Morton v. Dean

54 Mass. 385

• Court: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
• Decided: October 15, 1847
• Status: Published

Opinion

By the court.

A sale at auction is within the statute of frauds, and the auctioneer, who makes the sale, is the agent of both parties, and his memorandum will take the case out of the statute, as well when lands as when chattels are sold. But the memorandum of sale must refer to the conditions of sale, or the case will be within the statute. Where the connexion between the memorandum and the conditions is to be proved entirely by parol evidence, it is within the mischief intended to be prevented by the statute. The terms of the agreement, which are material, must be stated in writing. As the memorandum, in this case, does not refer to the conditions of sale, the sale itself cannot be enforced. The authorities are conclusive on these points.

Verdict set aside.