J. W. Sanders Cotton Mill, Inc. v. Capps

104 F. Supp. 617, 1952 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4362
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. North Carolina
DecidedMay 2, 1952
DocketCiv. A. No. 429
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 104 F. Supp. 617 (J. W. Sanders Cotton Mill, Inc. v. Capps) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
J. W. Sanders Cotton Mill, Inc. v. Capps, 104 F. Supp. 617, 1952 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4362 (E.D.N.C. 1952).

Opinion

GILLIAM, District Judge.

This action was brought to recover the alleged purchase price of certain tobacco bed cloth sold and delivered to defendant on February 16, 1951, together with interest from February 26, 1951, the date payment was due. The defendant defended on the ground that the cloth delivered to him was not constructed and packed according to the terms of the order. The defendant admits that he is indebted to plaintiff in the amount of $4,505.66, representing sales by him of a portion of the cloth less transportation charges incident to a return of the remainder. The case was heard without a jury in the Wilmington Division. The findings of fact are set forth herein.

On January 6, 1951, defendant telephoned James T. Duckworth, 'Charlotte, N. C., an independent selling agent, who had a working agreement with plaintiff’s selling agent, to take orders for plaintiff’s products and submit them to plaintiff for acceptance or rejection. In this conversation defendant placed an order for 300,000 yards of tobacco bed cloth, 150,000 yards 36" 28 x 24, 15.00 weight @ .09%, and 150,000 yards 36" 24 x 20, 17.00 weight @ .08%. Defendant and Duckworth dicussed the kind, character, construction, and quantity of cloth desired by defendant; also delivery dates, price, terms of payment, method of packing and place of delivery.

The defendant and Duckworth differ on two points in respect to what was said in the conversation: defendant states that it was agreed by Duckworth that the cloth was to be made up with %" tape selvage and packed in bolts of 80 to 100 yards and in bales of 3,000 yards; while Duckworth states that he made it plain that the cloth would be put up in rolls of 3,000 yards and made up with standard selvage.

On the day of this telephone conversation Duckworth reduced the order to writing, mailing the original to plaintiff’s selling agent and a duplicate original to defendant ; but this order erroneously quoted the price of the 24 x 20, 17.00 weight cloth at 8%{) per yard instead of 8%fS, as agreed in the telephone conversation. When this error was called to Duckworth’s attention on January 9, 1951, he made up a corrected order on that day, mailing original to the selling agent and copy to defendant. This corrected order, which was the same as first order except for the price change noted, was as follows:

“Date: January 9, 1951

Ship to: Will Be Picked Up By Mr Capps Ship From: Delta Sales Upon Receipt of Telegram Advis- Corporation ing Goods Are Ready Jackson, Mississippi

Terms: Net/10 days Routing: P. V. Capps’truck When: Feb. 15-22

Quantity: Description: Unit Price:

150.000 yds. 36" 28x24 15.00 weight Tobacco Cloth ROM -09%

150.000 yds. 36" 24x20 17.00 weight Tobacco Cloth ROM .08%

(3,000 yard rolls)

(Note: Please Note That Correction Is Only On The 17.00 Weight Cloth.

Copy Of Correction As Sent To The Mill. Thank you.”

[619]*619The order was accepted by plaintiff’s selling agent and two copies of such acceptance, called a Sales Note, were mailed to defendant by first class U. S. Mail, postage prepaid, on January 12, 1951. The provisions of the Sales Note were identical with the corrected order except that the Sales Note called for “long cuts” while the order did not contain those words. This variation is of no significance.

On February 3, 1951, the order, at defendant’s request, was reduced from 50 to 40 bales (or rolls) of .each type of cloth; and on February 16, 1951, plaintiff delivered to defendant’s agent at plaintiff’s mill, Starkville, Mississippi, 79 rolls of tobacco cloth which was constructed with standard selvage rather than with %" tape selvage, and made up in rolls of 3,000 yards rather than being packed in bolts of 80 to 120 yards in bales of 3,000 yards.

The cloth delivered to defendant’s agent consisted of 39 rolls of the 28x24 cloth, containing 119,903% yards, and 40 rolls of the 24x20, containing 120,017% yards, of the combined value under the order of $21,092.41.

This cloth so delivered to defendant’s agent was manufactured and packed in accordance with the provisions of the confirmation order dated January 6, 1951, and in accordance with the corrected order of January 9, 1951, a copy of each of which was mailed immediately to defendant; and further, it was in accordance with the provisions of the sales note of January 12, 1951, by which the order was accepted by plaintiff, a copy of which also was immediately mailed to the defendant, postage prepaid.

While the cloth was not manufactured and packed in accordance with defendant’s contention of the -order which he gave Duckworth, in that it was made up with standard selvage rather than %" tape selvage and was wound on rolls of 3,000 yards rather than packed- in bolts of 80 to 100 yards in bales of 3,000 yards, it was reasonably suited for the purpose intended, the covering of tobacco plant beds for protection, even if not, as defendant contended, as satisfactory as that constructed and packed as defendant claims it should have been.

Prior to February 21, 1951, defendant sold and delivered to customers 18 rolls of the cloth, 18,608% yards of the 28 x 24-construction and 36,519% yards of the 24 x 20, -having a total value of $4,749.18, according to the prices quoted by Duckworth to the defendant and according to the prices-set out in both the typed confirmation of order and the sales note of plaintiff accepting the order.

On February 21, 1951, the defendant claimed for the first time that the cloth was not what he had bought, and he testified that in the course of the telephone conversation wherein he made his complaint Duckworth agreed that he, Duckworth, would take the remaining 61 rolls off the defendant’s hands. Defendant testified further that Duckworth told him to dispose of what he could and that he, Duckworth, would thereafter give shipping instructions for the rest of the goods. Duckworth denied making such agreements and said that he only agreed to assist defendant in making disposition.

Plaintiff’s first notice of defendant’s complaint was received by it on February 27, 1951. On March 14, 1951, defendant asked the plaintiff for shipping instructions on- the 61 rolls still on defendant’s hands. Plaintiff refused to accept return of the goods and consequently furnished no shipping instructions. Hence, the unsold 61 rolls of cloth are still in defendant’s possession.

On March 14, 1951, the same date on which defendant asked plaintiff for shipping instructions on the unsold 61 rolls-, the defendant mailed to plaintiff’s factor his check for $4,505.66, representing the contract price of the 18 rolls sold less $244 to cover delivery charges on the- remaining 61 rolls. This check was tendered to plaintiff in full settlement of defendant’s liability and upon its face was written, “account in full”. The plaintiff elected not to present the check for payment because of the writing on its face, and has yet received nothing from the defendant for the cloth delivered to the defendant.

If plaintiff’s contention about the contract is accepted, plaintiff is entitled to re[620]*620cover the sum of $21,092.41, together with interest from February 26, 1951, inasmuch as payment was due under the contract ten days after delivery which was made on February 16, 1951, at plaintiff’s mill.

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Related

Western Electric Co. v. William Sales Co.
236 F. Supp. 73 (M.D. North Carolina, 1964)

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Bluebook (online)
104 F. Supp. 617, 1952 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4362, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/j-w-sanders-cotton-mill-inc-v-capps-nced-1952.