000 in money and credits in his possession as manager of the ranch at the time the sale was made that none of the other stockholders knew of said fact; that if plaintiff were advised of such a condition she would have demanded her proportion of the credit and required Elmer to account to her therefor.
The appellant strenuously contends that the court was wrong in holding that the parties dealt at arm’s length after June 28, 1905, and that on the findings of misrepresentation and concealment made the plaintiff was entitled to judgment. The appellant also urges that the court erred in making certain other findings favorable to the defendant Elmer and in refusing to find additional facts in favor of the plaintiff.
For several reasons relief was properly denied on account of the false statements contained in Elmer’s letters.
The court found that after April, 1905, plaintiff’s husband was acting for her and advising her and that she was accepting his advice and acting under his direction in making the investigation of the value and prospects of the ranch and in directing the proceedings which culminated in the sale; that
Furthermore, it seems very clear to this court from an examination of the whole testimony that the false statements referred to were not relied on by the plaintiff and did not influence her in the slightest degree in selling her stock. Cazier knew from personal observation in April, 1905, that the prospects for a good year were very promising. For this reason he told Sands M. Hart that they should make a desperate effort to sell, presumably because he had no confidence in Elmer. When the negotiations were assuming a definite shape he sent his own expert to make a critical examination of the physical conditions at the ranch and of the books of account kept by Elmer, and the report of this expert was shown to Sands, who was acting for Mrs. Crandall and to some extent for the plaintiff. This examination was made after Elmer’s letter of July 15th had been received. There was very little in the later letter that was calculated to influence
The claim that Elmer was guilty of fraudulent concealment becapse he did not volunteer ,any information as to the amount of cash and credits on hand requires separate treatment. The amount of such cash and credits would seem to be larger than the evidence would warrant, if the court meant a net sum after the indebtedness of the corporation was paid. The error, if there is one, is not material, however. It has already been said that the finding of the court to the effect that plaintiff and Elmer were dealing at “arm’s length” in this transaction was sustained by the evidence. This being so, Elmer's silence did not constitute a fraud that would entitle the plaintiff to a rescission. 2 Pom. Eq. Jur. (3d ed.) §§ 901, 903; Ætna L. Ins. Co. v. Mabbett, 18 Wis. 667, 671; Garbutt v. Bank of Prairie du Chien, 22 Wis. 384, 392; Curtis Bros. & Co. v. Hoxie, 88 Wis. 41, 59 N. W. 581; Thormaehlen v. Kaeppel, 86 Wis. 378, 56 N. W. 1089.
If the law were otherwise there could be no recovery. Assuming that there was a legal or moral duty on Elmer s part to make a full disclosure, the plaintiff knew that he had not done so. She knew as early as April, 1905, that the prospects of making money that year were better than they had ever been. In two of Elmer s letters, written while the negotiations for the sale of the stock were going on, he stated in substance that they were having the best year they had had. When Oliver made his examination in September the crop had been largely harvested and the prevailing prices were known. The plaintiff or her agents and representatives in making the sale of her stock were fully advised that they were having a banner year and that the effect of it would increase the value of their stock. They did not know just what the amount of the profits would be, but they had every reason to believe that they would be substantial. If equity lends its
■ Tbe court further found that as early as February, 1907, tbe plaintiff and her husband were informed of many facts tending to show fraud on tbe part of Elmer, and that such facts were sufficient to put them upon inquiry as to tbe good faith of Elmer in tbe transaction; that this action was not commenced until' August, 1910, Avhen tbe woolen mill stock became worthless; that plaintiff continued to treat tbe stock received from Elmer as her own after knowledge of tbe facts constituting tbe alleged fraud; that tbe parties could not now be placed in statu quo, and that tbe delay of tbe plaintiff in bringing her action was unconscionable, and any right of recovery she might have bad was barred by her gross laches. These findings of tbe lower court and tbe conclusion drawn therefrom cannot be disturbed by this court. It was tbe duty of tbe plaintiff to bring her action promptly after she bad knowledge of tbe alleged fraud or of facts sufficient to put her on inquiry and which if pursued with reasonable diligence would lead to a discovery of tbe fraud. McDonald v. Markesan C. Co. 142 Wis. 251, 258, 125 N. W. 444, and cases cited; Holden v. Meadows; 31 Wis. 284; Docter v. Furch, 91 Wis. 464, 65 N. W. 161.
We have no desire to condone or to palliate the conduct of Elmer in misstating or concealing facts and conditions. It is apparent, however, that bis misrepresentations did not materially influence, much less induce, tbe plaintiff to sell her stock to him, and that tbe plaintiff has slept so long on her
By the Court. — Judgment affirmed.
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