Kirkpatrick v. Kepler
Kirkpatrick v. Kepler
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff seeks to recover the amount he paid to the defendants for the eighty-three boxes of cheese on the theory that there was a failure of consideration and a breach of warranty of title.
Eor the purposes of this case it may be considered that a warranty may have been given by the defendants in one or
Under sec. 1684i — 12 any affirmation of fact by the seller relating to the goods is an express warranty if the natural tendency of such affirmation or promise is to induce the buyer to purchase the goods and if the buyer purchases the goods relying thereon. The trial court evidently construed this undertaking as having no such statement of affirmation of fact as is specified in the preceding section of the statute. There is language from the undertaking considered as a whole from which it might reasonably be construed that the defendants positively asserted ownership of this cheese in themselves, viz. the recitals concerning “all persons interested in the oavu-ership of said cheese” taken in connection with the pretty positNe mark of identification as to who such persons were, shoAvn from the conceded fact that the defendants got the full market and purchase price. If the allegations of the bond are indefinite or ambiguous, the fact of taking the purchase price, to Avhich of course they had no shadow of right unless they had asserted some kind of OAvnership in the cheese, renders the language used a clear and definite assertion of owner
By sub. (1), sec. 1684i — 13, it is provided that in a contract of sale, unless a contrary intention appears, there is an implied warranty on the part of the seller that he has a right to sell the goods. By the third subdivision of the same section there is an implied warranty that the goods shall be free at the time of the sale from any charge or incumbrance in favor of any third person not declared or known to the buyer before or at the time when the sale is made.
The general rule is well established that there is an implied warranty of title in a sale of chattels in possession of the seller for a fair price where a contrary intention is not shown from the surrounding circumstances. Edgerton v. Michels, 66 Wis. 124, 131, 132, 26 N. W. 748, 28 N. W. 408; Shores L. Co. v. Claney, 102 Wis. 235, 239, 78 N. W. 451; 35 Cyc. 394. By sec. 1684t—13 no such condition of possession by the vendor at the time of sale is required, so that that does not affect the application of the rule of the statute and the decisions to this case.
Under the pleadings and testimony it is safe to assume that the agreement to sell was oral and was consummated by plaintiff paying the agreed price to defendants. There is nothing, therefore, shown as to the sale itself and nothing could be reasonably construed from the language of the bond indicating “a contrary intention” to the implied warranty of right to sell the goods fixed by sub. (1), see. 1684i — 13.
The bond in question is evidently not the agreement to sell itself, first, because it does not state the price nor the terms
Tbe defendants cannot be relieved from liability by tbe third subsection of sec. 1684Í — 13, quoted above, for it is manifest that tbe intent of tbe bond was for tbe very purpose of securing plaintiff against tbe claims of Bamford or tbe Eirst National Bank, and it cannot, therefore, be construed ns showing any “contrary intention” to tbe implied warranty.
That tbe condition of tbe bond was not drawn to meet tbe happening of tbe unexpected, namely, that tbe cheese would be taken by tbe bank without resorting to legal process, so that tbe action to be brought would have to be begun by plaintiff instead of defended by him, could not now make that document spell out a meaning which would be exactly contrary to its evident meaning at tbe time it was executed.
Tbe allegations in tbe answer that defendants’ attorneys informed plaintiff that be ought to bring replevin for tbe ■cheese, and that if they, defendants’ attorneys, were permitted to carry on such action it would be without cost to plaintiff, and tbe testimony of defendants’ attorney on tbe trial to tbe same effect, shows tbe practical construction put by tbe parties on tbe evident intent and meaning of tbe bond, viz. that it was to secure plaintiff against claims, in whatever form made, that were contrary to defendants’ assertion of ■ownership.
Tbe contract for tbe sale itself being separate and distinct from tbe bond, there is no room for tbe application of tbe rule in tbe cases relied upon by respondents that where there is a written contract of such sale with an express warranty, oilier than such warranty as the law implies, no other or different warranty can be proven by parol. McQuaid v. Ross, 77 Wis. 470, 473, 46 N. W. 892; J. I. Case P. Works v. Niles & Scott Co. 90 Wis. 590, 604, 63 N. W. 1013.
The question in this case really is whether plaintiff, when Ee paid the defendants full market price, purchased cheese
The uncontradicted evidence shows that the warehouse receipt given by plaintiff to the bank at the time of the taking possession of the warehouse was without consideration and in no wise altered the respective positions of the parties to this action, except as it might affect the right to bring a suit on the bond; but, that not being before us, the giving of the receipt is entirely immaterial.
Under the record, no proof having been offered by plaintiff to controvert the allegations of the answer of the defendant Christie Walker as administratrix of the estate of Frank Walker, no judgment could be entered against her, and as to her the action must be dismissed with costs, and, except as to her, plaintiff’s motion for judgment should have been granted against the other defendants.
By the Court. — Judgment reversed, and cause remanded with directions to dismiss the complaint as to the defendant Christie Walker and to enter judgment in favor of plaintiff against the other defendants for the amount claimed.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). I confess that I cannot understand the reasoning upon which the decision is based. To me the evidence tells a very plain and simple story. The parties on both sides knew that there was a dispute as to the title of this cheese and that the bank claimed to own it. The plaintiff had in fact gone so far as to acknowledge the bank’s title by giving a warehouse receipt therefor to the bank when
The subject as to what remedy the plaintiff should have in case the defendants’ claim of title proved invalid was discussed, and it was finally agreed that the defendants should .give the bond or undertaking set forth in the statement of facts. Had this bond been signed by sureties there would be logical ground for the conclusion that it was given to increase ■the plaintiff’s security, but it was not. It was signed only by the parties who claimed to own the cheese. These parties would all be liable for the valué of the cheese on their implied warranty had nothing been said about security, and this liability would not depend on the successful results of an action ■of replevin or trover. The liability on the bond, therefore, is a limited liability, considerably more restricted though included in the liability resulting from implied warranty of title.
It is a familiar legal principle that the giving of express limited warranties excludes and negatives the idea that more comprehensive warranties were intended “and repels any implication of law to that effect.” J. I. Case P. Works v. Niles & Scott Co. 90 Wis. 590, 63 N. W. 1013. Hence there was no implied warranty here, because the “contrary intention .appears,” and in such cases the statute in express terms declares that there is no implied warranty. Sec. 1684i — 13, 'Stats.
Furthermore, in the present case the jury found that the •defendants did not intend that there should be any warranty outside of the bond. Perhaps the defendants’ contrary intention alone would not be a “contrary intention” within the •meaning of the statute, but if a contrary intention on the part •of both plaintiff and defendants was necessary it must be as-
So tbe result is tbat, even if it be held tbat tbe giving of the bond does not show tbe “contrary intention” required by tbe statute, but tbat such intention must be otherwise proven, in tbe present case it ivas otherwise proven and found by tbe verdict of tbe jury supplemented by tbe presumed finding of tbe court.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Kirkpatrick v. Kepler and others
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