Daniel v. Hannah

31 S.E. 734, 106 Ga. 91, 1898 Ga. LEXIS 25
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedNovember 26, 1898
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 31 S.E. 734 (Daniel v. Hannah) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Daniel v. Hannah, 31 S.E. 734, 106 Ga. 91, 1898 Ga. LEXIS 25 (Ga. 1898).

Opinion

Lewis, J.

To the return of appraisers appointed to set apart, a year’s support to the widow of R. M. Daniel, objections were filed by Hannah, that certain cotton embraced in the return of the appraisers did not belong to R. M. Daniel at the time of his death, and that it was then and is still the property of caveator, and not a part of the estate of R. M. Daniel. The case was by consent appealed from the court of ordinary to the superior-court, and the trial in the latter court resulted in a verdict in favor of the caveator. The applicant for a year’s support moved, for a new trial, which was refused, and she excepted.

1. The first ground in the amended motion for a new trial is, that the court erred in permitting the caveator to testify, .over objection of applicant’s counsel-, that he bought the cotton in. dispute from the husband of the applicant, the value of the cot-ton being over $50. It does not appear from the motion upon, what ground this objection was based at the time the testimony was admitted. It is true the reason for the objection is suggested in the motion by the words, “the value of the cotton being over $50,” but it nowhere appears that such objection was. actually made when the testimony was objected to before the-court below. Without intimating that there was anything in this ground, even if the question had been properly made, we simply decide, under repeated rulings of this court, that we can. not consider it as presented by the record.

2. Another ground of alleged error in the motion is, that the-court erred in ruling out the testimony of certain witnesses who. were not interested in the suit, as to what R. M. Daniel, the deceased husband, said to witnesses in the absence of Hannah, the caveator, concerning the cotton in dispute, and yet permitting-the caveator to testify about his transaction with deceased in buying the cotton in dispute. There was manifestly no error-in excluding this testimony, as it was merely hearsay, being the-declarations of a deceased party to the contract, not even made, under oath nor in the presence of the other contracting party..

[93]*933, 4. It was further objected that the court erred in charging the jury, that if they believed from the evidence that R. M. Daniel sold the cotton at Reeves’s ginnery to Hannah, and in ■pursuance of that sale moved the cotton to a place designated by Hannah, to be credited on R. M.' Daniel’s account at the price .it would bring on November 10,1896, that was a sale, and title to the cotton was in Hannah. And again, because the court •erred in refusing to charge, at the request of counsel for applicant, that as no earnest-money was paid, and no receipt for the •cotton was given by Hannah to Daniel at the time of the alleged sale, Hannah should have had actual possession of the cotton to have made it a legal sale of the cotton. There was testimony by one witness to the effect that he was present and heard .a conversation between Daniel and Hannah at Hannah’s store in Thomaston on October 10, 1896; that Daniel told Hannah that he had hauled seven bales of cotton to Mr. Reeves, that it belonged to Dr. Hannah, and, if Hannah wished it, he would ’.haul the cotton to Thomaston for him; that the cotton was paid to Hannah to go on Daniel’s store account, and the agreement was that Hannah should allow Daniel the highest market price in Thomaston for the cotton on November 10, 1896; that is, Daniel’s account with Hannah should be credited with the value -of the seven bales of cotton at its highest market value at that time.' There was considerable testimony introduced in behalf ■of the applicant for a year’s support, conflicting with the evidence in behalf of the caveator, and tending to establish the fact that no such contract was made as claimed by him, and no -credit was upon the books of the caveator at the time of Daniel’s death. The books of Hannah were introduced, showing a credit on Daniel’s .account of the seven bales of cotton on the ■day Hannah said he purchased-it. Hannah testified that the ■credit was there oh that date. Two witnesses testified that they •examined Hannah’s books after Daniel’s death, and found no .such credit on Daniel’s account. The price fixed in the contract of purchase was the highest market price in Thomaston ■on November 10,1896. Before that date, however, Daniel had •died, and the appraisement for the year’s support of the widow had been returned. Reeves, the owner of the ginnery, swore, [94]*94that he ginned the cotton in dispute for Daniel, and Daniel left it at his ginnery; that he kept it for Daniel, and Hannah said nothing to witness about the cotton prior to Daniel’s death. This witness further swore, “Soon after the cotton was ginned Daniel hauled it and placed it on the road in front of my house.”

■ The charge of the court complained of is evidently based, upon the theory of the caveator’s case, that the facts he relied on for a recovery constituted an actual delivery and acceptance of the goods sold. Counsel for plaintiff in error contended that there-was no such delivery and acceptance as is contemplated in § 2693, par. 7, of the Civil Code, there being no testimony that, the caveator actually received the goods in his possession, or that they had been delivered by the vendor to any one for him. The paragraph above cited provides, that any contract for the sale of goods, etc., to the amount of fifty dollars or more, ex-. cept the buyer shall accept part of the goods sold and actually receive the same, or give something in earnest to bind the bargain, or in part payment, is void. It is true that what would constitute good delivery in ordinary contracts of sale would not necessarily be sufficient in that class of contracts falling within the above statue of frauds. But it is difficult to conceive how a delivery can be more complete than it is when dominion and control over the property is relinquished by the vendor, and its absolute custody, and the unconditional power of disposing of the same, is transferred to the vendee. While Reeves testified he held the cotton for Daniel, yet it does not .appear from his testimony, or elsewhere in the record, that there was any understanding between him and Daniel after it was moved from the ginnery to the roadside that Reeves should continue to keep the custody of the cotton for Daniel’s benefit. On the other hand, according to Hannah’s testimony, it was moved from the ginnery by virtue of the special contract betAveen him and Daniel, designating a particular place for delivery. This place, it seems, was not even on the premises of a third party, but on a public highway which ran' by of through the land of Reeves. This was a public place, and hence as accessible to one party as the other. By transferring it there, the vendor relinquished

[95]*95all dominion and control oyer the property, and the vendee,, and he alone, thereby acquired the right to dispose of it as he-saw proper. We think the delivery was as effectual and complete as if, under the contract, it had been placed by the vendor-upon' the platform of a railroad company, or even upon the-premises of the vendee himself. There was also manifestly an acceptance of the cotton by the vendee-. The particular thing-sold was designated and agreed upon,. and nothing whatever remained to be done by either party, after: its delivery at the place-agreed upon, to' confirm the sale. ' No right remained in thevendee to reject the goods bought, either on account of quantity or quality.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Yates v. Yates
108 S.E.2d 330 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1959)
Patterson v. Hightower
245 F.2d 765 (Fifth Circuit, 1957)
Rabun v. Wynn
70 S.E.2d 745 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1952)
Miller v. State
38 S.E.2d 180 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1946)
Comstock v. Tarbush
37 S.E.2d 925 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1946)
Planters Cotton-Oil Co. v. Bell
188 S.E. 41 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1936)
M. C. Kiser Co. v. Rosenbloom
152 S.E. 273 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1930)
Elliston v. English
128 S.E. 190 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1925)
Allen v. Sams
120 S.E. 808 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1923)
Solter v. Leedom & Worrell Co.
252 F. 133 (Fourth Circuit, 1918)
Mineola Mill Co. v. Griffin
90 S.E. 360 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1916)
Walker & Rogers v. Malsby Co.
67 S.E. 1039 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1910)
Brunswick Grocery Co. v. Lamar
42 S.E. 366 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1902)
Green v. State
37 S.E. 885 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1901)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
31 S.E. 734, 106 Ga. 91, 1898 Ga. LEXIS 25, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/daniel-v-hannah-ga-1898.