Asch v. Slesinger

3 Mass. App. Dec. 96
CourtBoston Municipal Court
DecidedJuly 23, 1951
DocketNo. 309760
StatusPublished

This text of 3 Mass. App. Dec. 96 (Asch v. Slesinger) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Boston Municipal Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Asch v. Slesinger, 3 Mass. App. Dec. 96 (Mass. Super. Ct. 1951).

Opinions

BARRON, J.

(ADLOW, J. concurring) This is an action of contract in which the plaintiffs, co-partners, seek to recover the purchase price of $2,141.65, plus $201.90 shipping charges paid to the defendant under an agreement to sell to the plaintiffs 6,119 pairs of Ladies Assorted Leatherbury Shoes. Count 2 is for $2,343.55, money received by the defendant to the plaintiffs’ use, according to an account annexed, as herein recited. The answer was a general denial, payment and failure to give notice of breach of warranty. The court found for the plaintiffs in the sum of $348.60.

There was evidence tending to show that, on "or about January 6, 1950, the plaintiffs came to Boston to purchase ladies’ shoes and went to the defendant’s place of business. One of the plaintiffs testified that he told the defendant that they wished to buy ladies shoes; that the defendant told the plaintiffs that he had just purchased the complete stock of the Leather-bury Shoe Stores in Florida, which consisted of 6,119 pairs of Ladies Assorted Leatherbury Shoes; that he offered to sell these shoes to the plaintiffs for $.35 a pair; that if the plaintiffs wanted to get them at that price, they would have to act immediately; that defendant gave the plaintiffs a pamphlet of the Leatherbury Shoe Company, showing Ladies Leath-erbury Shoes, (which pamphlet is an exhibit and part of the report) and stated the shoes were the same as those located in Miami; that the plaintiffs told the [[97]]*[97]defendant they would like to buy the ladies’ shoes, but would have to wait until the following day to see if they could find a purchaser for them, but would communicate their decision to the defendant the following day.

The plaintiffs then returned to New York, procured a buyer for 6,000 pairs of Ladies Assorted Leatherbury Shoes and on January 7, 1950, sent the following telegram to the defendant:

“A. S. Shoe Company, 203 Essex Street, Boston, Mass.
Have sold 6,000 pairs shoes as shown upon pamphlet. Will be Boston Tuesday. A. & H. Shoe Company, 1305 Franklin Avenue, Bronx, New York.”

The plaintiff, Hockberger, further testified that on January 12, 1950, the plaintiffs came to Boston, paid to the defendant $1000. as a deposit against the purchase price, the balance to be paid cash on delivery. The defendant, however on January 16th drew a sight draft for the balance upon the plaintiffs in the sum of $1,141.65 which was paid in full upon demand by the plaintiffs’ check on January 27, 1950. On January 18, 1950, the defendant sent the following invoice to the plaintiffs:

“A. S. Shoe Company, 203 Essex Street, Boston 11, Mass., Inv. No. 4896
t January 18, 1950
Sold to: A. & H. Shoe Company
1305 Franklin Avenue, Bronx; New York
F.O.B. Boston Via Dept. No. Order No. Terms
Case No. Stock No. Pairs Description Price Amount Total
6,119 Ladies Assorted Leatherbury Shoes, retail stock of Beth Shoe Store, Miami, Florida, as is.
.35 2,141.65
Deposit 1,000.00
SHIPPED C.O-D. BALANCE 1,141.65

The shoes were received by the plaintiffs and the plaintiffs paid the further sum of $201.90 for freight charges.

The shoes arrived at the plaintiffs’ place of business on February 3, 1950 and were shipped unopened to the plaintiffs’ purchaser. On February 6, 1950, the goods were returned to the plaintiffs..

[[98]]*[98]The plaintiffs further testified that on February 7, the plaintiffs came to Boston and told the defendant that he had broken his agreement with them; that of the 6,119 pairs of shoes, there were sandals, and 996 pairs of children’s shoes and beach sandals; and that the shoes were not Ladies Assorted Leatherbury Shoes as represented and as set forth in the invoice and demanded that the defendant take the shoes back and refund the purchase price. The defendant thereupon told the plaintiffs to go ahead and sue for their money. By letter to the defendant dated February 9, 1950, the plaintiffs elected to rescind their contract with the defendant and made a demand for the return of the purchase price.

