Nichols & Shepard Co. v. Chase

79 N.W. 772, 103 Wis. 570, 1899 Wisc. LEXIS 232
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 3, 1899
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 79 N.W. 772 (Nichols & Shepard Co. v. Chase) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nichols & Shepard Co. v. Chase, 79 N.W. 772, 103 Wis. 570, 1899 Wisc. LEXIS 232 (Wis. 1899).

Opinion

Cassoday, C. J.

There is evidence tending to show that, before signing the order for the machines, Mr. Chase called on Mr. Hichmcm, the plaintiff’s state agent, located at Milwaukee, and examined a sample machine like those ordered; that on the afternoon of Friday, August 2,1895, at the farm of Mr. Chase, the machines in question were first tested; that such test was continued the next day (Saturday, August 3, 1895); that 'during that time they threshed 1,300 bushels of grain (oats, barley, and wheat and oats mixed) and some peas; that such test was in the presence of the [577]*577plaintiffs local agent, Harmer; that wben they first started up the mill bothered a little — the fanning mill did not do very good work,— but it was fixed, and soon got so it worked pretty fair; that on Saturday the separator would not work right, would not separate the grain from.the straw as it should — wasted grain; that on Monday, August 5, 1895, it rained very hard, and no attempt was made to do any threshing; that on Tuesday," August 6, 1895, they finished threshing at Mr. Chase’s farm, and the machines were then taken to the farm of Mr. Stroup, about a half a mile distant, and were there further tested in the presence of Harmer and an expert of the plaintiff, and they finally quit work at Stroup’s on Wednesday, August 7,1895, and, after the plaintiff’s agent had paid Stroup $2 for loss of time, after that no more tests were made of the machines.

On the part of Mr. Chase, there is evidence tending to prove that, although the stacker and automatic bagger worked satisfactorily, yet the separator failed to fulfill the warranty, and that the plaintiff’s local agent and its expert who witnessed such tests so admitted. On the contrary, there is testimony on the part of the -plaintiff tending to prove that the grain was in bad condition to be threshed; that the machine was fed too fast by Mr. Chase’s servants (that is to say, they threshed oats at the rate of seven and one-half bushels per minute, whereas four bushels per minute is very good threshing when grain is in good condition); and that Mr. Chase refused to render friendly assistance and cooperation in making the separator a practical success.

On the same day of that final test (Wednesday, August 7, 1895) Mr. Chase wrote the plaintiff as follows:

“ Ladoga, Wis., Aug. 7th, 1895.
“Nichols & Shbpaed Oo.:
“Dear Sir — -I got one of your new separators this season. We cannot make it clean or separate. I will try it again' to-day. If you want a trial, send a man at once. I live ten [578]*578miles west of Fond du Lao, on the Fond du Lac and Brandon road. Tour nearest station is Fond du Lao. Tour local agent, Hanner, is here, and a man from Milwaukee is here. They do not seem to understand the machine.
. “ Tours truly,
“ A. L. Chase.”

That letter was received by the plaintiff August 8, 1895. On the next clay (August 9, 1895) the plaintiff’s local agent, Mr. Ilarmer, sent a letter by a messenger to Mr. Olíase, to the effect that he had just received a telegram from the plaintiff’s state agent, Mr. Hiekmcm, saying that he would be there that afternoon, and would insist on haAdng an opportunity to make the separator work; that, if he had any word for him, to send it by the bearer; that Mr. Olíase replied that he would see Mr. Hiehnam, when he came, and have a settlement with him.

There is further evidence on the part of the plaintiff tending to prove that on that same day (Friday, August 9,1895) Mr. Hiekman visited Mr. Olíase, with the plaintiff’s manufacturer and expert in threshing machines from the, home office, for the purpose of making the separator work as warranted, but that Mr. Olíase, while admitting that the stacker and bagger worked satisfactorily, absolutely refused to give any such opportunity,.and demanded a return of the notes he had given; that on the next day (Saturday, August 10' 1895) Mr. Olíase took to his farm another machine, known as the Huber separator, which he had previously purchased; that on that same day Mr. Ohase wrote the plaintiff this let-

“Fond du Lac, Wis., Aug. 10, 1895.
“Niohols & Shepakd:
“Gentlemen — Having had your separator on trial, audit not having worked according to contract, your agents not being able to make it work after a fair trial, I hold it subject to your order. Please send notes and contract, and avoid further trouble. A. L. Chase.”

[579]*579The evidence further showed that August 16, 1895, Mr.. Chase again wrote the plaintiff that he held the separator and stacker subject to its order, and demanded the notes he had given therefor; that September 9,1895, Mr. Chase again wrote the plaintiff to the same effect, and further that the machines were in his way, and that he wanted them removed at once; that, after the machines were so tested at Stroup’s, Mr. Chase took them to his place, and kept them there until the latter part of October, 1895, when he removed the separator, stacker, and bagger, and all the machinery so purchased, to the place of the plaintiff’s local agent, Mr. Ilarmer, while in his absence, and left them there, without any permission' from Mr. Ilarmer, or his wife, or any one.

By accepting the order of Mr. Chase for the machines, and shipping and delivering them to him, on or about July 20, 1895, the contract of purchase, and all the provisions thereof, whether written or printed, became binding upon both parties. The several questions submitted to the jury, and the charge of the trial court thereon, are all on the theory that the contract of purchase is for one entire and inseparable machine, whereas the contract is for the purchase of three separate machines,- — -a separator, a straw stacker^ and an automatic bagger. Moreover, the contract specifically provided, in effect, that, if any part of the machinery could not be made to fill the warranty, such part was to be immediately returned to the place where it was received, and the plaintiff was to have the option either to furnish another machine or part of a machine in place of the one that failed, or to rescind the contract to that extent, and that the failure of any separate machine, or any part thereof, should not affect the contract or liability of the purchaser for any other separate machine, or for any parts of such machine as should not be defective. It is true, there was a clause written in the contract by Hiekmcm, at the request of Mr. Chase, to the effect if the separator did not do first-class [580]*580work in every respect, as talked, then the separator was to be taken back at any time in 1895, but that in no way modified the contract as to the stacker and bagger. Such radical disregard of the express terms of the contract' by the trial court necessarily calls for a reversal of the judgnient, unless the errors have been waived by the failure to take the necessary and timely exceptions.

The general exception to the whole charge and every part thereof is insufficient, and is without significance, under the repeated rulings of this court. But after the plaintiff had proved, by way of defense to the counterclaim, that, just before and at the time Mr. Chase

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Bluebook (online)
79 N.W. 772, 103 Wis. 570, 1899 Wisc. LEXIS 232, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nichols-shepard-co-v-chase-wis-1899.