Kuh v. Glucklick

120 Iowa 504
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedMay 20, 1903
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 120 Iowa 504 (Kuh v. Glucklick) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kuh v. Glucklick, 120 Iowa 504 (iowa 1903).

Opinion

Bishop, C. J.

First as to the appeal of the defendant: Boyd. The petition alleges the facts constituting the wrongful detention of the x>roperty, according to the belief of plaintiff, to be that defendant Glucldick claims to have purchased the same of plaintiff. Plaintiff alleges, however,'that the delivery of such goods-to Glucldick was procured by false and fraudulent representations made by him to plaintiff at the time of such delivery, as to his; [507]*507solvency and financial condition and standing, and as to bis intention to pay therefor, which false and fraudulent representations were knowingly made, and were for the purpose of wrongfully and fraudulently procuring the delivery of such goods to him; that such representations were believed to be true and relied upon by plaintiff in making delivery of the goods to him, said Glucklick. By a subsequent amendment it is alleged that at the time defendant procured such goods to be delivered to him. he did not intend to pay for the same. The answer of Boyd admits the purchase of the goods from plaintiff by defendant Glucklick; alleges that such purchase was in good faith, and that thereby Glucklick became the absolute owner, and entitled to the possession and control of such goods; denies the false and fraudulent representations alleged.

I. Upon the trial it was made to appear that the first order for goods was received by plaintiff from Glucklick in June, 1900. Upon receipt of such order, and before i. fxaud of replevin:,' evidence. proceeding to fill the same, plaintiff required, and there was furnished by defendant, property statements in writing, showing his assets and ■ liabilities and general financial standing. These statements were produced by plaintiff, and offered in evidence as part of its main case. To such the defendant Boyd objected as incompetent and immaterial and for the reason that there is no allegation in the petition charging that any such representations were made. The objection was overruled, and, based thereon, defendant now assigns error. We think the ruling was correct. The petition charges false and fraudulent representations, and certainly the representations in fact made were material under such allegations. It was neither necessary nor proper to set out in the petition, in haeo verba, all written papers or statements upon which plaintiff expected to rely to establish the fact that false representations, in character as alleged, were made. The allegations of the petition are [508]*508.general, and it seems to be the thought of counsel for .appellants that, because the court overruled a motion for more specific statement, evidence of specific representations ought not to be admitted. It is not contended that there was error in the ruling upon the motion. Conceding, therefore, that the ruling was- correct, still there is no tenable ground upon which to base a refusal to admit evidence, otherwise competent, in support of the general allegations found in the petition. Counsel further argue that the evidence was improperly admitted, for that proof of fraud was unnecessary to the main case of plaintiff; that, if admissible at all, it should have been made in rebuttal, under proper allegations in a reply. This cannot be true. It has been repeatedly held that when a delivery of goods has been procured by false representations as to solvency it may be avoided, and the vendor may recover the goods. Cox Shoe Co. v. Adams, 105 Iowa, 402; Morris v. Posner, 111 Iowa, 385; Phelps v. Samson, 113 Iowa, 145. Clearly, it was upon this theory that the plaintiff’s action here was brought. It was essential to a recovery, therefore, that fraud should be established. The petition discloses in substance that a sale in form, at least, had been made of the goods to defendant Glucklick. The effect of this is sought to be avoided, and a verdict of no sale secured, by allegation and proof of fraud. Such allegations and proof are vital elements, in the absence of which there could be no recovery in this form of action. The case of Kervick v. Mitchell, 68 Iowa, 273, relied upon by counsel, does not support their contention, as we read the opinion. In that case fraud was not in any way alleged in the petition, and it was accordingly held that evidence of fraudulent representations was not relevant to the issue. As supporting our position, see Nolan v. Jones, 53 Iowa, 387.

II. Plaintiff offered in evidence a cashbook kept by defendant Glucklick, which, as testified to by him, con[509]*509tained the record of cash sales and disbursments made by 2. Evidence; admission of cash book, him while in the conduct of the business. It ‘ appears that the account of daily cash sales and disbursements was kept by a cashier on small memorandum slips; .that from time to time these slips were taken and posted into the cashbook by defendant’s wife. The slips were not produced, nor was the cashbook verified by the person making the entries therein. The admission of the book in evidence was objected to as incompetent,, because not.properly verified, and secondary. This objection was overruled, and, we think, properly so. Any evidence competent as against Glucklick was competent as against Boyd. Further upon this subject, see the succeeding division of this opinion. The evidence offered was-, material to but one issue — thaNof the fraud alleged; and,, as bearing upon this issue, all matters connected with the conduct of the business by Glucklick tending to prove the amount and character of the business done by him, or showing the amount and value of the property owned by him or in his possession, was both competent and material. It may be true that under other conditions, and for some other purposes, the book would not have been admissible. But, as having relation to the case here made, it was a book kept under the direction of Glucklick as a record of his cash transactions, and competent under the fraud issue to show in a general way the character and extent of such transactions. The weight and effect of such evidence was for the jury.

III. Defendant Boyd further complains and assigns • error because the petition in bankruptcy and schedules attached filed by Glucklick in the bankruptcy court were 3. fraud of purchaser: evidence. admitted in evidence over his objection! It. . . , ,, , . . is said m argument that such evidence was incompetent for the reason that • the. same did not relate to the matter of title or possession of the property in controversy, and for the further reason that “Glucklick [510]*510was not in possession of the property in controversy when the so-called declaration was made.” Counsel are in error in assuming that Boyd,- under the order substituting him as defendant, occupied any different position, or bore any different relation, to the litigation from that which would have obtained had the answer been filed and the defense made by Glucklick. Boyd, as trustee, simply took whatever interest in the goods in controversy Glucklick had; no greater and no less. All infirmities which inhered in the title to such goods as against Glucklick were available as 'against Boyd. It would be strange, indeed, if one holding goods which had been obtained by fraud, or concerning which the title was otherwise defective, might avoid the fraud or perfect the title in any sense or to any degree by passing such goods over to an assignee or trustee. Boyd could not, therefore, and in his pleading he does not, claim to be possessed of any light or title other or different from the right and title in truth and in fact possessed by Glucklick.

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