Frost v. Van Cleef

9 N.E.2d 977, 291 Ill. App. 363, 1937 Ill. App. LEXIS 486
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJune 30, 1937
DocketGen. No. 39,057
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 9 N.E.2d 977 (Frost v. Van Cleef) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Frost v. Van Cleef, 9 N.E.2d 977, 291 Ill. App. 363, 1937 Ill. App. LEXIS 486 (Ill. Ct. App. 1937).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Hall

delivered the opinion of the court.

Judgment was entered in favor of • plaintiffs and Against defendants in the superior court of Cook county for the sum of $1,200, after a trial by the court without a jury. The action is predicated upon an alleged breach of an oral contract, wherein it is claimed that defendants undertook and agreed to rubberize certain fabric furnished by defendants to plaintiffs, to be used by plaintiffs in the manufacture of upholstering for church kneelers.

Elmer Frost, an employee of plaintiffs, testified to the effect that about July 14, 1931, he had a conversation with one of the defendants — whom he identified in court as Noah Van Cleef — at defendants’ place of business, with reference to purchasing rubberized fabric or cloth from defendants, and that a man named Netzel was with the witness at the time; that Frost inquired of Van Cleef whether or not the rubberized material which defendants manufactured could be used in upholstering, and that Van Cleef’s reply was that it could be so used; that the witness told Van Cleef that plaintiffs desired-to upholster pew kneelers in churches, and that it had been found that artificial leather was not satisfactory, because it would crack up and deteriorate; that Van Cleef told the witness that defendants were, at the time, using rubberized fabric for automobile tops and seats, and that the witness afterwards gave defendants a “sample order” for a considerable amount of the material for plaintiffs to try out. The record indicates that this order is dated September 30, 1931, and recites, in substance, that plaintiffs purchased from defendants 150 yards of rubberized cloth. The order contains the following recitation: “Per sample attached.” The record does not show <?learly, but we conclude from tlie briefs of both parties that the words “per sample attached,’’-'means that the “sample” is the material so purchased from defendants by plaintiffs which was to be used by plaintiffs for experimental purposes. Thereafter, and until September 15, 1932, defendants furnished a considerable amount of vulcanized cloth, to be used for upholstering pew kneelers. Prior to November 15, 1933, plaintiffs found that the fabric furnished by defendants and used as the base for the rubberized material, was not satisfactory, because it was too light and had a tendency to stretch and wrinkle after it was used in upholstering, and that Frost then inquired of defendants as to whether or not a stronger fabric would not be better, and whether such a fabric could be rubberized, the same as that which plaintiffs had been using; that defendants assured him that this could be done, and that thereupon the witness ordered a number of yards of material to be vulcanized upon fabrics or cloth to be furnished by plaintiffs. Thereafter, the plaintiffs received from defendants various shipments of this rubberized material, which had been processed upon cloth so furnished by plaintiffs. The witness, Frost, testified that he delivered the cloth to be rubberized to a man named Dermott of defendants.’ firm, and that the witness then stated to Dermott that plaintiffs desired the cloth rubberized “the same as we had received before.” Thereafter several shipments were made by defendants to plaintiffs of this processed material, which proved to be satisfactory. The witness, Frost, testified that about November 5, 1933, he spoke to defendant Paul Van Cleef, and stated to Van Cleef, “I think we are entitled to a better price, and Paul (meaning Paul Van Cleef) said to me that he would give me a better price.” The record indicates that after this conversation, a shipment was made by defendants which had been processed as above suggested, which shipment was received by plaintiffs on or about November 22nd, following. This shipment was tendered back to defendants, as was a shipment made on December 15, 1933, because, as plaintiffs allege, the material did not conform to samples furnished, and would not answer their purpose. It is the contention of plaintiffs that the product furnished by defendants on the last mentioned dates did not conform to the samples furnished plaintiffs, and that plaintiffs were thereby damaged. They seek to recover certain amounts paid to defendants for material and the cost and expense of certain work done, in upholstering kneelers.

It is the contention of defendants that there were no warranties, either express or implied, that the sales were not made by sample when plaintiffs supplied the fabric for processing, and that plaintiffs did not rely on the skill and judgment of defendants in this work, because plaintiffs themselves were experimenting with a new product, and so advised defendants; that the evidence shows that there were no warranties on the part of defendants, and that all defendants were required to do was to render the processing service in a good and workmanlike manner, which the evidence shows was done. It is further claimed by defendants that after a dispute concerning the matters in question, an accord and satisfaction was had between the parties on November 15, 1933; also, that the evidence fails to disclose any defect in the material furnished by them to plaintiffs.

Frank M. Netzel, one of the plaintiffs and a partner in the Frost Rubber Works, and who accompanied Elmer Frost on his visit to defendants’ institution on July 14, 1931, testified to the effect that he had been in the rubber business for 38 years, and was familiar with the business; that he knew the process of compounding and vulcanizing rubber; that on the occasion of his visit to defendants’ plant, already referred to, the witness stated to Van Cleef that plaintiffs were getting ready to go into the business of upholstering kneelers for churches; that he had tried rubber coating in a small way, and that he asked Van Cleef about using defendants’ material, and that Van Cleef answered that defendants were selling the material for automobile tops; that the witness then asked Van Cleef for samples of material to be used for church kneelers; that Van Cleef furnished the witness with samples of soft suede cloth, and that the witness told Van Cleef that plaintiffs expected to do considerable business with churches; that he, Netzel, covered some kneelers in two churches with this material, and that the covering at first seemed to be satisfactory, but that he was afterwards told by the people representing the church that the upholstering of the kneelers ivas not satisfactory; that he reported this to Dermott of defendants’ firm, and that he was directed by Dermott to send the material back; that he subsequently went to defendants’ place of business and talked to a Dr. Frick, and told him that the material was not vulcanized properly, and that he was afterwards told by Paul Van Cleef that if the material was not right, defendants would take it back in 30 days and give plaintiffs credit for any moneys paid on it; that on April 11, 1934, plaintiffs returned some of the material to defendants, but defendants would not accept it. This witness stated that in his opinion, the material was not properly vulcanized.

John H. Kelly, Jr., a research rubber chemist, a Avitness for plaintiff, testified to the effect that at the request of plaintiffs, he examined several rubber samples to determine whether they were properly vulcanized or not, that the common test to determine whether rubber is vulcanized properly, is to try to dissolve it into a solvent called xylol, and that one of the samples Avhich he put into the xylol went into solution within 9 feiy moments,

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Bluebook (online)
9 N.E.2d 977, 291 Ill. App. 363, 1937 Ill. App. LEXIS 486, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/frost-v-van-cleef-illappct-1937.