The defendant testified that he told the plaintiffs at the trial of the first visit that he had bought out three Leatherbury Stores in Florida, and that he did not know what was there; that there were between 5,000 and 6,000 pairs of Ladies’ shoes and that the sizes were bad and that he had an inventory; that he showed the inventory sheets to the plaintiff, Hock-berger, and explained that these were the sizes and the stock; that the plaintiff, Hockberger, picked up a pamphlet and the defendant stated that it did not represent the shoes; that Hockberger stated he wished to have the pamphlet to take to New York to show to customers; that the defendant then offered to sell the shoes at $.35 a pair.

He also testified that he did not know that there were children’s shoes in the lot which were shipped and that upon receiving notice that there were he offered to pay back the money on the children’s shoes; that other than 996 pairs of children’s shoes delivered to the plaintiffs the balance of the shoes were Ladies Assorted Leatherbury Shoes.

The plaintiff filed requests for rulings. The court made the following dispositions for certain of these requests:

1. On all the evidence judgment should be for the plaintiff because:

(a) The shoes shipped by the defendant failed to conform to the description and sample on the basis of which the plaintiff ordered the shoes.

(b) The shoes did not comply with the defendant’s warranty that they were "Ladies Leatherbury Shoes.” Denied.

[[99]]*[99]2. Where goods are ordered by sample and/or description, if the goods fail to conform to the sample or description, the buyer may rescind .the sale and secure a refund of the entire purchase price. Granted. I find on the facts, however, that no specified number of ladies’ shoes were agreed upon to be delivered and that other than 996 children’s shoes which were sent by mistake and upon which defendant was ready at all times to refund payment, the bulk of the shipment, to wit: 5123 ladies shoes conformed to the samples and description.

3. Where the seller makes descriptive statements concerning the merchandise ordered, such statements constitute a warranty. Granted.

4. If the defendant described the above shoes to the plaintiff as Leatherbury Ladies Shoes, he is liable to the plaintiff for breach of warranty if the shoes delivered were not ladies shoes or were not Leatherbury shoes. Denied. Inapplicable.

The plaintiffs claim to be aggrieved by:

1. The denial of the requests for rulings of 1 and 4 and to the judge’s rulings and findings modifying Request 2.

2. The judge’s ruling that no specified number of ladies’ shoes was agreed upon.

3. The denial of the judge to grant recission.

4. The failure of the judge to award the plaintiffs adequate damages.

5. The judge’s finding that the 996 children’s shoes were sent the plaintiffs by mistake.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Boles v. Merrill
53 N.E. 894 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1899)
Lindenbaum v. New York, New Haven, & Hartford Railroad
84 N.E. 129 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1908)
Loanes v. Gast
103 N.E. 473 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1913)
Reid v. Doherty
173 N.E. 516 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1930)
Holton v. American Pastry Products Corp.
174 N.E. 663 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1931)
Duralith Corp. v. Leonard
174 N.E. 511 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1931)
DiLorenzo v. Atlantic National Bank
180 N.E. 148 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1932)
Woodman v. Haynes
289 Mass. 114 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1935)
Bresnick v. Heath
198 N.E. 175 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1935)
Adamaitis v. Metropolitan Life Insurance
3 N.E.2d 833 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1936)
Baker v. Davis
12 N.E.2d 816 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1938)
Korb v. Albany Carpet Cleaning Co.
17 N.E.2d 150 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1938)
Carando v. Springfield Cold Storage Co.
29 N.E.2d 697 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1940)
Caton v. Winslow Bros. & Smith Co.
34 N.E.2d 638 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1941)
Memishian v. Phipps
42 N.E.2d 277 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1942)
Railway Express Agency, Inc. v. Michelson
42 N.E.2d 805 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1942)
James B. Rendle Co. v. Conley & Daggett, Inc.
48 N.E.2d 676 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1943)
Perry v. Hanover
50 N.E.2d 41 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1943)
Langdoc v. Gevaert Co. of America, Inc.
51 N.E.2d 780 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1943)
Hoffman v. City of Chelsea
52 N.E.2d 7 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1943)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
3 Mass. App. Dec. 96, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/asch-v-slesinger-massdistctbos-1951.