Rice v. Green
Rice v. Green
Opinion of the Court
A buyer accepts goods when “he does any act in relation to them which is inconsistent with the ownership of the seller, or when, after the lapse of a reasonable time, he retains the goods without intimating to the seller that he has rejected them.” Sec. 121.48, Stats. The defendant’s keeping the goods for the period stated, displaying them for sale, advertising them, and sending out the checks to induce their sale, all after discovering the fraud of which he complains, constituted an acceptance of them under this statute. Ohio Electric Co. v. Wisconsin-Minnesota L. & P. Co. 161 Wis. 632, 155 N. W. 112; Hiltgen v. Biever, 162 Wis. 315, 156 N. W. 132; Knobel v. J. Bartel Co. 176 Wis. 393, 187 N. W. 188. A buyer cannot rescind for fraud after he has accepted goods without objection after examining them. 35 Cyc. 141. Independent of the statute cited, or upon accepted principles which the statute expresses, doing as stated constituted an affirmance of the contract of sale and precluded defendant from rescinding it for fraud. Not returning the show-case, which was a part of the goods purchased, also so operated, for a contract rescinded for fraud must be rescinded in toto. 6 Ruling Case Law, pp. 956, 957, §§ 335, 336. The offer to buy the show-case, ignored by the plaintiff, did not relieve the defendant from the duty to return it as condition precedent to rescission.
The defendant having no right to rescind the sale, the plaintiff is entitled to recover the contract price of the goods, in absence of a counterclaim for damages for the fraud, unless the contract was void as against the public policy of the state declared by the Trading Stamp Act. That statute, sec. 134.01, provides in substance that no person within the state shall use, give, or furnish in connection with the sale of any goods any trading stamp, ticket, or similar device which shall entitle the purchaser receiving the same to pro
We are of the opinion that the transaction evidenced by the contract of sale did not violate the Trading Stamp Statute, and that the plaintiff should not be barred from invoking the aid of the court to enforce his claim.
By the Court. — The judgment is reversed, and the cause remanded with directions to enter judgment for plaintiff.
Reference
- Status
- Published