Page v. Parker

43 N.H. 363
CourtSupreme Court of New Hampshire
DecidedDecember 15, 1861
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 43 N.H. 363 (Page v. Parker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of New Hampshire primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Page v. Parker, 43 N.H. 363 (N.H. 1861).

Opinion

Sargent, J.

The motion for a nonsuit as to David M. Parker, in this case, was properly denied. It had been proved that he was the owner of the quarry, and the brother of "William M., and that David himself executed the deeds to Reding and Page, and caused them to be deposited with Mr. Pelton, in accordance with the arrangement of William M., who had acted as the ostensible agent of David, and that all the material representations set forth in the declaration were made directly by William M. and Reding to Page; Reding concealing his true position and relations to the transaction from Page. In connection with this evidence, it is only necessary to refer to the testimony of William M. Parker to be satisfied that there was some evidence tending to show that David was connected with and interested in the conspiracy and fraud by which the plaintiff suffered, if any such conspiracy existed, or any such fraud was perpetrated, and if there’ was any evidence tending to prove that fact in the case, competent to be submitted to the jury, then the motion for a nonsuit as to him could not prevail.

William M. Parker testified that he learned part of his information from his brother, &c.: “I told my brother that Reding was going to take one third and Page two thirds of the purchase. He knew that Reding was to pay nothing except his services, some bills, and personal expenses for going to the quarry. Every thing between my brother and Reding was understood, and that he was to be interested on favorable terms. My brother got sick of the quarry in June, 1856. He gave me entire control over the affair, by power of attorney. I knew my brother was ready to verify every thing I had been representing, &c. My brother knew substantially what passed between us; he knew the main facts. If it proved a bad operation, I understood my brother would consent to have the notes extinguished. My brother allowed me to write what I was a mind to. The notes were under his control. He allowed me to do pretty much as I had a mind to. I never had any legal right to the money. The money wTent into a common purse. My brother had about $2,000, and I had the balance.”

This, taken in connection with the fact that David M. Parker was a witness upon the stand, and did not deny the conspiracy, and in connection with the other testimony in the case, would seem to leave no doubt about the correctness of this ruling. The jury may have found, from all the evidence, that David M. Parker knew all, and assented to all, and participated in all that was done, and was the originator and instigator of the whole plan, whose execution was entrusted to other hands.

The instructions in regard to what the jury must find, in order to charge all the defendants, are not objected to. They would seem to be full and sufficient. The remarks that were made by the court, in regard to the general principles on which parties should proceed in making contracts, were not very material to this case, and are not important to be considered.

The instructions that were requested in relation to Reding were properly withheld. It is argued that the misrepresentations that he admits he made to and the facts which he admits he concealed from [367]*367Page, were not material in tbe case, and were not set forth in the plaintiff’s declaration, nor relied on by him at all in making out his case. That may all be true, and yet the ruling be correct. If the jury found that Reding, with the other two, had combined and conspired to effect a common object, and it was arranged that each should do certain acts and perform certain parts, with a view to the 6 attainment of the same common result, or that one or two were to be the active agents, while the other one or two remained in the back-ground, and took no open and visible part in the transactions, yet they would all be alike responsible for the acts of all and of either one. "Whatever is done or said by either one of the number in furtherance of the common design, becomes a part of the res gestee, and is the act or saying of all.

In this view, it would make no difference whether Reding did any thing himself, provided he was a member of the combination or conspiracy, so as to become responsible for the acts of the others. But it is argued by counsel that, if there was no fraudulent concealment on the part of Reding, he could- not have been a member of the combination to defraud Page, because, if he was such a member of the conspiracy, and did not communicate it to Page, that, of itself, was a fraudulent concealment. But that was not the way the instructions were understood, or would ever be understood in that connection.

The terms, fraudulent representations, and fraudulent concealments, in the sale of an article, refer, ordinarily, to the communications made between the parties in regard to the qualities of the article, whether good or bad. The fraudulent representation is some recommendation of the article or statement in regard to its good qualities, which is known to be untrue; and the fraudulent concealment is the intentionally omitting to disclose some bad quality, or some fact in relation to the property known to the vendor and unknown to the purchaser, which it is material that the latter should know, to prevent being defrauded.

This was the kind of concealment referred to in the instructions requested. They were so understood, and would be always, we have no doubt; and if any concealed meaning was covered in these instructions, not apparent on their face, no benefit should be received from it. When instructions are desired, they should be plainly and fully stated. If counsel intended, by these instructions which they asked, what they now suggest that they did, it was their plain duty to have put them in a clear and tangible form, and to have requested the court to instruct the jury that, if they found that Reding was not a party to any combination or conspiracy to defraud Page, and that he made no representations intentionally false, except, &c., they should have found him not guilty; then they would have been understood. But such instructions would not, of course, be asked for, because they had already been substantially given, or if not they would have been, without hesitation. But no such interpretation can fairly be given to the instructions desired.

The plaintiff’s counsel requested the court to instruct the jury that, if they found that .the defendants conspired and agreed to[368]*368gether to cheat and defraud the plaintiff, and made any material representation to the plaintiff that was false and fraudulent, and made for the purpose of carrying out said conspiracy, that the jury would be justified in finding the defendants guilty.

We understand, from the case, that these instructions were not given; and, in the terms in which they were requested, they were, properly withheld, and could not properly have been given. They leave out altogether one of the main elements upon which the jury could find for the plaintiff at all; that is, that the plaintiff credited said representation, acted upon it, and was, in consequence, damaged. Without these qualifications they should have been withheld, as we understand they were; but, with these qualifications added, they would have been proper, and would, undoubtedly, have been given.

The rule of damages, as given to the jury by the court in this case, taken in connection with the instructions requested by the defendant, have required and received a careful examination.

It is not every false affirmation of the vendor of property that will give the vendee an action, even though he may be deceived by it.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
43 N.H. 363, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/page-v-parker-nh-1861.