International Harvester Co. of America v. Haueisen

118 N.E. 320, 66 Ind. App. 355, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 17
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 9, 1918
DocketNo. 9,425
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 118 N.E. 320 (International Harvester Co. of America v. Haueisen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
International Harvester Co. of America v. Haueisen, 118 N.E. 320, 66 Ind. App. 355, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 17 (Ind. Ct. App. 1918).

Opinion

Hottel, J.

— This is an appeal from a judgment in appellee’s favor for $2,410.14 in an action brought by him against appellant to recover the purchase price [357]*357of a tractor engine purchased by appellee from, appellant for use on appellee’s farm. The only ruling of the trial court assigned as error and relied on for reversal is the overruling of the motion for a new trial. By this motion appellant challenged the action of the trial court in admitting certain evidence, and in giving and refusing certain instructions.

The complaint is very long and, while its sufficiency is not challenged, thé parties in their respective briefs differ as to the theory upon which the case was tried below, and as this difference enters largely into their respective contentions affecting the said several rulings relied on by appellant for reversal, it will be necessary to indicate those averments of the complaint which are of influence in the determination of its theory and the correctness of said rulings with reference thereto. They are in substance as follows: N0n March 11,1912, appellee owned a river-bottom farm on Whité river, which was subject to overflow during periods of high water. The soil of said farm is of a sandy nature, made so by the sediment and deposits from the river. Appellant is a manufacturer of tractor engines operated by kerosene. These tractors were made to be sold to farmers to be used for drawing plows in breaking the soil, and for drawing mowers and reapers, in cutting wheat and other grains, and for operating threshing-machines in threshing- wheat and other grains. At .said time, as well as at all other times involved herein, J. A. Everson was appellant’s general agent, and W. F. Street was its sales agent at Indianapolis and, as such agents, had full power to represent appellant in the sale of its ■ said tractors and in all matters herein set out. Prior to said date appellant began negotiations with appellee to sell him a tractor to be [358]*358used on said farm, for furnishing motive power for plowing the soil, for cutting wheat and other grain raised on said farm, and for operating a separator for threshing wheat and other grain raised thereon. Appellee then told appellant that said farm was a river-bottom farm, and that he,was in the market to buy a kerosene tractor engine for said purposes, provided it could and would pull, a gang of plows with twelve bottoms or plows, so as to plow the soil on plaintiff’s said farra to a depth of ten inches, and would draw mowers or reapers for'cutting wheat and other grain raised on said farm, and would propel a separator for threshing wheat and other grain raised on said farm, and do good work in all of said services. Appellant, and said Everson and Street, for and on its behalf, then represented to appellee that their forty-five H. P. tractor kerosene engine would answer said purpose, and in all of said services would do good work, and that for'said purpo'se said tractor had adequate power and was well and properly built, and was made of good material, and was strong and durable. Appellee had then never owned a tractor or engine used for said purposes and was ignorant-of the requirements of such an engine, and relied upon the representations so made by said Everson and Street, and so relying thereon, was induced to sign and did sign an order to appellant for one of its said forty-five H. P. “International Tractor Kerosene Engines,” for which he agreed to pay $2,400 to be evidenced by his note due January 1,1912.

The warranty contained in such order is set out and a copy of the order is made a part of the complaint by'way of exhibit. It is then averred that pursuant to said order the tractor engine was delivered to appellee at his farm; that in conformity with [359]*359arrangements before made, and before appellee bad made any nse of said tractor, said Everson, Street, and other agents and employes of said appellant, were at appellee’s farm, where said tractor was to be used, for the purpose of adjusting it and assisting appellee in starting and using it, and they then saw the soil and ground and farm on which said tractor was to be used, and were fully acquainted with their character, nature and condition. v

Averments follow showing a trial of said tractor in the presence of appellant’s said agents, Everson and Street, the particulars thereof, and the results, that it did not work well, that appellee told said agents that it did not do good work and was not satisfactory, that said agents protested that the soil was too wet, and stated that said tractor could and would do said work and plowing, and requested appellee to keep said tractor and use and test the same, and promised and agreed to assist appellee in making said tractor do said plowing in said soil on said farm, all as before represented. The particulars of additional trials made at the request of appellant’s said agents, with substantially the same result and failure in each instance, are set out in detail, together with the repeated efforts of appellant’s said agents to adjust said tractor, and their continued assurances and representations to appellee that said tractor could and would do said plowing on said farm. It is also averred that when appellee executed' the note provided for in his said order for said tractor, he told said Everson that said tractor was not satisfactory and. did not do good work, and objected to the giving of said note, whereupon said Everson, foi; the purpose of inducing appellee to give such note, stated [360]*360to Mm that it was necessary in keeping their books in proper form, and represented that said tractor conld and wonld do said work, and would plow said soil on appellee’s farm; and then promised and agreed that appellant would take care of appellee and protect him from loss on account of said order and said tractor; that appellee relied on said promises, and relying thereon signed said note, not then knowing that said tractor was incapable of performing said services or of doing good work on account of its original construction, etc.; that on December 9, 1912, appellant called upon appellee to pay said note in order to get the advantage of the twelve per cent, discount provided for, and appellee again notified appellant that the tractor was not satisfactory, that it did not fulfill the warranty, and refused to pay said note; that thereupon appellant, through said Ever-son, again repeated its representations and promises substantially as above set out, and further promised that if appellee would forthwith pay said note appellant would extend said warranty and would see that said tractor would do said plowing and would perform said services and would do good work therein and would stand behind appellee and protect Mm from any loss on account of said tractor or on account of said order; that, relying on said representations, etc., and not knowing that said tractor was incapable of performing said 'services or doing good work because of its original construction, appellee, on December 16, 1912, paid appellant $2,112, being the amount of said note less twelve per cent, discount, and thereafter the appellee received from appellant a letter, which is set out, and, omitting the caption, etc., is as follows:

[361]*361“Indianapolis, Ind., December 16, 1912. “Mr. William C. Haneisen,

Indianap olis, Indiana:

“Dear Sir:—

“In consideration of yonr making cash payment for 45 H. P. Tractor, as per order of March 11, 1912, we hereby extend warranty therein until the spring of 1913.

“Yours very truly,

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Bluebook (online)
118 N.E. 320, 66 Ind. App. 355, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 17, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/international-harvester-co-of-america-v-haueisen-indctapp-1918.