Hamill v. Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co.

115 N.W. 943, 138 Iowa 138
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedApril 9, 1908
StatusPublished

This text of 115 N.W. 943 (Hamill v. Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hamill v. Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co., 115 N.W. 943, 138 Iowa 138 (iowa 1908).

Opinion

Deemer, J.

Defendant’s appeal is from the order granting a new trial, and plaintiff’s from the ruling denying his motion for judgment. We shall first consider defendant’s appeal. Plaintiff claimed that he purchased a large amount of intoxicating liquor, to-wit, beer, from the defendant, in this State, that said liquor was sold contrary to law, and that he had paid defendant therefor; and he asked judgment for the amount of money paid under a statute of this State authorizing recovery of all moneys paid for liquors sold in violation of law as for money had and received to defendant’s use. Defendant denied that it sold any liquors to plaintiff in this State, and claimed that all sales were made in the State of Wisconsin, and were legal and valid. The case was submitted to a jury on these issues, resulting in a verdict for defendant. Plaintiff thereupon filed a motion for a new trial, based on seven grounds. This motion was sustained generally, and exception taken by defendant. While it does not clearly appear when the verdict was returned, it was certainly not later than November 3, 1905, for the jury was then discharged, and plaintiff filed his motion on that day. On November 4th plaintiff filed his motion for judgment, and on November 6th he filed an amendment thereto, in which he asked judgment against defendant for the full amount claimed, on the theory that under the undisputed testimony introduced upon the trial he was entitled thereto as a matter of law.

The grounds of the motion for a new trial were the usual ones — that the verdict was contrary to the evidence and to the instructions, that the answers to certain special [140]*140interrogatories were the result of passion and prejudice, and that the general verdict resulted therefrom. A claimed error in the introduction of evidence was also relied upon, and it was also contended that the court erred in its instructions. The special interrogatories 'referred to, and the answers thereto, were as follows: “ Did defendant approve of the verbal agreement which Campbell made with Hamill, and did it make the sales to plaintiff by reason of and under what Campbell had verbally agreed to do and had done under the verbal agreement ? ” to which the jury made the following answer: No.” Was the beer sold in Wisconsin or in Iowa ? ” to which the jury made the following answer: Wisconsin.” Did the defendant waive its right to cash payment?” to which the jury made the following answer: “ Yes.” The trial court submitted the case to the jury upon the following propositions: The dispute between the plaintiff and defendant has been so narrowed as that there is nothing for you to consider, except the following matters: First. Was the beer which defendant sold to plaintiff sold in Iowa or Wisconsin ? Second. Was Campbell authorized by defendant to make a sale of beer to plaintiff and to make a verbal agreement with plaintiff that defendant was to sell and plaintiff to buy beer at $5.10 a barrel and $2.15 a case; that such purchase should be for cash; that payment for such beer should be made at Carroll; and that such beer should remain the property of plaintiff until such time as defendant paid for such beer at Carroll, and paid for it in full ? Third. Did defendant waive the agreement that the sales should be cash sales or for cash ? ” Among others the trial court gave the following instructions: If defendant sold under an agreement that the sales should be cash sales, did not deliver the beer in Wisconsin, and did not waive its right to demand cash before delivery of the beer, and delivered the beer in Iowa, your verdict should be for the plaintiff. If defendant did deliver the beer in Wisconsin, and did waive cash payment, your verdict must be for the [141]*141defendant. But this is not so, and defendant is not entitled to your verdict, even if the heer was delivered in Wisconsin and cash payment waived, if you also find that Campbell was authorized to make the said verbal agreement with Hamill. Ordinarily, when parties agree that a sale shall be for cash, it amounts to an agreement that the title to the property sold shall not leave the seller, and the property shall belong to the seller until the money is paid, and such agreement stands unless waived. By waiver is meant that a person for whose benefit a condition is put into an agreement may by writing, speech, acts, or conduct give up and release such beneficial condition. But you are instructed that the fact, standing alone, that defendant shipped the beer to plaintiff, will not amount to a waiver by defendant of its right to demand cash payment before delivery.”

As the instructions were not excepted to by defendant, and cannot be complained of by it, they must be treated as stating the law of the case so far as defendant' is concerned, and the correctness of the ruling on the motion for a new trial must be determined from a perusal of the testimony. It must be remembered that the trial court had a large discretion in passing upon the motion for a new trial, and that appellate courts are much more reluctant to interfere when a new trial is granted than when it is denied.

i. Intoxicating new trial: against evidence. Appellant contends that the verdict is correct, and that the trial court was in error in setting it aside, while appellee insists that as to one — the initial purchase if no other,— the verdict is incorrect and was properly set aside. Without setting forth the testimony bearing upon this proposition, it is enough to say that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in setting aside the verdict for the defendant. The trial court may very well have found that, according to the decided weight of the testimony, the first sale of beer was made and the beer paid for in Iowa; the amount of the payment being $377.30. This beer was purchased [142]*142February 13th, and was paid for to defendant’s agent February 27, 1902; the sale and the payment being made in this State. Thereafter, and on the 3d day of March, 1902, the following written agreement was entered into between the parties:

The undersigned B. J. Hamill, of the city of Carroll, State of Iowa, herein designated as purchaser, and the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company, of Milwaukee, Wis., hereby agree as follows: Said purchaser agrees to purchase and handle exclusively, subject to the rules and regulations printed on the back hereof, the beer of the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company, during the period from February 13, 1902, to February 13, 1904, at the following prices: $5.70 f. o. b. Milwaukee keg; $2.75 f. o. b. Milwaukee case. Rebate of 25 cents per barrel for cash; $75 allowed per year for ice at the rate of $7.50 per car — and pay for the same in the following manner: Cash. All payments to be made at the office of the said Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company in the city of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin. The Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company reserves the right to terminate this agreement at any 'time during the term aforesaid, if the purchaser shall fail to pay at maturity, or for any other cause satisfactory to it. Icehouse to be put in perfect condition to receive beer at once. P. J. Hamill. Recommended by G. H. Campbell, Special Agent Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co. Not valid, until countersigned and sealed at the general office in Milwaukee. Countersigned and sealed and delivered at Milwaukee, March 3, 1902. Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company, by W. M.

Upon the back of this instrument was printed the following “ Rules and Regulations ”:

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Bluebook (online)
115 N.W. 943, 138 Iowa 138, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hamill-v-joseph-schlitz-brewing-co-iowa-1908.