Leitner v. Thayer
Leitner v. Thayer
Opinion of the Court
This is an action, on three promissory notes executed by the defendants in error. The petition is in the usual form in three counts. The defendants answered, in the first count of their answer, admitted the execution of the notes, and alleged that the notes were obtained by fraud and misrepresentation and were wholly without consideration, as would fully appear in the affirmative defenses thereinafter set forth. In the second count of their answer they alleged, in substance and so far as material here, that the notes were given as part consideration for the purchase price of a certain stallion. That said stallion was falsely and fraudulently represented by plaintiffs to defendants to be in good health, free from disease and • suitable for breeding purposes and would get sixty per cent, of mares bred to him with foal, and was a good foal getter. That said stallion proved to be impotent and of no value for breeding purposes. The plaintiffs replied, admitting that the notes were given as part purchase price of the stallion; denied the other allegations of the answer, and alleged that they made to defendants no warranty or warranties with respect to the breeding qualities or otherwise of said stallion save and except as contained in a certain writing called a bill of sale (a copy of which is set out in full in the reply and will be hereinafter referred to.). That defendants had failed to return the stallion as provided in said writing, but had kept possession of him.
■ That the stallion was warranted to be a sixty per cent, foal getter is not here in dispute. The claim of defendants being that the warranty was verbal and made before or at the time the notes were executed and delivered, and was to the effect that if with good care the horse did not prove to be a sixty per cent, foal getter the defendants could return him and receive another horse; and they deny having received any written warranty. The defendants claimed that the only warranty their agent who made the sale was authorized to give was a written warranty, and that a bill of sale, a purported copy of which was admitted in evidence, and which they claimed was delivered to defendants, was the only warranty given. Their contention is that by its terms if the horse did not prove as warranted as a foal getter the only remedy the defendants had was to return the horse at the time and place therein stated and receive another horse. The paper admitted in evidence is as follows:
“Know All Men by These Presents, That we, Leitner Bros. & Green, of Miles City, Montana, have this day sold to Fenton Percheron Horse Co. of Fenton, Big Horn Co., Wyo., The Percheron Stallion named Francois No. 40938 for the consideration of the sum of Four Thousand Dollars the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged.
“In the event that the above named stallion, in perfect health, with proper usage, and the mares to him regularly returned and tried or bred, on one full service season’s trial does not get with foal fifty per cent of the mares regularly tried and bred to him, then on return of the said stallion to us at Miles City, Montana, during the first week in the month of April next following the full service season first concluded after the date hereof, in good health and condition, we agree to furnish the above named purchaser, with*382 out further charge, another pure bred stallion of equal quality, in exchange; but it is expressly provided, as a condition of this warranty, that the tally sheet accompanying and delivered with this bill of sale shall be accurately filled out, with date of each service and trial, to enable identification of all mares bred, and after being so filled out shall be returned to us at Miles City, Montana, by registered letter, not later than July 15, 19 . It is hereby stipulated that a stallion's full service season shall be considered as the period commencing the first day of May and ending the first day of July.
“In the event the conditions of the above agreement are not faithfully performed, time being of the essence of this contract; or should the above named stallion hereafter become injured or disabled through accident or disease, or should any changes, additions or alterations be made in this Bill of Sale, not shown by the duplicate copy of same preserved by us, this warranty shall be null and void and of no effect, and all obligations incurred by us herein shall be considered fulfilled and ended.
“This Bill of Sale contains all the agreements of warranty or guarantee made by us in the sale of the above mentioned stallion, and it is expressly provided that we. shall not be liable for any claim that may hereafter be made alleging any verbal agreement of ourselves or agent in the sale of said horse.
“In Witness Whereof, We have hereunto set our hands and seals this 20 day of May, 1909.”
“Reitner Bros. & Green.” (SEAL)
J. S. Green, the agent of plaintiffs who made the sale, testified as a witness for plaintiffs and stated that in the bill of sale which he said he delivered to the secretary of the Fenton Perdieron Horse Co. the words “fifty per cent,” read sixty per cent,” in the original; and that the blank date “July 15, 19” was July 15, 1909, and that the instrument was signed “Leitner B’ros. & Green by J. S. Green, Agent.” The evidence further discloses that the Plorse Co.
There was sufficient evidence to sustain the finding of the jury that the'warranty was verbal, and that no written warranty was delivered; and the warranty as claimed 'by defendants is substantially that which plaintiffs admitted the agent was authorized to make and did make.
Some other matters have been assigned as error, but they do not affect the merits of the case, and as we hold that the agreement that upon a return of the horse plaintiffs would furnish another did not deprive the defendants of their right to retain him and recoup their damages for a breach of warranty when sued for the purchase price, those assignments of error need not be considered. The judgment of the district court is-affirmed. Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- LEITNER v. THAYER
- Status
- Published