Lloyds America v. Poe

69 S.W.2d 160
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 15, 1934
DocketNo. 2902.
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 69 S.W.2d 160 (Lloyds America v. Poe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lloyds America v. Poe, 69 S.W.2d 160 (Tex. Ct. App. 1934).

Opinion

HIGGINS, Justice.

, A. B. Poe is an automobile dealer doing business in El Paso, Tex., under the name of A. B. Poe Motor Company. Lloyds America issued to Poe a policy of insurance protecting him as the holder of mortgage liens upon various automobiles against loss or damage from various perils, including fire, theft, and accidental collision or upset.

Poe brought this suit in the district court against Lloyds America and its attorneys in fact, Elliott Jones and W. M. Ratcliffe, setting up five separate and distinct causes of action.

The first cause of action was to recover $645.45 in unearned premiums upon which refunds were due.

The second was to recover $276.26 damage caused by theft of the Tom Thorp car, referred to as the Thorp claim.

The third, to recover $227.45 collision damage to the Jesus Frias car, referred to as the Frias claim.

The fourth, to recover $236.30 collision damage to the Sidney Knowles car, referred to as the Knowles claim.

The fifth, to recover $94.83 damage arising out of the Manuel Rangel confiscation loss.

By trial amendment a cause of action for $46.50 was set up,- the nature of which will be láter stated.

Upon trial without a jury judgment was rendered in Poe’s favor for the various sums sued for, and from such judgment this writ of error is prosecuted.

Separate findings and conclusions were not filed by the trial court. The plaintiffs in error present no point questioning the correctness of the judgment upon the first and fifth causes of action declared upon in the original petition.

Upon the trial the plaintiffs in error offered no evidence. They here complain of the sufficiency of the evidence to support the recovery upon the various causes of action other than the first and fifth.

We will first consider the questions presented relating to the Thorp theft claim.

It is asserted the evidence is insufficient to show theft of the car.

On January 18, 1932, Poe Motor Company wrote Lloyds America at El Paso a letter which reads: “This is to advise you that Mr. and Mrs. Tom Thorpe reported the theft of Ford Coupe which we sold them November 30th,* 1931. This car was stolen Saturday night. They stated that they reported the theft to the Police Depart, in El Paso & Juarez. We reported it to the Highway Police yesterday morning. The License Number of this car is D2 —2536. Motor No. 2663525.”

It was shown that Mr. Dorbandt, manager of the El Paso office of Lloyds, investigated *162 the claim and on June 29, 1932, Lloyds wrote to Poe Motor Company as follows:

“Attention: Mr. Swanson
“Gentlemen:
“Re: Theft Loss — Mr. and Mrs.
Tom Thorpe — Oert. No. A-397-D
“Referring to our conversation in your office on Monday, the 27th with reference to the above theft loss.
“I have gone into our files in this office and do not find the proper supporting papers, however, by referring to the Certificate of Insurance it is noted that the car in question is a 1929 Ford Ooupe. The National Used Car Market Report appraised value of such automobile over the entire United States is placed at $70.00; however, in some 'instances it is eustomery to add to the United States Appraisal value approximately 60% when a car is in ordinary condition and taking for granted that the car in question was in good condition at the time of the alleged theft, it is my opinion that $125.00 will be a fair value to place on said automobile at 'this time. Therefore, if the car is not recovered and liability persists on our part, I am inclined to recommend to our" San Antonio Oifiee liability to the extent of $125.00.
“If this is agreeable to you please write our San Antonio Office direct for authorization to take proof for the latter amount.
“Tours very truly,
“Lloyds America
“By: [Sgd.] Leonard Hyatt.”

This letter recognizes the validity of the claim and, in effect, is an admission the car had been stolen.

In this connection it is said the letter was an offer of compromise and conditional offer to settle for $125, and therefore has no probative force as an admission.

Offers to compromise cannot be admitted in evidence over objection, but they are not without probative force when admitted.

The authorities cited by plaintiffs in error in this connection do not hold such offers to be without probative effect.

Furthermore, • the letter is not to be considered as an offer to compromise'and therefore inadmissible. This is true because the record shows no dispute or controversy between the parties prior to the time the letter was written. It was a simple recognition of liability because of the theft of the car and submitting an offer of $125 in payment. The letter, if timely objection had been made, would have been admissible. 22 C. J. p. 311 et seq.; 17 Tex. Jur. title Evidence, § 233; Texas & P. Ry. Co. v. Spann (Tex. Civ. App) 173 S. W. 600; Sanford v. John Finnigan Co. (Tex. Civ. App.) 169 S. W. 624.

It is further objected the authority of Leonard Hyatt, who signed the letter in behalf of Lloyds, was not shown, and the statements therein contained for such reason of no probative force against Lloyds.

It was shown that prior to the date of the letter Hyatt had been the defendant's agent in ehar'ge of its El Paso office, but before the date of the letter had been transferred to defendant’s San Antonio office where he then was. While in charge of the El Paso office he evidently was a general agent. We incline to the view that the failure to object to the introduction of the letter operated as a waiver of any failure to lay the proper predicate for its introduction by showing Hyatt’s authority at the time the letter was written. 3 C. J. pp. 703-808; 64 C. J. pp. 168-170; Chicago, R. I. & T. R. Co. v. Douglass, 33 Tex. Civ. App. 262, 76 S. W. 449; Fort Worth & D. C. R. Co. v. Wright, 27 Tex. Civ. App. 198, 64 S. W. 1001.

See, also, 2 C. J. p. 920, § 650, where it is said: “Continuance of Authority of Agent— (a) In Oases of General Agency. If a general agent for any purpose is shown the presumption as to third persons dealing with the agent is that it continues until notice of revocation.”

And at page 925, § 663, it is said: “Termination of Relation. The burden of showing that a general agency, shown to have been established for a given purpose, was terminated before or during the transaction in question is on the party asserting it. To meet the burden of proving the termination of the agency the principal asserting ⅝, must show that, before or during the transaction in question, notice, express or implied, of the revocation of the agency had been conveyed to such person.”

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69 S.W.2d 160, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lloyds-america-v-poe-texapp-1934.