Pennington v. Roberge

142 N.W. 710, 122 Minn. 295, 1913 Minn. LEXIS 582
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedJuly 3, 1913
DocketNos. 18,014—(111)
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 142 N.W. 710 (Pennington v. Roberge) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pennington v. Roberge, 142 N.W. 710, 122 Minn. 295, 1913 Minn. LEXIS 582 (Mich. 1913).

Opinion

Holt, J.

Action by tbe purchaser of a farm to rescind the contract of purchase and to recover the money paid thereunder on the ground of defendant’s misrepresentation. The relief sought was granted, and the defendant appeals from the order denying a new trial.

The plaintiff met the defendant at Hastings, Minnesota, on May 27, 1910. Plaintiff, having sold his farm in the southwestern part of the state, was then looking for a farm to buy. The defendant had just given Traub Brothers, a real estate firm in Minneapolis, the exclusive sale of his farm of 163 acres near Montrose, in Wright county. Plaintiff claims that the defendant then stated that his farm at Montrose was free from stones and foul weeds, and besides flower and ornamental shrubs and trees had a large orchard consisting of 1,600 apple trees, 1,300 of which were bearing. He also directed plaintiff to Traub Brothers’ office. Plaintiff went there at once, and a member of that firm took plaintiff on the same day to Montrose, where they met the defendant at the farm. Some little time was spent that evening in viewing the premises and an hour or two next morning before breakfast. Soon thereafter all the parties left, as they were anxious to make the 9 o’clock train. The plaintiff claims that defendant, during that time, again made the same representations as to apple trees, freedom from stones and foul weeds such as Canada thistle, quack grass and wild oats; also that Mr. Traub gave him a card and typewritten statement describing the farm, buildings, soil and so on, and among other things stating that there were no stones and that there were 1,600 apple trees, 1,300 thereof bearing. The plaintiff claims that he believed these representations and in reliance thereon bought the farm and on May 28, 1910, executed the contract, and paid then $1,000 thereon and $1,000 July 1, 1910. He contends that the representations were false; that the fields contained a great number of stones; that Canada thistle, quack grass and wild oats flourished to a damaging extent, and that there were only 1,255 apple trees of which only 1,130 were bearing. Some other misrepresentations were claimed; but the evidence does not warrant any finding of fraud based thereon.

The plaintiff did not again visit the farm until in the early part. [297]*297of September, when he took his wife to see it, and remained a few hours, and again on the nineteenth of September, when the defendant had an auction which plaintiff attended. He moved onto the farm on the twentieth of October and began plowing and kept on until about the middle of November. In the middle of December, he sought out the defendant and offered to surrender the place and demanded the return of the money paid on the ground of misrepresentations. The defendant, in his answer herein, denied making any misrepresentations, alleged that plaintiff fully investigated the farm before he bought and was guilty of laches in rescinding. Another defense, namely, injury to the orchard, grape vines and ornamental shrubs while in plaintiff’s possession, is not urged here.

The chief attack is directed against these findings:

“4. That prior to said contract of sale, and while negotiations therefor were being conducted, defendant represented to plaintiff that there were upon said farm 1,600 apple trees, of which 1,300 were bearing; that in truth there were only then 1,255 apple trees thereon, of which only 1,130 were bearing.
“5. That said representation was false and fraudulent, and that defendant either knew that it was not true, and made it with intent to deceive plaintiff; or, not knowing whether it was true or untrue, wantonly and wrongfully stated it to be true, with the purpose and intent that the plaintiff should rely thereon, and thereby be induced to enter into said contract; that the evidence does not enable the court to determine which of said alternatives is correct.
“6. That plaintiff relied upon said representations, and was thereby in part induced to enter into said contract.
“7. That after occupying said farm (the date not being more precisely disclosed by the evidence) plaintiff discovered that said apple trees were less in number than represented as aforesaid, and within a reasonable time after making such discovery, to-wit: on or about the 21st day of December, 1910, offered to restore said farm to defendant.”

As to finding 4, the court could scarcely avoid making it. Plaintiff was fortified by the written evidence of defendant’s agent as [298]*298to the number of apple trees, and the defendant admitted that the orchard contained no more than 1,255.

The court was not required to find whether the false representation was made purposely to defraud or innocently. Hence no prejudice results to defendant from the failure to find upon the so-called alternative propositions specified in the fifth finding. The right of rescission “is not based upon actual fraud, but on a material mistake of facts caused by the fault of the other party” Martin v. Hill, 41 Minn. 337, 43 N. W. 337. The false representation having been made, it becomes immaterial, from a legal view, whether the defendant made it innocently or corruptly, if the plaintiff, relying thereon, was in fact misled to his injury. In either case, it works a fraud on plaintiff. His right of rescission does not depend on the motive or cause which actuated the defendant in making the misrepresentation.

The sixth and that part of the seventh finding above set forth presents the close question upon this record, namely: The effect of the misrepresentation as to the number of apple trees; plaintiff’s reliance thereon; its sufficiency as a substantial ground for rescission; and the delay in discovering the fraud and demanding rescission. But in considering these findings, we must bear in mind the well established practice to refrain from disturbing a finding of the trial court unless palpably against the weight of the evidence. Treat v. Kellogg, 104 Minn. 54, 115 N. W. 947; Barnum v. Jefferson, 109 Minn. 1, 122 N. W. 453; Carver v. Bagley, 79 Minn. 114, 81 N. W. 757.

The defendant earnestly contends that the pleading and'evidence of plaintiff show that misrepresentation of the number of apple trees was not and could not be a factor upon which plaintiff relied. Tie did not emphasize the misrepresentation in respect to apple trees in the complaint, or on the trial, and it is said that the evidence does not show that the value of the farm would have been affected, if there had been an acre or two of growing and bearing apple tiees instead of plow land. That an'apple orchard on a farm is a very valuable and attractive asset, is, no doubt, common knowledge. It takes several years to bring apple trees to bearing. The cost of the [299]*299trees, the planting and care are no inconsiderable items. The court was warranted in drawing the inference that plaintiff relied on the representation respecting apple trees. Even were we inclined not to draw the same inference, we have no right to usurp the function ■of the trial court. Northwestern Fire & M. Ins. Co. v. Connecticut Fire Ins. Co. 105 Minn. 483, 117 N. W. 825.

It is further claimed that plaintiff examined the farm before he bought. lie saw the orchard; he could count the trees; the rule caveat emptor applies. It is true plaintiff saw the trees, but, when it is understood that the apple trees occupied some 9 or 10 acres, we realize that it would be quite a task to count the trees.

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Bluebook (online)
142 N.W. 710, 122 Minn. 295, 1913 Minn. LEXIS 582, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pennington-v-roberge-minn-1913.