Associated Leaders of Lumber & Fuel Dealers of America v. Hildebrand Lumber & Supply Co.
Associated Leaders of Lumber & Fuel Dealers of America v. Hildebrand Lumber & Supply Co.
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff through its agent procured the defendant to sign a contract to run two years from date by which the defendant agreed to pay the sum of $350 in advance and a monthly service fee of $50. By the terms of the contract, if the defendant defaulted in any payments, the plaintiff might declare all subsequent payments due and payable. The defendant failed to pay the monthly payment due in October, 1932, and the plaintiff thereupon declared all subsequent monthly payments due and sued to recover all unpaid monthly payments, which aggregate $700.
The defendant by answer admitted the signing of the contract, and in defense alleged that the contract was procured through a false and fraudulent -representation made by the plaintiff’s soliciting agent to the defendant, on which the defendant relied and by which the defendant was induced to sign the contract. The fraudulent representation that formed the basis of the defense as stated in the answer was that the plaintiff’s soliciting agent represented “that under the financing plan of the National Homes Finance Corporation [with which the plaintiff corporation was affiliated and closely connected], the latter purchased the contracts, securities and other obligations arising from the construction and modernizing of homes by the defendant . . . outright and without any further obligation or liability on the part of the defendant” upon or by reason of the sale of said contracts and securities.
The appellant’s contentions simmer down to the proposition that the findings of the jury are not supported by the evidence, and that the verdict as it stands does not support the judgment because the false representation relied upon relates to the future and not to an existing fact.
As to the first point, we are of opinion that the evidence supports the findings of the jury. No useful purpose would be served by detailing the evidence.
As to the second point, the language of the question indicates that the representation stated related to the future. However, the representation alleged in the answer as the basis of the defense is stated as an existing fact, — that the Natipnal Homes Finance Corporation purchased the contracts and securities arising from building operations of the signers of the contracts without the signers becoming liable thereon or by reason of the sale of the securities.
The circuit judge in his written decision on motions after verdict states that counsel for the parties met with him in chambers, and that the proper form of the primary question
But the circuit judge also says in his decision that “the question that was fought out before the jury was whether Sleeper [the plaintiff’s soliciting agent] told Hildebrand [the defendant’s manager] that if he signed the contract, the signing of that contract would entitle him to sell mortgages to the National Homes Finance Corporation without recourse liability.” If this be taken as the fact, it seems to indicate either that the representation was a promise relating to the future or a matter of law as to the effect of the contract, neither of which would form a basis for relief. It is true that there would be no material difference between inquiring by the question submitted whether the National Homes Finance Corporation would purchase or did purchase from persons signing the contracts, if the evidence was that they did purchase. If they did purchase or were purchasing, at the time the contract was signed, this would indicate that they would purchase from the defendant in the future. But we find no evidence to the effect that the soliciting agent said they did purchase or were purchasing at that time. And the defendant’s manager testified that he was told that the National Homes Finance Corporation was not yet fully organized for operation and this tends to negative that it was purchasing and to indicate that the statement relied on related to the future. The finding of the jury that the plaintiff’s agent did not know that the representation was false is not without significance as indicating that the representation related to the future. If it related to a method of doing business in actual operation the agent very likely knew whether it was true or false.
We are of opinion that the representation relied on was a promissory representation, and as such does not support a • defense of fraud. So much has recently been said upon this subject in Beers v. Atlas Assurance Co. 215 Wis. 165, 253 N. W. 584, that there is no need to say anything upon it here.
By the Court. — The judgment of the circuit court is reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Associated Leaders of Lumber & Fuel Dealers of America v. Hildebrand Lumber & Supply Company
- Status
- Published