Rossman v. Bock

56 N.W. 777, 97 Mich. 430, 1893 Mich. LEXIS 906
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 10, 1893
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 56 N.W. 777 (Rossman v. Bock) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rossman v. Bock, 56 N.W. 777, 97 Mich. 430, 1893 Mich. LEXIS 906 (Mich. 1893).

Opinion

Hooker, C. J.

In an action' of assumpsit appealed by defendant from justice’s court, the plaintiff filed a bill of particulars in the circuit court as follows, viz.:

“State oe Michigan,
“The Circuit Court for Gogebic County.
“John Rossman vs. Charles Bock.
“Plaintiff’s Bill of Particulars.
“To balance due for meat, vegetables, eggs, butter, and apples furnished at his request, delivered to M. A. Calkins, an itemized statement of which was presented to the defendant each month, from November, 1888-, to April, 1889, a portion remaining unpaid each month, the balance remaining unpaid being $56.
“An itemized bill of particulars was furnished in the court below, and has been lost, and, plaintiff’s books of account being lost or destroyed, a more particular statement of account is impossible.,
“John Rossman.
“Prank F. Nutts.”

Plaintiff based his claim to a judgment upon an agreement between himself and the defendant, whereby the latter, who was a creditor of one Calkins, a boardinghouse keeper, directed the plaintiff to furnish Calkins with meat and other provisions upon defendant’s account. On the other hand, the agreement was claimed by defendant to be that he, being a grocer, and plaintiff, a butcher, should furnish provisions to Calkins, and that the money which defendant should receive should be applied pro rata, if he did not receive enough to pay in full. The defendant seems to have been a creditor of Calkins, and was endeavoring .to collect his debt by aiding Calkins to keep a boarding-house.

Defendant’s first contention is that the bill of particulars was not sufficiently specific to permit the introduction of proof. A second is based upon the question, asked by plaintiff’s counsel, to plaintiff:

[433]*433" Q. State whether or not in justice’s court you filed an itemized statement and bill of particulars of your demand.
“A. I did.”

Some further testimony tending to show plaintiffs inability to furnish a more specific bill of particulars was given.1 life"hadj already testified that the' defendant came to his market,''and said to him that Mr. and Mrs. Calkins were going to; keep boarders, and that he was going to, furnish them supplies, and that he had made- an arrangement with the mining captain to draw all their board money, and also Mr. Calkins’ wages as engineer at the mine, as security for supplying the boarding-house; and that he told the plaintiff to furnish them their stuff in his- line, and he would see him paid, subject to any pro rata loss arising from a failure of the-mine. He continued, as follows:

“Q. You say that Mr. Calkins came from time to time from the date of this agreement up to the April following, and ordered goods from your place of business?
“A. Yes,'sir.
“Q. Wli-at sort of supplies did you furnish?
“A. I' furnished her -fresh meats, britter, eggs, and some vegetables and apples. In the fall and winter we had quite a few apples, and she took some of them, but mostly furnished meat and eggs and vegetables.
“Q. Did you at any time receive any payment for the supplies furnished?-
“A. I did.
- '‘Q. How often?
-“A. About once a month.
“Q. From whom?
“A. From Charles Bock.”

And witness further testified:

“I rendered Mr. Bock, the first of each month, with an itemized statement of the goods that had been furnished [434]*434to Calkins. He examined the account when presented, and never raised any objection to the amount or the items of it. I never had any trouble then in regard to the amount or anything about the price, or anything of the kind. I rendered him a statement the first of each month always. It was not paid in full. After the boarding-house had closed, the business had stopped, I asked Mr. Bock for payment of the sum remaining unpaid. When I made the demand on him for the amount due me he said: 'I don’t propose to pay this. If you want this, you will, have to sue it.’
“Q. What amount did you demand from him at that time?
“A. $56. * * * He made no objection whatever to the amount.
“Q. State whether or not he assigned as a reason for not paying you that the amount was not due you.
“A. His claim was that we entered into this pro rata agreement on the start. That was the first time he claimed it, — when I presented the bill.
“Q. State whether or not Mr. Bock at any time made any question as to the correctness of the accounts rendered by you to him during the course of this business.
"A. No, sir; there never was any question whatever.
“Q. Now, state, if you please, the balance remaining unpaid, if any.
“A. $56.”

Counsel contend that this proof is' not admissible, in that, like the bill of particulars, it does not show that any specific items of any specific value or agreed price were furnished, and that it cannot be claimed to be admissible in support of an account stated, as the bill of particulars makes no such claim. We think that from this testimony a jury would be warranted in finding (1) that provisions were furnished; (2) that they were worth the amount paid, and any balance that the defendant expressly or tacitly admitted; (3) that payment in part was made; (4) the aggregate of the monthly balances furnished defendant. The presentation of statements monthly of balances, if allowed to pass unquestioned, implies satisfac[435]*435tion with the same, and acquiescence in the claim. Several cases are cited to the proposition - that a statement of account, accepted and retained without objection, becomes .an account stated. Tf so, as the greater includes the less, if would seem to be an admission that" the goods were furnished as a basis of such balance, the items of which then become unimportant. As to the bill of particulars, the plaintiff owed it to the defendant if it could be furnished, and it was proper for him to show his inability. Having' done so, it would be a reproach upon the law to deny him relief upon the technical ground that his bill . was not'specific, thereby punishing him for not performing an impossibility. The fact that lie filed a bill in justice's court was admissible. The return does not show it, or that one was demanded, but the plaintiff might properly show that he had given defendant the information sought in this or any other manner. This disposes of the first six assignments of error.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
56 N.W. 777, 97 Mich. 430, 1893 Mich. LEXIS 906, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rossman-v-bock-mich-1893.