Elders v. Montgomery-Ward & Co.

172 So. 191
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 5, 1937
DocketNo. 5406.
StatusPublished

This text of 172 So. 191 (Elders v. Montgomery-Ward & Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Elders v. Montgomery-Ward & Co., 172 So. 191 (La. Ct. App. 1937).

Opinion

DREW, Judge.

Garland Elders and his wife, Mrs. Gladys Elders, instituted this suit for damages against the defendant, Montgomery-Ward & Co., Incorporated. Garland Elders appeared individually and as head and master of the community, and his wife, Gladys, appeared in her own individual capacity. They alleged that during the past several years they had purchased on numerous occasions articles of household furniture from defendant, paying part cash and the balance on terms of credit. They further alleged that on January 17, 1936, there was a balance due and owing by them to defendant in the sum of $60. They further alleged that defendant, through its agents and employees, on January 17, 1936, at about the hour of 4 p. m. entered plaintiffs’ home without permission, without their knowledge or consent, and without any legal authority, and were in the act of removing from the house all of the furniture located therein; that after a part of said furniture had been loaded on a truck, Mrs. Gladys Elders, one of the plaintiffs, appeared at the scene and demanded that defendant’s agents stop their illegal acts and that they replace in the house the furniture they had already loaded on the truck; that her protests and demands were ignored, and all the furniture located in the house was loaded on the truck and hauled away; that not only did they remove from the house the furniture upon which they had a claim, but also many articles which had been fully paid for and numerous things which had not been purchased from defendant, including a heater, end table, small rug, two rockers, baby- high chair, and two dresser benches; that after the removal thereof they were without a cook-stove on which to cook, or a bed on which to sleep. They alleged the value of the furniture at the time of its removal by defendant to be $300. Garland Elders alleged that because of the illegal trespass and other acts of defendant, he was forced to seek a place to room and board for himself and family, consisting of his wife and one child; and that he was forced to pay $65 per month therefor. He further alleged that defendant’s acts’had caused him great inconvenience, humiliation, and embarrassment, and itemized his damages as follows:

Value of furniture removed, $300’.
Room and board for January and February, 1936, $130.
Humiliation, embarrassment and inconvenience, $820.
Or a total of $1,250.
Mrs. Gladys Elders alleged as follows:
“ * * * that for the past several months she has been in ill health and was recuperating from her illness at the time of' the unlawful and illegal seizure and trespassing on the part of the defendant corporation, and that because of said unlawful actions she received a great shock to her nervous system which has made her highly nervous and that she was in a hysterical condition for several days and was confined to her bed suffering from nervous disorders and caused her to have a setback in her -illness, all caused by the fault, negligence and unlawful action on the part of the defendant corporation, all of which will be more fully shown on the trial hereof.
“Plaintiff, Mrs. Gladys Elders, shows further that because of such illegal and unlawful action on the part of the defendant corporation, through its agents and employees, she has suffered mental anguish and she was greatly embarrassed and humiliated and has been placed and caused a great deal of inconvenience because of being deprived of her furniture, all of which *193 will be more fully shown on the trial hereof.
“Plaintiff, Mrs. Gladys Elders, more particularly itemizes her damages as follows: Damages done to nervous system
and mental anguish . $ 750.00
For embarrassment, humiliation, and inconvenience. 500.00
Total .$1,250.00
“All of which was caused by the fault and negligence and unlawful and illegal actions on the part of the defendant corporation through its agents and employees herein, all of which will be more fully shown on the trial hereof.”

In answer to an exception of vagueness, plaintiffs itemized the list of furniture removed from their home by defendant, as follows:

One cookstove.
One bedroom suite.
One breakfast room suite.
One living room suite.
Rug and rug mat.
One bed springs.
One mattress.
One heater.
One end table.
One small rug.
Two rocking chairs.
One baby high chair.
Two dresser benches.

In answer, defendant denied the essential allegations of the petition. It alleged that all purchases made by plaintiffs were made under a written contract and that the amount due-and owing by them is $65.52. Further answering, it admitted it removed certain articles of furniture from plaintiffs’ home to the Herrin Transfer & Warehouse Company’s place of business, in Shreveport, but averred that it was done at plaintiffs’ request. It further alleged that its dealings with plaintiffs were through Mrs. Gladys Elders, exclusively, and that some time prior to the date the furniture was removed, Mrs. Elders had requested it to help her and her husband save the furniture which she feared was about to be seized for other debts; that it did attempt to assist her in borrowing the money with which to discharge their debts, but was unsuccessful; that due to Mrs. Elders’ urgent appeal, it, through its general manager, suggested that the furniture be moved to a warehouse where it would be safe from the pursuit o{ other creditors; that the suggestion was heartily -approved by Mrs. Elders, who requested that it be done immediately; and that pursuant to said arrangement, the furniture was removed from plaintiffs’ home to the Herrin Transfer & Warehouse Company where it was stored under express instructions to segregate and keep it separate from any merchandise owned by defendant which might be in said warehouse; that the furniture .was held at the said warehouse for plaintiffs’ benefit; and that defendant had no knowledge that they were not pleased with the arrangement until this suit was instituted.

Assuming the position of plaintiff in re-convention, defendant alleged plaintiffs were indebted unto it in the sum of $65.52, being the balance due on said' furniture, and prayed that the demands of plaintiffs be rejected and for judgment in its favor for $65.52, plus interest.

The lower court awarded judgment for plaintiffs in the amount of $200 each, with legal interest from judicial demand, and judgment for defendant on its reconven-tional demand in the amount of $65.52, with 5 per cent, per annum interest from November 1, 1935, until paid. Defendant was cast for all costs.

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Bluebook (online)
172 So. 191, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/elders-v-montgomery-ward-co-lactapp-1937.