Carroll v. Jones

373 S.W.2d 132, 237 Ark. 361, 1963 Ark. LEXIS 546
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedDecember 9, 1963
Docket5-3095
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 373 S.W.2d 132 (Carroll v. Jones) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Carroll v. Jones, 373 S.W.2d 132, 237 Ark. 361, 1963 Ark. LEXIS 546 (Ark. 1963).

Opinion

Sam Robinson, Associate Justice.

Appellant, John J. Carroll, is in the business of selling poultry and livestock equipment. He also sells and erects “Coldbath” all steel poultry buildings. On June 14, 1960, appellee, W. K. Jones, purchased from appellant a prefabricated Coldbath chicken house, 40' x 330'. Under the terms of the contract of purchase, hereinafter referred to as the original contract, Carroll was to put the building together on Jones’ farm, along with certain poultry equipment. The total contract price was $12,560.00.

After the building was constructed by Carroll and put in operation by Jones, it fell down. At the time Jones had about 7,000 hens in the building, along with poultry equipment, such as nests, water troughs, etc. The hens actually belonged to the Nutrena Company. Jones was feeding and looking after them for the consideration of $600.00 per month. After the building collapsed the Nutrena Company removed from the premises the chickens that were not killed. Jones’ contract with the Nutrena Company was thereby terminated.

Later, Carroll and Jones entered into an agreement whereby Carroll agreed to reconstruct the building. The agreement providing for the reconstruction of the building is as follows: “This agreement made and entered into on this 13th day of February, 1961, by and between John J. Carroll Company, Party of the First Part, and W. K. Jones, Party of the Second Part, is as follows: First Party hereby agrees to reconstruct present metal chicken house to the best of their ability, replacing ox-repairing all water fountains and automatic feeders and reinstall all wiring and electrical system using present electrical wiring. First Party will use Thiifto Pane plastic in replacing the plastic xiow in use. Party of the First Part has ninety days to reconstruct said building to the satisfaction of the Party of the Second Part. When job is completed the Party of the First Part will hire an independent engineer to test the strength of the trusses and other parts of the framework as to durability. Each truss is to have 5600 pounds vertical strength. The party of the first part will pay the party of the second part $1,000.00 for damages in loss of contract with Nutrena. After the terms of this agreement have been complied with this will complete full settlement between pai'ties.”

Subsequently, Jones filed this suit against Carroll for breach of tike original contract, alleging that the coxxtract was partly in writing and partly oral. The Complaixxt alleges: “At all times mentioned herein the defendaxxt knew the purpose for which said building was to be constructed and used, and as a part of said contract the defendant represented and warranted to the plaintiff that said plans and specifications would be reasonably satisfactoiy; that all of the matei-ials to be used in the erection and consti-uction of said building would be reasonably satisfactory; that all of the materials to be used in the erection and construction of said building would be reasonably satisfactory and suitable for the purposes for which they were to be used; and that said building would in all respects be erected and constructed in a reasonably suitable and satisfactory manner.” Jones further alleged that Carroll had breached the contract and as a consequence thereof he had been damaged in the sum of $6,221.28. Later the Complaint was amended and there was an allegation of • damages in the sum of $11,221.28.

Defendant denied all the allegations of the Complaint and alleged: ‘ ‘ That in consideration of any claim for damages on the part of the plaintiff resulting from any equipment or material furnished by the defendant or any construction undertaken by the defendant, the defendant furnished to the plaintiff $1,000.00 in new brooder stoves and equipment, in addition to performing reconstruction work on the building described in the plaintiff’s complaint for which the defendant received no pay and which he was under no obligation to do, but did as a consideration on this settlement.” Carroll also cross-complained and asked judgment in the sum of $2,183.35 as the unpaid balance on the original contract, and for $1,000.00 alleged to have been paid in the settlement agreement.

Upon a trial to a jury there was a verdict in the sum of $4,000.00 in favor of Jones; a judgment was rendered accordingly. Carroll has appealed.

First appellant contends that the second agreement whereby Carroll undertook to reconstruct the building superseded the original contract, and therefore, Jones can not recover damages sustained by reason of the breach of the original contract by Carroll. Perhaps paragraph 2 of appellant’s answer can be construed as setting up the defense of a supplemental agreement superseding the original contract, but the answer is not entirely clear on this point. The terms of the alleged settlement agreement are not set out in the answer, nor is the agreement, which is in writing, made a part of the answer as an exhibit. The answer, in itself, can not be said to be sufficient to apprise the plaintiff that the defendant was relying on a settlement agreement as. a rescission of the original contract.

The original contract was introduced in evidence by the plaintiff. Counsel for the defendant—appellant— specifically stated that he had no objection to its introduction. Appellee Jones was examined extensively both on direct and cross-examination regarding the original contract, including the details of how it was made and how it was breached. Moreover, other than the doubtful language contained in the answer, there is nothing in the record to indicate that appellant was relying on the supplemental agreement as a defense to the suit on the original contract. The case was tried on the question of whether there was a breach of the original contract, and without objection submitted to the jury on that theory.

In connection with this point appellant relies on Whipple v. Baker, 85 Ark. 439, 108 S. W. 830, but that case is clearly distinguishable from the case at bar. There, it was abundantly clear that, as a complete defense, the defendant relied on a settlement agreement which had been performed with the exception of the payment of a $47.00 item. The court said that the failure to pay the $47.00 did not authorize the appellee to treat the settlement agreement as null and void. Whipple had performed the other parts of the settlement agreement by dismissing a suit, releasing an attachment, cancelling a lease, and allowing Baker the use of a store for a reasonable time, all of which was done prior to the commencement of the suit then before the court. In the case at bar there was no substantial compliance by Carroll with the settlement agreement.

Carroll agreed to reconstruct the building to the satisfaction of Jones. This was not done. When the building was put up the second time there was danger of it falling again, and at his own expense, Jones had to put two rows of posts in the building from end to end. In addition, there were 120 some odd leaks in the roof. There is evidence that it would cost $5,000.00 to repair the roof to the point where it could be warranted not to leak. The settlement agreement further provides that “when job is completed the party of the first part will hire an independent engineer to test the strength of the trusses and other parts of the framework as to durability. Each truss is to have 5600 pounds of vertical strength”. No test was made as provided in the agreement.

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373 S.W.2d 132, 237 Ark. 361, 1963 Ark. LEXIS 546, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/carroll-v-jones-ark-1963.