Pittman & Harrison Co. v. Knowlan MacHine & Supply Co.

216 S.W. 678, 1919 Tex. App. LEXIS 1197
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 19, 1919
DocketNo. 6275.
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 216 S.W. 678 (Pittman & Harrison Co. v. Knowlan MacHine & Supply Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pittman & Harrison Co. v. Knowlan MacHine & Supply Co., 216 S.W. 678, 1919 Tex. App. LEXIS 1197 (Tex. Ct. App. 1919).

Opinion

COBBS, J.

This suit is for damages growing out of a breach of an alleged contract for the shipment of a car of seed grain, alleged to have been made by C. P. Gribble, traveling agent of plaintiff in error. The instrument upon which the suit is predicated to establish the breach is as follows:

“Pittman & Harrison Co., Seedman.
“Sherman, Texas, 12 — 3—1917.
“Knowlan Machine & Supply Co., Victoria, Texas:
“We book your order for the goods named below to be shipped 10th February, 1918, to Victoria, Texas, via H. & T. C. and Southern Pacific R.' R. Terms: Draft B/L attached through Levi Bank & Trust Company. Price basis being C. A. F. your station,
Remarks .
100 bushels Surecropper corn at.$3.50
5,000 pounds Red Top cane at.7.00
5,000 pounds Amber cane at.6.00
Bal. car Red Tag R. P. oats at.92
All in even weight sacks.
“We give no warranty, either expressed or implied, as to the purity, productiveness, or any other matter of any of the seeds we sell, nor will we be in any way responsible for crops. If the goods are not accepted on these conditions, we are to have immediate notice.
“Our responsibility ceases when we deliver goods to carrier in proper shipping condition. Complaints of any kind must be made immediately for shortage or damage, must be accompanied by railroad expense bill bearing proper notations.
“On carlot sales, immediate shipment means 3 days; quick, 5 days; prompt, 10 days — exclusive of Sundays and legal holidays.
“No agreement recognized which is not plainly stipulated herein..
“Accepted: Knowlan Machine & Supply Co., By A. F. Knowlan. Pittman & Harrison Co., C. F. Gribble.”

[1] This cage was tried by the court without a jury, resulting in a judgment for $611.56 in favor of defendant in error. There is a statement of facts filed, but there are no findings of fact or conclusions of law, motion for new trial, bills of exception, or anything presented to the court below indicating the supposed errors committed.

There are no fundamental errors complained oil or assigned. Defendant in error in reply, because there are no bills of exception, etc., contends, and presents but one proposition in the brief for that reason, that plaintiff in error'1 has no standing here, and in'support of that contention cites Stewart v. McAllister et ux., 209 S. W. 704. That case does not support the contention. There it was upon a trial before a jury upon special issues, where a different rule of procedure prevails. Trial here was before the court without a jury, and, no request to file findings of fact or conclusions of law having been made, it will be treated as a general judgment conclusive on the facts, unless defeated by some testimony *679 that shows another judgment than the one entered should have properly been rendered. Mackey v. Armstrong, 84 Tex. 160, 19 S. W. 463; Schofield et al. v. Tex. Bank & Trust Co., 175 S. W. 506.

[2] In the absence of conclusions of fact, the appellate court will impute to the trial court full verity to its findings, and if there is any issue of fact sufficient to sustain the judgment, it will be done. Hull v. Woods, 14 Tex. Civ. App. 590, 38 S. W. 256.

The first assignment is to the effect that the court erred in holding that C. F. Gribble had authority as agent to enter into a binding contract for the sale of the grain at the prices named to be delivered in February, 1918; and the second was that the date of delivery was so remote as to put defendant in error on notice that it had to be subject to confirmation and approval; and fifth, that the contract was so unusual and out of the ordinary as to put defendant in error upon notice and charge it with such information that a person of ordinary prudence and care would have gained by making inquiry as to authority of the agent; sixth, court erred in holding that Knowlan Maehjne & Supply Company did not accept the offer of December 8, 1917, as a substitute contract, and could not hold it on the old contract; eighth, in holding there was no custom of the trade requiring sales of grain and seed by traveling salesmen or brokers to be accepted and confirmed before becoming a binding contract. These assignments all relate to same matter and will be considered together.

The fourth assignment is somewhat confusing. It is as follows:

“The eourt erred in not holding that Knowl-an Machine & Supply Company, having been notified that C. F. Gribble was not supplied with grain and seed quotations for the month of February, 1918, that Knowlan Machine & Supply Company were bound to ascertain G. F. Gribble’s authority, and in entering into contract with C. F. Gribble, as agent of Pittman & Harrison Company, for a shipment of grain and seed for the month of February, 1918, with such knowledge in mind, contract at their own risk, and Pittman & Harrison Company having promptly repudiated the contract attempted to be made by C. F. Gribble, that the Pittman & Harrison Company were not liable upon the contract sued upon.”

[3] The court is supported by the evidence/ that C. F. Gribble, who signed the order for goods dated December 3, 1917, was the authorized agent to sign the order. In fact, the letter of December 8, 1917, acknowledging receipt of the same, says:

“Your order for mixed car given our Mr. Gribble for mixed car shipment cannot confirm, especially the oats and Sureeropper corn. It will be questionable whether or no we will be able to get up the Sureeropper corn at all, as it is very hard to get hold of, and for oats we would have to charge 98 cents per bushel. Let us know if you will want us to book on that basis.”

This letter neither repudiates the agency nor the order. It calls him “our Mr. Gribble,” and continues the negotiations for a higher price for oats, using same order as a basis. It at least to that extent is an acknowledgment and ratification of the agency, and a recognition of the order for further negotiations to change the price of oats, expressing doubt as to being able to get the Sureeropper corn at all, but even then not a refusal. There was considerable delay in answering, until December 26, 1917, wherein the reply was, “It will be satisfactory to charge 98 cents for the oats to fill 'out the car in weight, but we want the car shipped as ordered as we are depending on this shipment,” and added certain other conditions thereto.

Again, on the 15th of December, 1917, plaintiff in error wrote, calling attention to the letter of the 8th of December, complaining there had been no reply to the letter of the Sth, stating the price for oats would be 98 cents, and saying: “Not hearing from you, we presume you want us to cancel.

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Bluebook (online)
216 S.W. 678, 1919 Tex. App. LEXIS 1197, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pittman-harrison-co-v-knowlan-machine-supply-co-texapp-1919.