Kramer v. Gustin

19 N.W. 1, 53 Mich. 291, 1884 Mich. LEXIS 673
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedApril 16, 1884
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 19 N.W. 1 (Kramer v. Gustin) 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
Kramer v. Gustin, 19 N.W. 1, 53 Mich. 291, 1884 Mich. LEXIS 673 (Mich. 1884).

Opinion

Champlin, J.

The plaintiff brought an action of trover against the defendants for the conversion of a stock of goods which defendants had seized and sold, as they claimed, under a chattel mortgage executed by plaintiff to them, and also for the conversion of a quantity of cedar ties, posts and telegraph poles. The cause was tried before a jury, who found a verdict for plaintiff, and the defendants allege error. All the errors assigned relate to the charge of the court.

The defendants were wholesale grocers at Bay City, and the plaintiff was a grocer at Alpena, and in connection with his business there was engaged in dealing in railroad ties, cedar posts and telegraph poles. In 1878 plaintiff commenced to purchase goods from defendants, and on the 2d day of January of that year had obtained a credit of $112, which he secured by a chattel mortgage on his stock of goods in his store at Alpena. This indebtedness he was to pay on or before May 1st, 1878. On March 30th, 1878, plaintiff gave defendants another chattel mortgage upon his Stock of goods and fixtures then in his store at Alpena, and the mortgage was so drawn as to cover future accessions to the stock. This mortgage was conditioned to pay defendants [293]*293the sums of all moneys that may now be due said second parties on goods already purchased, and all moneys that may become due for goods that may be shipped to said first party by said second parties from time to time.” • Then follows a provision as to time of payment, and all the goods were to be paid for by January 1st, 1879. On November 21st, 1878, plaintiff signed and delivered to defendants a paper writing, as follows:

“Bay City, Mich., Nov. 21, 1878.
Whereas, Chas. Kramer, of Alpena, Mich., has an open book account with Gustin, Merrill & Co., of Bay City, and whereas said Kramer proposes to trade goods for cedar posts and ties during the coming winter; now, it is hereby agreed that said Kramer will buy said cedar posts and ties, and pile them on Hitchcock’s dock at Alpena, or some dock in Alpena, to the order of Gustin, Merrill & Co.; said cedar posts and ties, when so bought, shall be piled on some convenient dock that said Kramer may select in Alpena, and be and belong to said Gustin, Merrill & Co.; provided, if said Kramer, at any time he may pay said Gustin, Merrill & Co.’s book account, said Gustin, Merrill & Co. will deliver to said Kramer said posts and ties.
In witness, the parties hereto have set their hands this 21st day of November, 1878.
Charles Kramer.”

This was followed a little less than a year later by a more formal instrument, viz.:

“Whereas, Charles Kramer, of Alpena, Mich., did on the 21st day of November, 1878, agree with Gustin, Merrill & Co., of Bay City, Mich., that he would buy cedar posts and ties, and pile them on some dock to the order of Gustin, Merrill & Co., said Kramer to select said place of piling; said posts and ties so bought were to be the property and belong to said Gustin, Merrill & Co., in consideration of Gustin, Merrill & Co. furnishing said Kramer with supplies. Now, whereas said Kramer has placed on docks and on the beach, in the neighborhood of Alpena, a number of posts and ties belonging to said Gustin, Merrill & Co.; and whereas said Kramer wishés to continue getting out posts, ties and telegraph poles for Gustin, Merrill & Co. Now, in consideration, of one dollar paid by said Kramer, it is hereby agreed that said Kramer will buy posts, ties and telegraph [294]*294poles, and pay for same in goods supplied by Gustin, Merrill & Co.; and said cedar posts, ties and poles shall be placed in some convenient place for shipment, and shall be the property of said Gustin, Merrill & Co. from the time that said Kramer purchases the same. No posts, ties or poles to be purchased by said Kramer except for Gustin, Merrill & Co., and no accounts to be made by said Kramer to any one for cedar, nor give or.allow any liens to arise on said cedar posts, ties or poles. All cedar ties, posts and poles purchased or traded for by said Kramer to belong absolutely to said Gustin, Merrill & Co., and said Kramer will deliver all of said cedar on board vessels, free of charge, to said Gustin, Merrill & Co., and said Kramer will load and ship as directed, in the name of said Gustin, Merrill & Co.
This contract is made between the parties for the purpose of trade. It is provided, however, that said Kramer may, at any time he wishes, pay said Gustin, Merrill & Co. any notes, book account and advance that may be due said Gustin, Merrill & Co., then said Gustin, Merrill & Co. will deliver to said Kramer, said posts, ties and poles that they may own at the time got out for them by said Kramer.
All the above to be performed by Gustin, Merrill & Co. in consideration of one dollar, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and in consideration of book account now opened with said Kramer.
In witness the parties hereto have set their hands this . first day of October, 1879. Charles Kramer.
Witness: T. J. Tost.”

October 3d, 1879, the plaintiff executed to the defendants a chattel mortgage upon his stock of goods at Alpena, and all accession^ thereto during the life of the mortgage, to secure the payment of $1000, payable $500 in six months, and the balance in one year, with interest at ten per cent.

It appears from the testimony returned in the bill of exceptions that plaintiff went on and purchased cedar posts, ties and telegraph poles and piled them on the docks at Alpena and vicinity, and that, in July and August, and prior to the' 12th day thereof, two cargoes had been shipped by defendants to Chicago, and were sold by them in that market, and the net avails credited to plaintiff'on defendants’ books; that this was done by consent of both parties, but upon plaintiff’s being informed of the price the shipment [295]*295sold for in Chicago, he refused to have any more shipped to that market.

In the latter part of August, 1880, the defendants seized, advertised and sold the stock of goods covered by the chattel mortgage of March 30th, 1878, and endorsed and applied the avails, $197.39, on that mortgage September 1st, 1880. This mortgage named no particular amount to be paid, but was given as security for past and future indebtedness. The defendants also took another load of cedar posts, ties and telegraph poles from the dock in the vicinity of Alpena, where plaintiff had placed them, and shipped them to Detroit, and sold them, and credited plaintiff with net avails. Just what this cargo brought does not appear. Plaintiff claims and testified that this shipment was made without his consent? and against his positive prohibition; and for this caigo he brought trover as for a wrongful conversion. The defendant, on the contrary, testifies that plaintiff did consent to his removal and shipment of the property, and only refused to have it shipped to Chicago. It does not appear with certainty the precise time when this third cargo was shipped, but I conclude from the best light the testimony affords that it was after the mortgage foreclosure, (September 1st,) and before November 1st following.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

In Re Lucas
343 A.2d 845 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 1975)
Stott v. Greengos
230 A.2d 154 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 1967)
Asbury Park Press, Inc. v. Woolley
161 A.2d 705 (Supreme Court of New Jersey, 1960)
Aldom v. Borough of Roseland
127 A.2d 190 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 1956)
State v. Gambutti
115 A.2d 136 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 1955)
C. F. Medaris Co. v. Deerfield State Bank
251 N.W. 799 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1933)
Scheel v. City of Detroit
89 N.W. 554 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1902)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
19 N.W. 1, 53 Mich. 291, 1884 Mich. LEXIS 673, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kramer-v-gustin-mich-1884.