Blackstad Mercantile Co. v. J. W. Porter & Co.

158 S.W. 216, 1913 Tex. App. LEXIS 1239
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 5, 1913
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 158 S.W. 216 (Blackstad Mercantile Co. v. J. W. Porter & Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Blackstad Mercantile Co. v. J. W. Porter & Co., 158 S.W. 216, 1913 Tex. App. LEXIS 1239 (Tex. Ct. App. 1913).

Opinion

PLEASANTS, C. J.

This suit was brought by the appellant against the appellee to recover the sum of $144, the purchase price of goods sold and shipped by appellant on the written order of appellee. The trial in the justice court, in which the suit originated, resulted in a judgment in favor of the defendant, and upon appeal and trial de novo *217 in tlie county court a like judgment was rendered.

In answer to plaintiff’s suit, wkicli was pleaded orally in the justice court, the defendant pleaded: “That the defendant was induced by fraud and the misrepresentations of the plaintiff and its agent to sign what he understood to be an order for certain jewelry, the terms of which were to be first accepted by the plaintiff, after which the defendant was to sign certain acceptances described in said order to be due and payable in 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 months, respectively. That the defendant understood when he signed said order for said goods, and it was so represented to the defendant by the plaintiff’s salesman, H. H. Hancock, that said jewelry was good, merchantable goods and was guaranteed to wear for five years, and that he was to have 12 months in which to pay for the same, when in truth and in fact said jewelry was not even plated ware, but was the cheapest kind of brass and was worthless, and only 10 months were given defendant to pay for same. That the defendant was induced to sign said order for said goods by the false and fraudulent representations of the plaintiff’s agent and salesman, H. H. Hancock, being busy at the time and relying upon the said H. H. Hancock’s representations that said jewelry was guaranteed for five years. That shortly after the plaintiff’s agent, H. H. Hancock, had gone, and as soon as the defendant had time to do so, he carefully read over the duplicate of said order contract and discovered that said jewelry was not warranted at all, but that the -plaintiff only agreed to exchange such articles- as failed to give satisfaction, provided they were returned within five years from date of purchase. That as soon as he made this discovery he wrote a letter to the plaintiffs canceling said order. That notwithstanding this the plaintiff shipped said goods and sent the defendant what purported to be five acceptances, but which were in fact five sight drafts, payable, respectively, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 months, instead of in 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, and 12 months, as agreed in said contract. That the defendant refused to sign said acceptances or drafts and refused to take said goods, and notified the plaintiff that said goods were at Gause subject to their order. The defendant says that the five acceptances sent the defendant by the plaintiff were not in accordance with the original contract and order signed by the defendant, and that he is not bound thereby. The defendant further says that said order or contract which he signed was without consideration and that he is not liable thereon.”

By supplemental petition plaintiff replied to this answer as follows: “Plaintiff says that some time after the jewelry called for in the contract had been sent the defendant J. W. Porter, and after the 10 days allowed the defendant J. W. Porter had expired in which to pay for the jewelry in cash, the said defendant having failed to send the cash or the acceptances called for in the contract, the plaintiff’s agent prepared some acceptances and sent the defendant J. W. Porter, and in so doing made a clerical error and sent five acceptances in place of six, as called for in the contract. That shortly afterwards, and without, hearing from the defendant J. W. Porter, the plaintiff had six acceptances prepared and sent for the said J. W. Porter to sign. That the said six acceptances were identical with the ones called for in the contract in every respect, and that plaintiff’s attorney, W. H. Hilliard, talked with said defendant J. W. Porter and told him that he had the said six acceptances called for in the contract, and that while the time had expired, if the defendant J. W. Porter, would sign same, plaintiff would accept said acceptances in settlement of said claim, or that if the defendant wanted to pay cash plaintiff would yet allow him the 6 per cent, called for in the contract. That the defendant J. W. Porter then and there refused to sign said six acceptances called for in the contract, and refused to pay cash at a discount of 6 per cent, as called for in the contract for cash within 10 days. The record discloses the following facts: The goods, which consist of a showcase and a number of pieces of jewelry, were shipped by appellant, on a written order or contract signed by appellee and a sales agent of appellant, on August 18, 1911. This order in addition to a list of the goods ordered and the price to be paid therefor, which aggregates the sum of $144, contains the following stipulations:

“Warranty. Any of the above articles failing to give purchaser reasonable satisfaction must be promptly returned to the Blackstad Mercantile Co., who will replace same free of charge if returned within five years from date of purchase.
“Exchange Privilege. Any of the above goods may be returned to the Blackstad Mercantile Co. to be exchanged for any jewelry in their stocks at any time within one year from date of invoice. * * * ”
“Terms of Settlement. A discount of 6 per cent, will be allowed for cash in ten days, or settlement of this account may be made in 6 equal installments, due in 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 12 months from date of invoice, providing purchaser sends us promptly on arrival of jewelry at destination his 6 acceptances covering above payments, payable to our order at St. Louis, Mó. If settlement is not made as above provided this account is due and payable in cash.
“Date, Aug. 18. Blackstad Mercantile Co., St. Louis, Mo. — Gentlemen: On your approval of the terms and conditions of the above order, please deliver to us, at your earliest convenience, f. o. b. factory or distributing *218 point, ttie goods above listed on the above terms. We agree that no statement made by ourselves or the salesman will be a part of this agreement unless written in the original order received and accepted by you. H. H. Hancock, Salesman. [Signed] J. W. Porter & Go., Customer. Post Office, Gause, Route 1.
“Ship jewelry to Gause case by express. To Gause. Jewelry by express.”

The defendant, J. W. Porter, testified that on the day he executed the contract he was very busy waiting on customers, and that plaintiff’s agent Hancock got him to sign the contract; that said agent kept on talking and telling him what a good contract it was and how much money other country merchants had made out of it, and that “plaintiff would take up and make good any of the jewelry that would tarnish or be in any way unsatisfactory within five years”; that he was too busy to talk to the agent, and that when the contract was read to him by the agent he understood it to guarantee the jewelry for five years (that is that he could return any article that did not give satisfaction and get credit for invoice price therefor). After the contract had been executed and the agent had left, the defendant read over the contract and found that the only guaranty was to replace any jewelry that did not give satisfaction if returned in five years. When he made this discovery he decided to countermand the order and on the same evening wrote plaintiff the following letter canceling the order: “Gause, Texas, Aug. 18th, 1911.

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Bluebook (online)
158 S.W. 216, 1913 Tex. App. LEXIS 1239, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/blackstad-mercantile-co-v-j-w-porter-co-texapp-1913.