Kimble v. Gillard

143 N.W. 79, 177 Mich. 250, 1913 Mich. LEXIS 710
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 1, 1913
DocketDocket No. 1
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 143 N.W. 79 (Kimble v. Gillard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kimble v. Gillard, 143 N.W. 79, 177 Mich. 250, 1913 Mich. LEXIS 710 (Mich. 1913).

Opinion

McAlvay, J.

A judgment was recovered by plain[252]*252tiff in an action for damages for fraud against defendant and appellant and his codefendant, George W. Weeks. The action arises out of a safe of a vaudette located in Ann Arbor, Mich. It was commenced by declaration in the circuit court for Kent county November 5, 1910. Service was had on appellant November 9, 1910. On March 81, 1911, the declaration was served upon defendant Weeks at Detroit. The trial was commenced April 12, 1911, before the time for the appearance of defendant Weeks had expired. No appearance had been entered by him at the time of trial, and he was not produced as a witness. On April 13, 1911, a judgment was rendered against both of the defendants for $750. On April 14, 1911, Weeks appeared in the case and filed a plea in abatement, a demurrer to which was sustained. Later he filed a second plea in abatement, coupled with a plea of the general issue, under the statute. Plaintiff demurred to this plea, which demurrer has not yet been determined.

The. facts in the case necessary to understand the somewhat complicated issues are as follows: Defendant and appellant started this vaudette, or moving picture show, in Ann Arbor in 1907 and continued until June, 1908, at which time James H. Gil-lard, his brother, came there to attend the university and purchased the property from him. Appellant then went to Marquette to practice law until December, 1909, when he removed to Grand Rapids and later became a member of the law firm of Smedley, Hall & Gillard. In March, 1910, James H. Gillard sold the property to a man named Gillman under a contract and moved to California. He gave appellant a power of attorney to care for his interest in the property with full power to sell. Later in the same year, this defendant being at St. Joseph, Mich., on business, he met the defendant Weeks, who at the time was a traveling salesman for the National Film [253]*253Company, with whom he was slightly acquainted and who knew of the Ann Arbor property. He was informed by appellant of the sale to Gillman and his default in payments. After some conversation as to the price and terms, he testifies that he told Weeks he could purchase it for $750; that Weeks indicated he might take another person into the deal with him. He next heard from Weeks by long distance telephone, who, having been informed that he was still ready to sell, stated that he had found a man ready to go in with him and pay $750, as appellant understood it; that appellant told him to bring the man over and he would make the deal. Gillárd then went to Ann Arbor to investigate the. condition of the property. Gillman had paid nothing' after the first payment and he could get no money from him or any satisfaction, and he informed Gillman he intended to sell.

Two or three days after this trip, and on October 19, 1910, Weeks came to Grand Rapids with plaintiff for the purpose of purchasing the property. He telephoned this fact from the depot and asked the location of his office. Appellant told him and met them as they left the street car. Some negotiations were had at appellant’s office during which he claims plaintiff was told by him that he could give possession within two weeks; that he expected to have trouble with Gillman, perhaps a lawsuit, but he would defend it without cost to him. Terms were agreed upon, and appellant, as attorney in fact for his brother, sold and transferred the property in question for the sum of $750 to the plaintiff by written bill of sale and drew an agreement between Weeks and plaintiff at their request that Weeks could acquire a half interest in the business later on certain terms. He also drew a promissory note for $200 from plaintiff to Weeks.

Plaintiff’s version of this transaction is as follows: [254]*254That he was at Cadillac about the 18th of October, 1910, having sold his vaudette at Reed City, which he had operated for two years; he was out of business; that he met defendant Weeks, with whom he had an acquaintance because of his business, which was selling films to picture shows, and asked him if he knew of a moving picture show for sale; that Weeks told him of the Ann Arbor property, with which he said he was well acquainted; that it was a good paying business which could be bought from Mr. Gillard of Grand Rapids for $950; that he would put $200 into it and assured plaintiff it was all right; that he would at once go to Mt. Pleasant, telephone Gillard at Grand Rapids, and let plaintiff know about 6 o’clock; that at 3 o’clock Weeks telephoned him, saying: “I have purchased $200 on that place. I want you to meet me there (Grand Rapids) at 4 o’clock” — and further said he had wired the $200, and that if plaintiff did not take the property he would lose the $200; that by appointment plaintiff went to Grand Rapids October 19th and met Weeks at the depot, went to a hotel near by, and heard Weeks telephone to somebody and was allowed to state what he heard; that they then went to Gillard’s office, where the papers were at once drawn by appellant. He claims that he said he did not like to take the place without seeing it; that both defendants said it was all right, and he said he would take it; that appellant said something about the amount of business it had done during some weeks previous, to which he paid no attention. He does not recollect that appellant said anything about transferring a good title, but there was talk about giving him possession. He says that he signed a note to Weeks for $200, but he did not know what was in the contract he signed with Weeks, who took it away. He did not get a copy of it there but later at Ann Arbor got from Weeks what he said was a copy. He paid [255]*255$750 to appellant at Grand Rapids when the bill of sale was made out and went to Ann Arbor October 24th following, where he met appellant, who gave him possession as he agreed; that he ran the business one week, until the 29th, when he locked the door of the vaudette with this property in it and left it there; that(he made no provision for taking care of it, never saw it again, and did not know where it was at the time of the trial. . The only tender that he made to appellant was on November 3, 1910, when he offered him the keys at Grand Rapids, which he refused to accept.

The principal errors assigned and relied upon by defendant and appellant will be considered. The first relates to the question of claimed variance between the averments of the declaration and the proofs. At the close of plaintiffs case this appellant moved for a directed verdict in his favor for the reason, among others, that there was a fatal variance between the declaration and the proofs. The motion was argued and denied.

The principal allegations in his declaration relied upon by plaintiff are:

First, that the defendant falsely represented he had a right to sell the property as attorney in fact for his brother and such sale was in violation of Gillman’s rights; second, that defendant falsely stated to plaintiff the amount of the receipts of the business during three weeks preceding the sale; third, that defendant falsely stated that the property was paid for; fourth, that defendant told plaintiff that Weeks had paid him $200 on the purchase price, which he. would forfeit unless Kimble paid the $750; fifth, that defendant met Weeks at St. Joseph and entered into a secret arrangement with him whereby Weeks was to induce plaintiff to buy this property, for which defendant was to allow Weeks for such service all of the purchase price over $750.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
143 N.W. 79, 177 Mich. 250, 1913 Mich. LEXIS 710, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kimble-v-gillard-mich-1913.