Barber Asphalt Paving Co. v. Brand

4 Silv. Sup. 519
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 2, 1889
StatusPublished

This text of 4 Silv. Sup. 519 (Barber Asphalt Paving Co. v. Brand) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Barber Asphalt Paving Co. v. Brand, 4 Silv. Sup. 519 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1889).

Opinion

Barrett, J.

Brand’s demurrer is solely upon the ground that the complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action as against him. This complaint sets forth a contract between Brand and one Barber, whereby, for a good consideration, Brand covenanted “ not to sell asphalt to be used in the laying of sheet asphalt street pavements or in making asphalt blocks,” except to certain persons in Philardelphia, Baltimore, Washington and Brooklyn, for use in their respective cities. All rights acquired under this con[520]*520tract were subsequently assigned to the plaintiff, who now charges a violation of his covenant by Brand acting in collusion with Taylor and the Vulcanite Company. Transfers from Brand to Taylor, and from Taylor to the Vulcanite Company, are set forth; and it is' averred that such transfers, witli accompanying agreements for the purchase and use of asphalt, were made without any condition or provision that such asphalt should not be used for street paving. It is further averred that, under these transfers and agreements, the Vulcanite Company, has already purchased asphalt and used it in laying down sheet asphalt stre.et pavements of substantially the same kind as those which the plaintiff is engaged in laying, and that Brand has notified the plaintiff that he was about to furnish asphalt to the Vulcanite Company for such purposes. The main ground of the demurrer seems to be that Brand notified the Vulcanite Company of his covenant- with Barber, and that that company purchased “subject thereto.” I am unable to see what answer this is to the charge that Brand has violated his covenant and proposes to continue such violation. The statement in the complaint that the Vulcanite Company, “ bought subject ” to the contract between Brand and Barber, is simply the pleader’s conclusion as to the legal effect of the facts. Those facts are that the transfers and agreements under which the Vulcanite Company is proceeding contain no condition or provision corresponding to that embodied in the agreement between Brand and Barber.

The company, however, had notice of the condition eon■tained in the latter agreement; and the effect of that notice in the pleader’s estimation is that the company, notwithstanding the absence of a similar covenant or condition in its agreement, took subject to the original covenant. Brand, in effect, says to the company: “ I am bound, but I will sell asphalt to you in violation of my agreement; asphalt which you are to use for the very purposes debarred to me; now if you are stop pedfrom so using it, remember I showed you. [521]*521my covenant, and you must not have recourse to me.” To say that under such circumstances there is no cause of action against Brand amounts to the contention that a conspiracy to evade one’s bargain camiot be checked if the conspirators are perfectly frank with each other. There is not a word in the complaint indicating that either Brand’s or Taylor’s transfers or agreements contained any provision to the effect that they were subject to the original covenant with Barber. On the contrary, the plain effect and meaning of the statements made is that nothing of the kind was embodied in these instruments, that they were entirely without limitation, that their objects and purposes were to evade Brand’s covenant, a covenant which was well known to all parties, that such objects and purposes have been acted upon and partly effected through the instrumentality of the Vulcanite Company, a corporation organized by Brand and Taylor to effect their ends, and that it .is proposed in defiance of the original covenant to proceed with the sale of asphalt, and to use that substance in the laying of pavements of substantially the same character as those laid by the plaintiffs.

Taylor’s demurrer raises other questions. It is claimed that there is a defect of parties because Barber, in the contract with Brand, refers to himself as “representing The Trinidad Asphalt Pool.” On this it is contended that the pool, or the persons who constitute it, should have been made parties. The answer is that the contract was Barber’s individually. He entered into it in his own name, and so signed it.

Having taken that position, it is immaterial who he represented. Having assigned all his right, title and interest in the contract to the plaintiff, that company, so far as these defendants are concerned, became fully vested.

■ But even if the pool were treated as the principal, it is fairly to be implied, from the language of the complaint, that the plaintiff, Barber himself, James Archibald and J. Joseph Albright, constituted such pool. It follows, in view [522]*522of the averment that Barber, Archibald and Albright subsequently assigned to the plaintiff all their right, title and interest in the contract, that the plaintiff is vested with the pool’s interest.

The other points made by counsel for Taylor do not require extended consideration. However it may turn out upon the trial when all the facts are developed, it is quite clear that the complaint, standing alone, is not amenable to the criticism that the contract sought to be enforced is void, as tending to enhance the price of asphalt pavements or to create a monopoly. The complaint, on its face, is perfectly good under the cases of Diamond Match Co. v. Roeber, 106 N. Y. 484; and Leslie v. Lorillard, 110 N. Y. 533. Upon demurrer all the facts alleged, tending to show that the purpose of the contract was lawful, are admitted; and these facts, fully support the complaint on this head. The case of Diamond Match Company v. Roeber is also an authority in support of the assignability of the contract, and the propriety of' enforcing it in equity.

The interlocutory judgments should be affirmed, with costs against each of the parties demurring.

Van Brunt, P. J., and Daniels, J., concur.

Note on “ Contbacts against Public Policy.”

As to when the court should not declare a contract void on the ground of public policy. Ives v. Smith, 19 N. Y. St. Rep. 556.

The interstate commerce act does not invalidate a contract between two rival corporations limiting the territory in which each should build his. branch lines. Id.

Marriage brokerage contracts are void. Duval v. Wellman, 124 N. Y. 156..

The courts will aid a party who has patronized marriage brokers, and grant restitution of any money paid or property transferred to them. Id.

Agreements between two or more persons that all but one shall refrain, from bidding and that one shall become the purchaser, was held, in this, case, to be valid. Hopkins v. Ensign. 122 N. Y. 144.

Contracts between citizens of states in rebellion, made during the war,, [?]*?but not in aid of rebellion, are not invalid. Macauley v. Palmer, 125 N. Y. 742; aff’g 53 Hun, 635.

A contract which contemqDlates the use of personal influence or solicitation with public officers to procure a contract, is void. Wilbur v. N. Y. E. C. Co., 58 Super. 539.

A by-law of the Associated Press, an unincorporated association, providing, in effect, that no paper, receiving news from the Associated Press, should enter into any agreement with, or to take news from, any rival telegraphic news agency, is not a violation of the constitution, or so offensive to any public interest as to entitle a person, not a party to the agreement under which the by-law was made, to have its enforcement prevented. Dunlaps’ Cable News Co.

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Bluebook (online)
4 Silv. Sup. 519, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/barber-asphalt-paving-co-v-brand-nysupct-1889.