Berlin Machine Works v. Dehlbom Lumber Co.

160 P. 746, 29 Idaho 494, 1916 Ida. LEXIS 95
Idaho Supreme Court·Decided October 17, 1916·Published·Cited by 9 cases

Opinion

BUDGE, J.

This action was brought by respondent to recover from appellant one band resaw, No. 285, and attachments, alleged to be of the value of $1,350. It is alleged in respondent’s complaint that the machine was purchased [497] under a written contract which provided, among other things, that title to the band resaw and attachments should remain in the vendor until paid for in full.

It is also alleged in the complaint that prior to the commencement of the action to recover possession of the above-described personal property a proper demand was made therefor and possession thereof refused by appellant; that said personal property was not taken for any tax, assessment or fine pursuant to a statute, or seized under attachment or execution against the property of • respondent. Respondent prayed for judgment for the recovery of the above-described property, or its value in case delivery could not be had.

The appellant in its answer, among other things, denied the ownership or right to possession of the personal property above described in the respondent; denied that the value of said property was as alleged, to wit, $1,350. The appellant admitted in its answer the purchase from respondent under contract of the personal property described in the complaint, but denied that the said contract had not been carried out by the defendant and that it held the property wrongfully and without lawful right or title; denied that demand had been made upon it for return of the property, and affirmatively alleged that such demand as was made was coupled with conditions not provided for in said contract, and without return of or offer to return the purchase money notes executed according to the terms of said contract, and without return of or offer to return the purchase money paid according to the terms of said contract. Appellant admitted that the personal property had not been taken for any tax, assessment or fine pursuant to a statute, or seized under attachment or execution against the property of defendant.

As an additional affirmative defense the appellant alleged in its answer that there had been a former adjudication of the rights of the respondent under its contract, in a former action brought in the district court of the eighth judicial district on June 10, 1910, which action was brought by the respondent against the Bradford-Kennedy Company, wherein the appellant herein intervened and joined with the said [498] Bradford-Kennedy Company in resisting the respondent’s right to the possession of the identical personal property sought to be recovered in this action, and as a further defense, and by way of counterclaim, the appellant set out the execution of the contract upon which this action is brought, the shipment to it by the respondent of the resaw and attachments involved in this litigation, and alleged that prior to March 1,1910, it paid to the respondent on the purchase price of said resaw the sum of $739, and that at the time of the execution of said contract it executed and delivered to the respondent three promissory notes, one for $300 due in four months, one for $250 due in five months, and one for $300 due in seven months, with interest at seven per cent; that the respondent never offered to return the money paid or any part thereof, nor offered to return to appellant the notes above referred to, and affirmatively alleges that upon the plaintiff’s election to rescind said contract on or about March 1, 1910, there became due from respondent to this appellant the sum of $739, less the expense of returning said resaw to Beloit, Wisconsin, which, it is alleged, did not exceed $200, and in addition thereto appellant alleges that it became entitled to the possession of said promissory notes, and prays judgment against respondent, should the relief in its answer be denied, that it then have judgment against respondent for $739, less the cost and expense of returning said resaw and attachments to Beloit, Wisconsin, and in addition thereto for the possession and cancelation of its said promissory notes.

Upon the issues thus made, briefly stated as above, the cause was tried by the court without a jury. The court, after hearing the evidence, made its findings of fact and conclusions of law, and entered its judgment wherein it adjudged and decreed that the respondent was entitled to the immediate and exclusive possession of the resaw, style No. 285, and attachments, and that in case delivery could not be had, that respondent was entitled to judgment against appellant for $1,350, its value, less such amounts as defendant may have paid thereon. And it was further adjudged and [499] decreed that appellant was entitled to the return of the unpaid notes. This appeal is from the judgment.. The appellant assigns and relies, for a reversal of this cause, upon five assignments of error, which are as follows:

First, the court failed to make findings of fact, conclusions of law and judgment upon the defendant’s counterclaim.

Second, the court failed to make findings of fact or conclusions of law as to the right of the appellant to the possession of the purchase money notes.

Third, the court failed to make findings of fact, conclusions of law and judgment as to the affirmative defense pleaded by the defendant, namely, prior adjudication of the matter in controversy.

Fourth, the court erred in failing to sustain said defense of prior adjudication and in failing to dismiss the plaintiff’s action.

Fifth, the court erred in denying the appellant judgment for the purchase money paid, less the cost of returning the resaw in controversy to Beloit, Wisconsin.

We will first consider appellant’s third and fourth assignments of error, which involve the question of former adjudication. It appears from the record that after the appellant purchased the machinery described in respondent’s complaint the same came into the custody of the Bradford-Kennedy Company, a corporation. Suit was thereupon instituted by respondent to recover possession of its property from the Bradford-Kennedy Company. An answer was filed by the latter company to the complaint of the respondent, and by permission of the trial court the appellant here was permitted to file its complaint in intervention.

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Berlin Machine Works v. Dehlbom Lumber Co., 160 P. 746, 29 Idaho 494, 1916 Ida. LEXIS 95 (Idaho 1916).

160 P. 746 (Berlin Machine Works v. Dehlbom Lumber Co.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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