Bailey v. Leishman

89 P. 78, 32 Utah 123, 1907 Utah LEXIS 24
Utah Supreme Court·Decided March 5, 1907·No. No. 1700·Published·Cited by 7 cases

Opinions

FLICK, J.

This is an action for damages for breach of an alleged contract. The question for determination arises upon the sufficiency of the complaint. The material allegations of the complaint are, in substance: That on the 16th day of October, at Wellsville, Utah, the plaintiffs (appellants) and defendants (respondents) entered into a certain written contract in words and figures as follows: “Oct. 16, ’03. I hereby sell and agree to "deliver to Bjailey & Sons at their place of business in Logan City, Utah, 125 bushels of lucern seed at the rate of 10 3-4 cents per pound after same seed is recleaned; said seed to be in said David & Andrew Leish-man’s sacks. [Signed] Andrew Leishman. David Leish-[125] man.” That by the terms of said contract the defendants had agreed to deliver the said seed to the plaintiffs at said Logan City within a reasonable time. That ten days or less after the making of said contract was a reasonable time within which to deliver the said seed, and the said defendants could have delivered the same to plaintiffs within said time had they chosen to do so. That plaintiffs have at all times been able and willing to purchase from defendants said seed at the rate of 10 3-4 cents per pound as expressed in the memorandum of agreement. That plaintiffs at all times have been ready, willing and able to pay said defendants said 10 3-4 cents per pound for said seed upon the delivery and recleaning thereof. That said defendants have wholly failed and neglected to deliver said seed, or any part thereof, to plaintiff, and have refused to deliver said seed or any part thereof notwithstanding that “plaintiffs on the 7th day of November, 1903, and at divers other times prior thereto, demanded of the said defendants that they deliver the said seed in accordance with the terms of the said agreement between the said parties.” That by reason of the failure to deliver said seed plaintiffs alleged that they have been damaged in the sum of $150, for which they demand judgment. Respondents demurred to this complaint upon various grounds, but rely upon one ground only in their brief and argument, which is that the complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute, a cause of action. The court sustained the demurrer, and appellants electing to stand upon their complaint, a judgment dismissing the action was duly entered against them, from which judgment they appeal.

The only error assigned is that the court erred in sustaining the demurrer. Respondents’ counsel contends that the complaint is insufficient, and that the ruling of the court is correct, and in support of his contention urges, in substance, the following reasons: (1) That the memorandum relied on is signed by respondents only, that no consideration is mentioned, and that the memorandum contains no promise on the part of appellants binding them. (2) That the appellants do not aver any consideration for the promise of re[126] spondents, that there is no allegation of the execution or delivery of said memorandum, nor that the appellants agreed to purchase the seed. (3) That the complaint discloses that the original statement was, in effect, an offer merely, and that the words “hereby sell” mean “hereby agree to' sell.” (4) That the alleged agreement is unilateral, binding appellants to nothing, leaving them free to pay for the seed or not, to accept the seed after tender to them or not, and to pay for the same at the rate mentioned or not; that the memorandum is merely an attempt to bind the sellers without imposing any liability on the purchasers. The foregoing, we think, fairly summarizes all the reasons counsel relies on to sustain the court’s ruling.

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Bailey v. Leishman, 89 P. 78, 32 Utah 123, 1907 Utah LEXIS 24 (Utah 1907).

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