Brown v. Drake

45 N.W. 47, 28 Neb. 695, 1890 Neb. LEXIS 48
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 18, 1890
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 45 N.W. 47 (Brown v. Drake) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brown v. Drake, 45 N.W. 47, 28 Neb. 695, 1890 Neb. LEXIS 48 (Neb. 1890).

Opinion

Cobb, Ch. J.

The plaintiff below alleged that on April 7, 1888, he contracted with the defendant for an exchange of certain real and personal property, and the payment to defendant of $2,000 according to the following stipulation :

“ Exhibit A.
“ For lots in Omaha city described as follows : Lot 5, block 5, Kendall’s addition; lots 1, 2, 3, 4, B. 8; 12, 18, Bk. 9 ; 12 and 18, in Bk. 27; 8, 9,10,11, and 12, B. 34; L. 1, 11, 12, 13, and 14, B. 40; L. 1,2, 23, and 24, B. 41; [696]*696in all, 20 lots, in Boggs’ addition to Omaha, and $2,000 cash, I agree to transfer to J. B. Drake, all Cattle in my herd, not less than 125 head, not including late calves, and including 4 bulls, one span young black mares in foal, one span geldings, 4 yeai’s old; one span mules, 6 or 7 years old; one bay horse, 6 years old; four colts, 1 to 2 years old ; all good American stock, no pony; 3 wagons; 3 hay sacks; 3 sets of harness; 1 stallion, Winona, bay; also equity in N. E. quarter, section "22, township 7, range 16, Kearney county, incumbrance $1,000.
George E. Brown.”

That in accordance with said agreement the plaintiff paid the defendant the said sum of $2,000, and the defendant delivered to plaintiff what purported to be a bill of sale of the personal property mentioned, referred to as Exhibit B.

It was further verbally stipulated that the cattle mentioned might be left with the defendant until called for, by the 24th of April, 1888, and that defendant execute a warranty deed for the premises described in Kearney county free of all incumbrances except that of $1,000, with an abstract of title to the premises.

That plaintiff fully complied with all the conditions of the contract on his part, and on April 21,1888, demanded the cattle of the agent of defendant, in whose care and possession they were, but who refused to deliver the same.

That at the time of entering into the contract the defendant falsely represented, for the purpose of defrauding the plaintiff, that the cattle were free of all liens, mortgages, and incumbrances, when, in fact, there were chattel mortgage liens, in all amounting to $1,400, then unknown to plaintiff, which were not entirely discharged until May 14,1888; and through'the failure to deliver the cattle and discharge the liens thereon, and the consequent loss of time and the additional expense involved, plaintiff suffered damages to the amount of $400.

[697]*697That the whole number of cattle in the herd at the time of the contract, and on April 21, following, was 131 head, but defendant delivered on May 14, following, only 118 head, and refused to deliver or to pay for the remaining 13 head of cattle, amounting to $390 ; that of the cattle delivered 50 head were not the same mentioned in the contract and bill of sale, but were a different kind and inferior quality, and were worth $500 less than those purchased of defendant, and were not accepted by plaintiff in lieu of those purchased.

That there is now due on the land conveyed by defendant to plaintiff the tax sale, with accrued interest, of 1886, taxes and interest of 1887, and accrued interest on the mortgage of $1,000, amounting to $250.15, valid and existing liens, which the defendant has neglected and refused to pay; that defendant failed to deliver an abstract of title to the land, which the plaintiff obtained at his own expense, amounting to $4.

Plaintiff asks judgment for the sum of $1,544.15.

The defendant answered in a general denial of the plaintiff’s cause of action.

2. The defendant further set up that, after the alleged cause of action accrued, and before the action was brought, on May 14, 1888, at Hastings, Nebraska, all matters of difference in damages alleged in plaintiff’s petition, the feeding of stock, death of stock, herding of cattle in question, cost of deed, abstract, back entries, and taxes, and all other matters in difference, were settled and fully adjusted between the parties, and the plaintiff at the time drew and delivered to-defendant his check on the Omaha National Bank for the sum of $25 in payment of the balance then found due from him, in full satisfaction and discharge of the damages in the petition claimed and demanded of defendant.

The plaintiff replied in a general denial of the defendant’s answer.

[698]*698There was a second trial to a jury, a new trial having been granted on the motion of the defendant, with findings for the plaintiff and verdict for $500 damages.

The defendant’s motion to set aside the verdict being overruled, judgment was entered for that amount and costs.

The plaintiff in error presents thirteen separate assignments to the sufficiency of the evidence and the instructions of the court to the jury.

It appears that, on the trial, the plaintiff below testified, as a witness in his own behalf, that on April 3, 1888, he bargained with the defendant for a lot of cattle, and drew up the agreement set forth, which was signed by defendant.

By this stipulation, in consideration of the lots therein mentioned, and of $2000 cash, the defendant agreed to transfer to plaintiff the cattle and stock, and the personal and real property mentioned, in pursuance of which defendant executed a bill of sale on April 7, 1888, for the following property: “125 head of cattle; 1 span of black mares, 6 years old; 1 span of bay geldings, 4 years old; 4 yearling colts; 1 bay stallion, Winona; 3 wagons with hay racks; 3 sets of double harness; the same being on the farm at Newark, and the Island, and at defendant’s barn in Hastings, as seen by the plaintiff the same day.”

That after the delivery of the contract and bill of sale witness had a conversation with defendant, in which it was agreed that the cattle were to be delivered on April 20, 1888; that on that day witness came up from his residence, in Omaha, to defendant’s residence, in Hastings, to receive the cattle, and there was some conversation then had as to the deeds witness was to make, under the stipulation, “or rather that two lots had, by mistake, been left off his deed; he told defendant he would send and have the deeds sent up the next morning, but he would not wait, and witness took the next train to Omaha, and came back with the deeds and delivered them to defendant’s wife, who gave [699]*699witness an order, on the man in charge of the cattle, to turn them over to witness, but the man refused, saying that Mr. Graham told him not to, as he had a chattel mortgage on them for $1,080. Witness returned to Hastings, and saw defendant’s wife, and in a few days after-wards the mortgage matter was arranged by her, and about the first of May witness made a second demand for the cattle, which the foreman refused, on his claim for a'feed bill of $100, which witness said he would pay under protest.”

The plaintiff does not testify that he paid the $100, but that the agent refused, for the reason that Mr. Radford owned part of them. He further testified, that defendant was, for a portion of the time, between April 23 and May 12, absent in Chicago.

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Related

Grant v. Bartholomew
78 N.W. 314 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1899)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
45 N.W. 47, 28 Neb. 695, 1890 Neb. LEXIS 48, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brown-v-drake-neb-1890.