Bauer v. Hoffower

45 Pa. D. & C. 568, 1942 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 218
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Cameron County
DecidedJune 19, 1942
Docketno. 50
StatusPublished

This text of 45 Pa. D. & C. 568 (Bauer v. Hoffower) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Cameron County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bauer v. Hoffower, 45 Pa. D. & C. 568, 1942 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 218 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1942).

Opinion

Hipple, P. J.,

This is an action in assumpsit in which plaintiff seeks to recover from defendant the sum of $1,081.22, with interest from March 1,1938. The case was heard by the court sitting without a jury under the Act of April 22, 1874, P. L. 109, 12 PS §688, and from the pleadings, evidence, and admissions of counsel at the time of the hearing the court makes the following

Findings of fact

1. Plaintiff, John Bauer, is a citizen of Cameron County, Pa., and a milk producer therein.

[569]*5692. Defendant, Earl P. Hoffower, is a citizen of Emporium Borough, Cameron County, Pa., doing business as Emporium Sanitary Dairy, and is a milk dealer therein.

3. Prior to December 1, 1936, plaintiff and defendant had dealings involving the sale and purchase of milk, and on December 1, 1936, the parties mutually settled their accounts, it being ascertained that defendant was indebted at that time to plaintiff in the sum of $1,471.78.

4. From December 1, 1936, to March 1, 1938, at the instance and request of defendant, plaintiff sold quantities of milk to defendant at the price of 5% cents per quart, amounting in the aggregate to $7,477.32. Defendant received this milk and agreed to pay plaintiff the price charged therefor.

5. The sum of $7,477.32 in addition to the balance due plaintiff as of December 1, 1936, of $1,471.78, made a total indebtedness due from defendant to plaintiff on March 1, 1938, of $8,949.10. As against' this indebtedness, defendant made payments by cheeks and cash, and was allowed credit for groceries, etc., in the sum of $6,785.66, leaving a balance due plaintiff by defendant on March 1, 1938, of $2,162.44.

6. Of the total amount of payments made by and credits allowed to defendant, aggregating $6,785.66, plaintiff first applied said payments and credits to the balance due on December 1, 1936, amounting to $1,471.78, leaving $5,313.88 to be applied against the indebtedness of $7,477.32, representing the purchase price of milk from December 1,1936, to March 1,1938, leaving a balance due of $2,163.44. However, plaintiff admits the amount due to March 1, 1938, was only $2,162.44.

7. Robert A. Taylor, treasurer of Emporium Trust Company, acting by direction of the directors of the trust company, because various statements were being made concerning the financial condition of defendant, [570]*570interviewed plaintiff and defendant, and also one William Rutz, to whom defendant was likewise indebted, on or about March 10, 1988, at which time plaintiff agreed to accept 50 percent of the amount due him in full settlement thereof.

8. On March 10, 1938, a check was drawn by defendant upon Emporium Trust Company to the order of plaintiff for $1,081.22. This check contained a notation on its face as follows: “In full to March 1,1938.” Upon the back thereof the following endorsement appears :

“This endorsement constitutes a complete release by the undersigned payee of said check, for all claims, demands, accounts or otherwise, of whatsoever kind or nature, which I ever had, now have, or hereafter can, shall or may have in law or equity against E. P. Hoffower t/a Emporium Sanitary Dairy up to March 1, 1938.”

This endorsement was signed by plaintiff.

9. The check was certified by the Emporium Trust Company on March 10, 1938, and delivered by defendant to plaintiff by registered mail. It was not, however, deposited or cashed by plaintiff until May 7, 1938. Plaintiff received the check in the usual course of mail after March 10, 1938.

10. During the period of dealings between the parties, the Act of January 2, 1934, P. L. 174, as reenacted by the Act of April 30, 1935, P. L. 96, and the further reenactment thereof by the Milk Control Law of April 28, 1937, P. L. 417, was in effect and both plaintiff and defendant were governed by the provisions of said acts and the orders issued by the Milk Control Commission with relation to the minimum and maximum prices for which milk was bought and sold.

