Etoniah Canal & Drainage Co. v. Husband

51 Fla. 183
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedJanuary 15, 1906
StatusPublished

This text of 51 Fla. 183 (Etoniah Canal & Drainage Co. v. Husband) 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
Etoniah Canal & Drainage Co. v. Husband, 51 Fla. 183 (Fla. 1906).

Opinion

Hocker, J.

The defendants in error, hereinafter nailed the plaintiffs, brought an action of assumpsit in the Circuit Court of Putnam county against the plaintiff in error, hereinafter called the defendant, and on the 14th of October, 1905, obtained a judgment against it for $166.90 and interest and costs, from which a writ of error was taken by the defendant to this court.

The declaration contains five counts: 1st. For money payable for goods, wares, &c.

2nd. For work done and material furnished, &c.

3rd. For money paid by the plaintiffs, &c.

4th. For money received, &c.

5th. For money found to be due, &c., and claimed $500 damages. The defendant pleaded never indebted, and non-assumpsit. Issue was joined and trial had at the October term, 1905, resulting in a verdict for the plaintiff®, and the judgment aforesaid.

A motion for a new trial was made containing the following grounds: “1. Because the verdict of the jury is contrary to the law.

2. Because the verdict of the jury is contrary to the evidence.

3. Because there is no evidence to support the verdict.

4. Because the court erred in giving the charges or instructions to the jury, as prepared and requested by plaintiffs’ attorneys.

5. Because the court erred in charging the jury as set forth in the first charge, as prepared and requested by the plaintiffs’ attorneys.

6. Because the court erred in giving to the jury the second charge as prepared and requested by plaintiffs’ attorneys.

[185]*1857. Because the court erred in giving to the jury the third charge as prepared and requested by plaintiff©’ at torneys.

8. Because the court erred in giving to the jury the ninth charge as prepared and requested by the plaintiffs’ attorneys.

9. Because the court erred in giving to the jury the eleventh charge as prepared and requested by plaintiffs’ attorneys.

10. For other errors appearing in the trial of the case, to which attention will be called.”

This motion was denied, to which ruling the defendant excepted, and was allowed sixty days to settle a bill of exceptions.

The assignments of error are as follows: “1. The court erred in charging or instructing the jury as requested by the plaintiffs’ atttorneys.

2. The court erred in giving instructions or charges to the jury No. 1, as requested by plaintiffs’ attorneys.

3. Said Circuit Court erred in giving to the jury charge No. 2, as requested by the plaintiffs’ attorneys.

i. The said Circuit Court erred in giving instructions or charges to the jury No. 9, as prepared and requested by the plaintiffs’ attorney©.

5. The said Circuit Court erred in giving instructions or charges to the jury No. 11, as prepared and requested by the plaintiffs’ attorneys.

6. The said Circuit Court erred in charging the jury as follows: (1) ‘The court charges you that if you find from the evidence in this case that plaintiffs, Messrs. Husband Brothers, sold certain goods, wares and merchandise to D. D. Lehman, believing him to be the legal agent or representative of defendant, The Etoniah Canal & Drainage Company, and upon the strength and credit [186]*186of said company, and that said Lehman represented to plaintiffs that he would pay them as money wag furnished to him by said company, with which to pay, and that said company, or its legal representatives, stood by silently with knowledge of such facts, and by its assent held out said Lehman as its lawful representative, in the performance of its work, and that plaintiffs furnished said goods, from which defendant company received and derived the use, benefit and profit thereof, knowing that said goods would not be or had not been paid for, then and in that case, the court instructs you that the defendant company would be legally estopped from denying, its liability to plaintiffs and the law would imply a legal responsibility on the part of the defendant to pay plaintiffs, and if you find such to be the facts in the case, it would be your duty to find for the plaintiff and assess his damages accordingly.’ To the giving of which charge, the said defendant, The Etoniah Canal & Drainage Company, by its attorneys, then and there excepted.

7. The said Circuit Court erred in charging the jury as follows: (2) ‘The court chaises you, as the law, that an express contract is one entered into by and between the parties, the terms whereof is formally agreed and assented to, in express terms by the parties themselves. An implied contract is -one where from all the facts and circumstances surrounding the parties to a given business transaction, the law would imply and enforce a legal and binding responsibility upon the parties, to discharge and perform such duties as they would be called upon and required by law to perform had the same state of facts been expressly agreed upon by the parties thereto. And the law will imply of a person to do or perform a duty which from the facts and circumstances of a transaction, he is legally bound or required to do.’ To the giving of [187]*187which charge, the defendant, The Etoniah Canal & Drainage Company, by its attorneys, then and there excepted.

8. The said Circuit Court erred in charging the jury as follows: (9) 'The court instructs you that it is not necessary for the plaintiff to prove an express promise on the part of defendant to pay. If you find that plaintiffs sold certain goods, wares and merchandise, received in behalf of the defendant with the knowledge and consent of defendant, and from which it derived the use, benefit and profit, and which goods have not been paid for, and if you are further satisfied, all the surrounding circumstances considered, that there was implied on the part of the defendant a legal responsibility or liability to pay for such goods; then in that event, you should find for the plaintiff and assess his damages accordingly.’ To the •giving of which charge, the said defendant, The Etoniah Canal & Drainage Company, by its attorney, then and there excepted.

9. - The said court erred in charging the jury as follows: (11) If you find from the evidence in this case that the account in question was stated and rendered by plaintiffs to the defendant or its lawful representative, and that the previous dealings between the parties would imply an obligation on the part of the defendant to pay said account and that said defendant did not within a reasonable time thereafter, deny or disput said account, the court charges you that this would imply a legal promise or contract on his part to pay same, and if you so find, it would be your duty to render a verdict in the behalf of the plaintiff and assess his damages accordingly.’ To the .giving of which charge said defendant, The Etoniah Canal & Dranage Company, by its attorney, then and there excepted.

[188]*18810. The said Circuit Court erred in overruling the motion of said defendant, The Etoniah Canal & Drainage Company, for a new trial in said cause.

11. Said Circuit Court erred in not granting the motion of defendant, The Etoniah Canal & Drainage Company, to set aside the verdict of the jury and grant the defendant a new trial.

12.

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Bluebook (online)
51 Fla. 183, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/etoniah-canal-drainage-co-v-husband-fla-1906.