Butler v. Ederheimer

55 Fla. 544
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedJanuary 15, 1908
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 55 Fla. 544 (Butler v. Ederheimer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Butler v. Ederheimer, 55 Fla. 544 (Fla. 1908).

Opinion

Parkhill, J.

—The defendants in error, who for convenience will be called the “plaintiffs” elsewhere in this opinion, sued 'the plaintiffs in error in the circuit court for Suwanee county. There was judgment for the plaintiffs, and the defendants sued out writ of error.

The declaration was as follows: “Max Ederheimer, David A. Stein, David B. Falter and Louis H. Kohn, partners trading and doing business under the firm name and style of Ederheimer, Stein & Company sue, by Hardee & Butler their attorneys, Marvin Butler and George Butler of the said county and state, who are partners trading and doing business under the firm name and style of Butler Brothers, in an action of assumpsit: damages $550.00, for that whereas;

The defendants on, to-wit: the 13th day of December, A. D. 1906, were indebted to the plaintiffs in the sum of four hundred seventeen and no-ioo ($417.00) dollars, for goods, wares, chattels and merchandise before that time sold and delivered to the defendants by the plaintiffs at the request of the defendants. '

And in a like sum for work and services before that time done and performed and materials for the same [547]*547work furnished by the plaintiffs to the defendants at their request.

—3—

And in a like sum for money before that time paid and expended by the plaintiffs for the use of the defendants at their request.

—4—

And in a like sum for interest on divers sums of money before that time foreborn by the plaintiffs to the defendants at their request «for divers spaces of time before and since said date elapsed.

And in a like sum for money found to be due the plaintiffs from the defendants upon an account then and there stated between them, and being so the defendants in consideration thereof then and there promised to pay thé plaintiffs the said sums of money so due as aforesaid ; yet the defendants though often requested by the plaintiffs have not paid the said several sums of money, or either of them or any part thereof, but refuses so to do although said account and sums of money are due the plaintiffs and unpaid to them. And the plaintiffs claim as their damages $550.00.

Hardee & Butler,. Attorneys for Plaintiffs.

That with said declaration the plaintiffs filed the following as their cause of action, to-wit:

[548]*548‘Manufacturers
Ederheimer, Stein & Co. Young Men’s, Boy’s, and Children’s Clothing. 202-204-206 Jackson Boulevard, Cor. Fifth Avenue.
Chicago, Feb. 12, 1907.
Butler Bros.
Live Oak, Fla.
Terms........ Bills not paid when due subject to sight draft without notice.
Aug. 27 Nov. 7-10 . 258.00
27 Dec. 7-10 . . . 79.00
Sept. 22 Nov. 7-10 Do-. • 329-25
Oct. 9 Dec. 7-10 ’ “ 192-50
9 Nov. 7-10 “ • 52.50
Nóv. 1 Dec. 7-10 “ • 160.75
1,072.00
Cr.
Nov. 30 8-27 12-x 42.50
30 10-9 12-1 82.50 125.00
947.00
Cr.-
Dec. 13 Cash . . . 500.00
6 Discount 30.00 530.00
417.00”

The defndaixts filed the following pleas: “Come now the defendants, by J. B. Johnson their attorney, and plead to plaintiffs’ declaration, and for pleas to said declaration, and each of the five counts thereof, say:

That they never were indebted as alleged.

[549]*549And for a second plea the defendants say: That before action they discharged and satisfied plaintiffs’ claim by payment.

And for a third plea the defendants .say: That at the time of the bringing of this suit by the plaintiffs that they, the defendants, were due and owing to said plaintiffs a balance due of $125.75; that before the bringing of this suit, to-wit: on the 21st day of January, 1907, they sent and tendered to the said plaintiffs the said balance due of $125.75 and that plaintiffs refused to accept same; wherefore plaintiffs pray judgment of this court as to whether they shall be made to pay any costs in this behalf. That defendants hereby tender to said plaintiffs the said balance due of $125.75 and in so doing do deposit same with this honorable court.”

The plaintiffs joined issue on the first and second pleas, and for replication to the' third plea said: “That they declined to accept 'the sum of $125,75 because said sum was not in full settlement of said indebtedness as the defendants in their said plea allege.”

The case came on for trial. The plaintiffs, to maintain the issues in their behalf read in evidence the deposition's of one George H. Smith. The defendants offered no testimony. The court instructed the jury to find for the plaintiffs.- The jury thereupon returned a verdict for $417.00 and interest from December 3rd, 1906, in favor of the plaintiffs. A motion for new trial was overruled, final judgment in favor of plaintiffs was entered, and defendants sued out writ'of error.

The plaintiffs offered to read to the jury the third interrogatory propounded to the witness, Smith, and his answer thereto, as follows':

Q. 3. “Did plaintiffs in this cause during the summer and fall or either of the year. 1906, receive from the defendants herein an order or orders for the shipment of clothing for $1,072.00?” A. 3 “They did. The order called for $1,075.00 of which $1,072.00 was ship[550]*550ped. Here is the original order.” (Witness hands paper to commissioner, same marked plaintiffs’ exhibit A.)

To the reading of the answer to interrogatory No. 3 and to the admission in evidence of said order marked exhibit “A” the defendants objected on the grounds: “First. Because said answer is too' general to be considered as evidence, same not specifying any particular thing of value, not the aggregate value of any numbei of described articles, and because the same is not material to the issue. Second. Because the book account is the best evidence of the articles and the value of each article sold, delivered and charged to the defendants.” The defendants further objected to the admission in evidence of exhibit “A” on the grounds: “First, because said pretended order does not state that any particular or recognized article was ordered. Second, because said order is not signed by defendants, and same has not been proven or identified as an order given by defendants, and neither does said order name any article or merchandise sold and delivered. Third, said pretended order is not a copy of, nor does it correspond with, the cause of action filed with the declaration.”

The court overruled these objections. This ruling of the court is made the basis of the first assignment of error. The court committed no error in this ruling. The answer must be considered in connection with the interrogatory propounded.

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Bluebook (online)
55 Fla. 544, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/butler-v-ederheimer-fla-1908.