11. The transactions between the parties involved in this proceeding were the only transactions between them during the period from December 1, 1936, to March 1,1938.

[571]*57112. By General Orders 28, sec. 2, No. 10; A-6, sec. 2, No. 11; A-14, sec. 2, No. 11, the Milk Control Commission established State-wide milk marketing areas, consisting of areas in the State of Pennsylvania not included in any other area, and Cameron County and Emporium Borough were included in the State-wide milk marketing areas as defined in the foregoing general orders.

13. There are 2.15 pounds in each quart of milk.

14. The Milk Control Commission fixed the minimum price per quart, for the area in which Cameron County was included, of class 1 milk of 3.5 percent butter fat content at $.051, which was the minimum price for the milk sold to defendant by plaintiff, and the minimum price per quart in said area of milk containing 4 percent butter fat content at $.054. Defendant purchased milk from December 1, 1936, to May 31, 1937, inclusive, at the price of $.055 per quart instead of the minimum price of $.051 per quart, and from June 1, 1937, to February 28, 1938, at the price of $.055 per quart instead of the minimum price of $.054 per quart.

15. On February 29, 1940, almost two years after the check of March 10, 1938, was delivered plaintiff instituted the present action for the recovery of the balance of the amount due him on March 10, 1938.

Discussion

The questions for determination are: (1) Whether the issuance and delivery of the certified cheek of March 10, 1938, by defendant to plaintiff, and the endorsement and cashing thereof by plaintiff constitute payment in full of the account of $2,162.44, at the time of such issuance, delivery, endorsement, and cashing of said check upon the theory that there was an accord and satisfaction of this account; and (2) whether under the Milk Control Laws of 1934,1935, and 1937, the acceptance, endorsement, and cashing of the check in [572]*572question by plaintiff is a valid defense in an action to recover the full price of milk upon the basis fixed and determined by the Milk Control Commission under the authority conferred upon it by these acts.

The first question was before us in the case of Rutz v. Hoffower, etc., 39 D. & C. 47, in which it was held that a check delivered by defendant to William Rutz with an endorsement thereon similar to the check here in question was an accord and satisfaction. In that proceeding, which was a case stated, there were no facts set forth showing that the parties were controlled by the Milk Control Laws, and therefore the validity of the endorsement or release on the ground that it violated the Milk Control Laws was not passed upon. If the present case were not affected by the Milk Control Laws we would .be obliged to hold that the acceptance, endorsement, and cashing of the check did constitute an accord and satisfaction, but as hereinafter set forth we conclude, under the facts in this case, that it does not constitute such accord and satisfaction.

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

Related

Radio Corp. of America v. Raytheon Mfg. Co.
296 U.S. 459 (Supreme Court, 1935)
Zeuger Milk Co. v. Pittsburgh School District
5 A.2d 885 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1939)
New York & Pennsylvania Co. v. Cunard Coal Co.
132 A. 828 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1926)
Rohrer v. Milk Control Board
186 A. 336 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1936)
Shannon's Estate
137 A. 251 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1927)
Waychoff v. Waychoff
163 A. 670 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1932)
Fischbach & Moore, Inc. v. Philadelphia National Bank
3 A.2d 1011 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1938)
Pardee v. Markle
5 A. 36 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1886)
State Bank v. Kirk
65 A. 932 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1907)
People's Bank v. Stroud
72 A. 341 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1909)
Vandegrift v. Vandegrift
75 A. 365 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1910)
Lyons v. Benney
79 A. 250 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1911)
Pittsburg v. Goshorn
79 A. 505 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1911)
Central Railroad v. Mauser
88 A. 791 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1913)
Dominion Trust Co. v. Ridall
94 A. 464 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1915)
Kuhn v. Buhl
96 A. 977 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1916)
W. S. Weed & Co. v. Cuming
12 Pa. Super. 412 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1900)
Delafant v. Shapiro
73 Pa. Super. 186 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1919)
Pennsylvania Railroad v. DeMarto
90 Pa. Super. 216 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1927)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
45 Pa. D. & C. 568, 1942 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 218, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bauer-v-hoffower-pactcomplcamero-1942.