Carver v. Sherman

137 N.W. 519, 172 Mich. 264, 1912 Mich. LEXIS 910
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 2, 1912
DocketDocket No. 66
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 137 N.W. 519 (Carver v. Sherman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Carver v. Sherman, 137 N.W. 519, 172 Mich. 264, 1912 Mich. LEXIS 910 (Mich. 1912).

Opinion

Brooke, J.

Plaintiff made a contract to sell her apple crop to defendant. Defendant first made an oral offer some time in October, giving plaintiff until the following Saturday night to accept. The offer was accepted by plaintiff in a telephone conversation.

Following the telephone conversation, defendant wrote a letter to plaintiff, as follows:

“Mrs. Carver,
“Hopkins, Michigan,
Dear Madam:
“I herewith hand you confirmation of your apples bought of you October 29, at 5:50 p. m. as per your guarantee of packing them, over the ’phone. Packing to be strictly as represented, as you wish to establish a reputation for packing; same to be loaded as soon as possible, at the following prices: $3.50 per barrel for No. 1, Bald[266]*266wins, Starks and Spies; $2.80 per barrel for No. 2, Baldwins, Starks, and Spies; $1.80 per barrel for No. 3, Baldwins, Starks and Spies.
“Yours respectfully,
“E. F. Sherman.” .

The “ confirmation ” referred to in and accompanying the foregoing reads:

“Allegan, Michigan, Nov. 2, 1910. “Mrs. E. Carver,
“Hopkins, Michigan.
“ I confirm purchase of you this date by ’phone about three cars of apples at $8.50, $2.80 and $1.80 f. o. b. your station, weights and grades guaranteed by you, shipment within fifteen days. I will send check for value of car less ten per cent, to cover any contingencies, balance to be remitted when car has been unloaded. Remarks: Enclosed find check for one hundred dollars. If the above is not in accordance with your understanding, wire or ’phone at once.
“ E. F. Sherman, per G. N.”

Upon receipt of this letter and confirmation, plaintiff testifies that she called defendant by telephone and objected to the use of the word “ unloaded ” in the confirmation, and that defendant told her the word should have been “loaded.”

Two days later defendant wrote plaintiff another letter:

“November 4th, 1910.
“ Mrs. E. Carver,
“Hopkins, Michigan.
Dear Madam:
Since talking with you over the ’phone concerning the price of apples, I have thought different of the proposition you made then than I did at the time I was talking with you over the ’phone. Now I want to do what is right and fair, and will do it, and I won’t abuse you. When I was over there I had inquiries for both bulk and barrel apples in car load lots at prices that would have netted me a profit, and also up to last Saturday night, when you ’phoned me and we talked it over, that you would take my offer. That evening I quoted your bunch out and on Monday, by return mail and wire, from differ[267]*267ent markets that they were all decidedly lower, and I did not secure a single order. Now, had you accepted my proposition when there, I could have sold them and had them out of the country, and now I will be obliged to wait for the reaction of the markets before I can care for them. It may be tomorrow or it may be in a week, before I can procure an order. Your suggestion was for me to send you $400.00 as payment on same, or pay for each car as loaded. I told you I would do so. Upon further consideration I have decided that I will pay you for them as they are loaded out, as per your request, but I could not advance that much. Your proposition was too one-sided, but I will pay for them as they are loaded. Trusting that this will be satisfactory, beg to remain,
“ Yours truly,
" E. F. Sherman.”

This contract provides for delivery at Hopkins Station within 15 days. If the letter of November 4th is considered as a modification as to time of delivery, to which plaintiff assented, it may be said that the time for delivery was extended one week. At the time the contract was made, the apples were all picked, packed in barrels, and ready for delivery. Nothing remained to be done by plaintiff, except to deliver them at the station when requested by defendant.

Under the contract evidenced by these writings, plaintiff delivered to defendant, and defendant accepted and paid for, all the apples covered by the contract, except 105 barrels of No. 1 quality. These deliveries were made, from time to time, as requested by defendant during the month of November; the last being on November 29th.

The record shows that plaintiff repeatedly urged defendant to take the apples away, as they were stored in an open shed, and, as the season progressed, were liable to become frozen. This actually did occur on December 5th. Plaintiff seems to have made every reasonable effort to prevent the apples from freezing by boarding up the shed and protecting it with quilts and carpets. Two stoves were put up in the shed, and fires were kept up. In spite of these precautions, however, the 105 barrels remaining [268]*268were, to some extent, frozen on the night of December 5th. On December 10th 50 of the 105 barrels were delivered at a car furnished by defendant. Upon inspection, he found that they were frosted, asked plaintiff to take them back, and refused to accept the other 55 barrels. Plaintiff thereupon, after notice to defendant, sold the 55 barrels at public auction. They brought $2.35 per barrel. Plaintiff then brought suit. Defendant, after suit was brought, paid plaintiff for the 50 barrels at the rate of $2.35 per barrel. She recovered a judgment for $146.25; that sum representing the difference between $2.35 and $3.50 per barrel upon 105 barrels, together with some $16 expended in caring for and making the resale of the 55 barrels.

Defendant’s counsel makes the following claim:

“From the above writing and conversation, we conclude that the contract was that the defendant bargained to purchase about three car loads of plaintiff’s apples which would grade No. 1, 2, and 3, to be paid for when they should be delivered by plaintiff f. o. b. Hopkins, and inspected as to grade and accepted by defendant, delivery to be made within a reasonable time after the 29th day of October, 1910, the apples to remain the property of the plaintiff until the same were delivered, inspected, accepted, and paid for by defendant.”

We are unable to agree with this construction of the contract. Both parties rely upon the case of Lingham v. Eggleston, 27 Mich. 324, which, since its appearance, has been regarded as a leading case upon the question of when title passes. It was there held, and the same doctrine was enunciated by the same learned judge in the case of Byles v. Colier, 54 Mich. 1 (19 N. W. 565):

“ That the question whether a sale is completed or only executory is usually one to be determined from the intent of the parties, as gathered from their contract, the situation of the thing sold, and the circumstances surrounding the sale; that where the goods sold are designated so that no question can arise as to the thing intended, it is not absolutely essential that there should be a delivery, or that the goods should be in deliverable condition, or that the [269]

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Related

Richardson Lumber Co. v. Hoey
189 N.W. 923 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1922)
Germain v. Loud
155 N.W. 373 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1915)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
137 N.W. 519, 172 Mich. 264, 1912 Mich. LEXIS 910, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/carver-v-sherman-mich-1912.