M. Rumely & Co. v. Emmons

48 N.W. 636, 85 Mich. 511, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 724
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedMay 8, 1891
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 48 N.W. 636 (M. Rumely & Co. v. Emmons) 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
M. Rumely & Co. v. Emmons, 48 N.W. 636, 85 Mich. 511, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 724 (Mich. 1891).

Opinion

Long, J.

This is an action of assumpsit on a promissory note. On the trial in the court below, before a jury, the plaintiff had verdict and judgment for the amount of the note and interest. Defendants bring error.

On the trial it appeared that the plaintiff is a corporation, doing business at La Porte, Ind., and is the assignee of the contract or note upon which the suit is brought. The note was given as a part of the purchase price of a portable engine and circular saw-mill, with equipments. The purchase of the mill was made on March 8, 1887, at the price of $1,120.

[513]*513Prior to December 4, 1882, tbe .business to which the plaintiff succeeded was conducted by M. & J. Rumely, and they transferred the business of manufacturing and dealing in portable saw-mills and engines on that day to Memrod Rumely, who carried on the business thereafter under the firm name of M. & J. Rumely. At the date of the purchase of the engine defendants resided in Cass county, this State, and defendant Kimmerlee had been acting as the agent of M. & J. Rumely. Charles A. Emmons and defendant Kimmerlee went to La Porte, Ind., and looked over the engine ánd mill, and Charles A. Emmons, for himself and Rollin H. Emmons, completed the purchase on March 8, 1887. The purchase price being agreed upon, a written order for the engine, mill, etc., was drawn and signed by Charles A. Emmons and Kimmerlee for the two Emmons, and for M. & J. Rumely by Memrod Rumely, the proprietor of the business there. The order is dated at La Porte, and recites:

“I or we, the undersigned, residing in Cass county, State of Michigan, this day order of M. & J. Rumely, La Porte, Ind., through C. H. Kimmerlee, agent, at Dailey, Mich., to be loaded on the cars at La Porte, Ind., on or about the 17th day of March, 1887, and shipped to Dailey station, Cass county, State of Michigan, the following machinery.”

The engine, mill, etc., are then specifically described in the order. The order contains the following warranty:

“The within ordered engine is warranted to be made of good material, to be constructed in a workman-like manner, and to do as much work as any of the same size in the market, if properly handled. * * * If said machinery fails to comply with this warranty, notice in writing of such failure must be given to M. & J. Rumely, La Porte, Ind., and to their agent who sold the machine,, within one week from the date of starting said machine, and, upon receipt of such notice, time allowed, opportunity and friendly assistance given, to reach the machinery [514]*514and remedy such defects, if any; otherwise the said warranty is waived, and M. & J. Eumely not responsible thereon. If the machinery then cannot be made to fill the warranty, it shall be returned free of charge by the purchaser to the place where received, and money and notes (if previously settled for), to the amount represented by the above machinery, shall be returned, and no further claim be made- on M. & J. Eumely.
“Failure to give such notice, or any use of such machinery after such time has elapsed without such notice, shall be deemed conclusive evidence that such machinery complies with the warranty, or if said machinery be settled for, and notes given for the same, after having tried the same, then such failure, or such trial and settlement, shall forever bar and estop the purchaser from all claim for damages on account of a breach of such warranty."

The engine and mill were shipped and received by the defendants Emmons, who commenced its use, and about one month thereafter they paid -$100 on the purchase price. The order provided for this payment, and the giving of two notes, one of $420, to be due July 8, 1887, and one of $600, due March 8, 1888. The note of $420 was paid after an extension of time which was granted by the payee. The note of $600 has not been paid, and is the one upon which the suit is brought. The plaintiff on the trial proved the execution of the order and note, and the assignment of the same to the plaintiff, who had succeeded to the business of Memrod Eumely after the giving of the contract, and then put the contract and note in evidence.

Defendants, with the plea of the general issue, gave notice that certain verbal warranties were made on the sale of the property by Mr. Eumely, and that these ■warranties were the inducements to the defendants to purchase, and that the engine did not comply with such warranties, by reason of which the defendants had sus[515]*515tained great damages, which the notice particularly and specifically sets forth, and which damages they would recoup upon the trial. The defendants upon the trial called defendant Kimmerlee, who testified that he signed the contract with Charles A. Emmons; that after the paper was signed he thought voi the warranty in the ■order, and called Mr. Rumely's attention to it, and said to him:

“ Of course, according to the agreement of the sale, this general .warranty does not apply.”

And then Mr. Rumely said:

“ Of course not. I have made you the terms, — told yon just what it would be, — and it will be just that way. I don't want Mr. Emmons to think that I am going to put out any machine that is not just what I guarantee it in every respect. If it is not, I don't want any machine paid for. * * * You need 'have no fears. This engine is just as well made as any I have ever made, and will answer his purpose all right. If it does not, I will make it right. I do not want any machine to go oirt upon trial that will not recommend itself.”

Mr. Emmons expressed some doubt about the flues; they were pretty long, and he did not know about their standing; when Mr. Rumely said:

“They are full five-eighths of an inch thick, and they need have no fears about them; the engine is going to work all right, and I will warrant it.”

Defendant Charles A. Emmons testified in like manner as to the warranty, and stated that after he and Kimmerlee had signed the order, which was in düplicate, he noticed the warranty in the order, and called Rumely's attention to it, who then stated:

“ I will warrant this engine, just as I tell you. I do not hold you to this warranty. If anything gives out in any respect, I will make it good. The flues are five-eighths of an inch thick, and will stand all right, and you can run it up to 16 or 18 horse power.”

[516]*516The defendants further gave evidence tending to show that the flues leaked and got out of repair, and they got a man to fix them at first, and that they sent word to Bumely, finding they could not fix them, and he sent a man to look the engine over and fix it up, but that the flues still leaked, and they tried to have Bumely take the engine back, which he refused to do; that they had a large contract for cutting ties for the Michigan Central Eailroad Company, and could not run this engine, and were compelled to get another to complete the contract; that, as soon as these defects were discovered, they sent word to Bumely, but that the defects were not discovered until in January, 1888. This was some 10 months after the engine was purchased, and it had been used during that time by the defendants. All this evidence was admitted under the objection of plaintiffs counsel.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
48 N.W. 636, 85 Mich. 511, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 724, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/m-rumely-co-v-emmons-mich-1891.