Hercules Buggy Co. v. Hinde

1912 OK 364, 124 P. 27, 33 Okla. 85, 1912 Okla. LEXIS 641
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedMay 14, 1912
Docket1756
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 1912 OK 364 (Hercules Buggy Co. v. Hinde) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hercules Buggy Co. v. Hinde, 1912 OK 364, 124 P. 27, 33 Okla. 85, 1912 Okla. LEXIS 641 (Okla. 1912).

Opinion

WILLIAMS, J.

The plaintiff in error, hereinafter referred to as plaintiff, declared in his amended petition against the defendant in error, hereinafter called defendant, on two counts: (1) That defendant, on March 15, 1907, gave the plaintiff a written order for thirty-one buggies and carriages, at an agreed price of $1,390.55, which were delivered in accordance with the terms of said contract, and which were accepted by said defendant; that there had been paid on said buggies and vehicles the sum of $1,000, leaving a balance due thereon of $390.55; (2) that on September 11, 1907, plaintiff sold and delivered to defendant certain goods, wares, and merchandise, therein specifically described, to the amount of $22.90, which defendant failed and refused to pay. Defendant answered by general denial, and .further pleaded for damages on account of misrepresentations made prior to and contemporaneous with the entering into of the written contract. The plaintiff filed a reply, and under the issues thus joined a trial was had.

Defendant attempted to prove written misrepresentations by a certain letter written by one of the plaintiff’s traveling salesmen some time prior to the time the contract was entered into. This letter was offered in evidence by the defendant, but excluded on the objection of plaintiff; and that question is not presented in this record for review.

The written order or contract is as follows:

“The Hercules Buggy Co., Evansville, Indiana. Post Office: Perry, Okla., 3-15-1907. No.-. Rush Rush. Ship to A. C. Hinde, at Perry, Okla. Agent: Guy Cooper. When to ship: As soon as ready, via Frisco. Terms: Note due 60 days. Pay no money to agents. [Here follows an itemized description of the buggies and carriages to the number of thirty-one, with the prices set out, and which totals $1,390.55. This part of the contract contains in minute detail the catalogue numbers, the kind *87 of bodies, springs, gear, paint, upholstering, and other matters descriptive of the various vehicles.] These jobs must be the equal of Banner at the same price, and if necessary will pay $1.00 per job more to get good wheels if you think necessary and important. Not subject to countermand. Subject to approval of the Hercules Buggy Co. All terms and conditions must be written on this blank. [Signed]
“A. C. Hindis.”

The evidence showed that the word “Banner,” as used in said contract or warranty, was thoroughly understood by the defendant, as well as the plaintiff; that the Banner buggy was a buggy made at St. Touis by Gardner Banner Buggy Company.

The plaintiff assigns error as follows: (1) In overruling motion for new trial. (2) In admitting evidence on the part of defendant over the objection of plaintiff. (3) Error in giving instructions 3 and 6.

The paper writing or order purports to set out the entire contract. Holmes v. Evans, 29 Okla. 373, 118 Pac. 144.

The plaintiff, in its brief, states as follows:

“The defendant was permitted, over the objection of plaintiff, to testify that Mr. Cooper, the agent of' plaintiff, represented to defendant that the Hercules buggies were the best buggies on the market; that the wheels were made of the very best hickory, the beds of choice yellow poplar, side curtains wool lined, etc.; and that Cooper would guarantee them to be $10 better than any work that defendant had on the floor. These statements were made in Kansas City, Mo., prior to the 15th day of March, 1907, the date of the order. Defendant states that he did not order any buggies at this time, but waited until Mr. Cooper came down. The trial court then permitted the defendant, over the objection of plaintiff, to testify to and introduce evidence as to oral statements made to defendant by Cooper on the day of the sale and execution of the contract. These statements were to the effect that Cooper still guaranteed the Hercules buggies to be $10 better than any buggy that defendant had on the floor, and at the same time permitted defendant to show that at that time he had Banner buggies on the floor.”

If the evidence which was offered and admitted contradicts, changes, or adds to the terms of the written contract, the same was erroneously admitted.

*88 Section 1090, Comp. Laws 1909 (section 781, Wilson’s Rev. & Ann. St. 1903; section 822, St. Okla. 1893), provides that “the execution of a contract in writing, whether the law requires it to be written or not, supersedes all the oral negotiations or stipulations concerning its matter, which preceded or accompanied the execution of the instrument.” This is substantially declaratory of the common-law rule. Southard v. Arkansas Valley & Western Ry. Co., 24 Okla. 408, 103 Pac. 750.

“The execution of a contract in writing supersedes all the oral negotiations or stipulations concerning its terms and subject-matter which preceded or accompanied the execution of the instrument, in the absence of accident, fraud, or mistake of fact; and no representation made prior to or contemporaneous with the execution of the written contract is admissible to contradict, change, or add to the terms plainly incorporated into and made á part of the written contract.” (Holmes v. Evans, 29 Okla. 373, 118 Pac. 144; Southard v. Arkansas Valley & Western Ry. Co., supra; Threlkeld et al. v. Steward et al., 24 Okla. 403, 103 Pac. 630, 138 Am. St. Rep. 888; McNinch v. Northwest Thresher Co., 23 Okla. 386, 100 Pac. 524, 138 Am. St. Rep. 803; Guthrie & Western R. Co. v. Rhodes, 19 Okla. 21, 91 Pac. 1119, 21 L. R. A. [N. S.] 490; Garrison v. Kress, 19 Okla. 433, 91 Pac. 1130; D. M. Osborne & Co. v. Walther, 12 Okla. 20, 69 Pac. 953; Liverpool, etc., Ins. Co. v. Richardson Lumber Co., 11 Okla. 579, 69 Pac. 936.)

In Peltier v. Collins, 3 Wend. (N. Y.) 466, 20 Am. Dec. 711, it is said:

“In the case of Powell v. Edmunds, 12 East, 6, it is said that a warranty as to the quantity of timber would vary the agreement contained in the written conditions of a sale. The warranty is almost as important a part of the contract as the price or the designation of the articles sold, and equally so with what relates to the delivery or the credit. If we would avoid confusion, it should be recollected that we are not endeavoring to ascertain what is necessary to be stated in declaring upon a contract properly made, but whether a warranty is a substantial part of it. * * * Suppose the contract had been with warranty, and the memorandum in the plaintiff’s salesbook had been signed by the defendant, but the warranty clause omitted, and suppose the rice had'been delivered, and had proved to be of an inferior quality, could the defendant have shown the warranty by parol? The authorities to which I have referred show most abundantly that *89 he could not. Is the rule of proof different where the memorandum is subscribed by the agent? Most certainly not.

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Bluebook (online)
1912 OK 364, 124 P. 27, 33 Okla. 85, 1912 Okla. LEXIS 641, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hercules-buggy-co-v-hinde-okla-1912.