Schweers-Kern Live Stock Commission Co. v. Kothmann

224 S.W. 593, 1920 Tex. App. LEXIS 927
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 29, 1920
DocketNo. 6424.
StatusPublished

This text of 224 S.W. 593 (Schweers-Kern Live Stock Commission Co. v. Kothmann) 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
Schweers-Kern Live Stock Commission Co. v. Kothmann, 224 S.W. 593, 1920 Tex. App. LEXIS 927 (Tex. Ct. App. 1920).

Opinion

COBBS, J.

This suit was brought by ap-pellee to recover from appellant the sum of $522, based upon the following written instrument:

■ “This draft will not be honored unless given for cattle for immediate shipment to market.
“No.-.
“San Antonio, Texas, October 5, 1915.
“At sight pay to the order of T. W. Enlow $522.00, five hundred twenty-two dollars, for 5 bulls, 5 cows, 5 hogs. E. C. Evans.
“To Schweers-Kern Live Stock Commission Company, Union Stockyards, San Antonio, Texas.”
On the back of the draft appear the following indorsements:
“T. W. Enlow.
“Let you know to-morrow 10 — 7—15. “Return 10 — 7—15.
“Pay to the order of Erost National Bank, 130 San Antonio, Texas 130.
“J. W. Kothmann & Co.”

The grounds for recovery, as alleged in the petition, are that Enlow, appellee’s agent, delivered the stock to Evans, who gave Enlow said draft in payment thereof, and the stock were shipped to appellant by Evans, who alleged the draft was good and would be paid by appellants; that appellants received the said stock, sold them, and received the money therefor; that Enlow, on receipt of the draft, immediately forwarded it to appellee, who, upon the receipt thereof, called up the office of appellants and was informed by E. R. Rothe, the bookkeeper, it was good and would be paid, and appellee thereupon deposited it in Frost National Bank for collection, which payment was thereafter refused.

It is further alleged that the cattle were turned over to appellants, relying upon the representations that said draft would be paid, and, if he had known appellants would not have honored said draft, he would not have delivered said cattle, and, if appellants had advised him on the following morning that they would not have paid the draft, he could then, and would immediately, have reclaimed said stock, as they were still in the yards in San Antonio in possession of said appellants, and relying on said representations, and believing them to be true, took no steps to take possession of said stock, but permitted defendants to sell them and receive said proceeds and retain them; That he does not know whether Evans bought said cattle for himself or appellants, but, if he bought them for appellants, they have become liable and promised to pay said amount. If he bought them for himself, they were shipped to appellants to be sold on commission, and so held when advised of the giving of the draft, and have become liablé and promised to pay to appellee the said sum of $522.

*594 The answer contains general and special exceptions, general and special denial, and «worn plea denying agency. The case was tried before the court, jury waived, and the court filed findings of fact and conclusions of taw. There is also filed a statement of facts. The court found in favor of appellee, and rendered judgment for him for the amount sued for.

W. H. Schweers, one of the appellants, testified they furnished Evans with a little pad of drafts, with the little printing on it as a protection to them, and as notice that it would not be honored unless given for cattle for immediate shipment to market, and notice to any one not to take a draft on appellant for anything else than cattle, and notice to the man dealing with him that he was not authorized to do that. Appellant got these, cattle on October 5, sold them the same day, and testified that he settled with Evans that afternoon, leaving a balance due to Evans of $70 to his credit now. At that time he had no knowledge of the outstanding draft, but about two days later was told of its existence by his bookkeeper. A't time of settlement with Evans they took account of all the drafts that had already come in, and Evans represented to him there were no more drafts outstanding. He generally did the “O. K.’ing” of the drafts himself. Mr. Gerdes also had the authority. Mr. Rothe was not authorized at that time.

The appellee testified that Enlow had telephoned him he had bought part of a load and was going to ship with Evans, but later telephoned he had sold to Evans, who had given him a draft therefor. Enlow drew on him for what he had paid for the stock, and called appellee over the phone, and gave him a description of those cattle in the car, then ready to be shipped, which he paid draft for. The stock were all shipped that night, and he saw the stock the next morning in the possession of appellants, which he identified by the description as phoned him by Enlow; likewise those described in the Enlow drafts which he had previously paid. The draft drawn by Evans, sued on, had not then been received. It was received that evening. When the draft was received, Mr. Schweers was not in town. The draft is supposed to have come at the noon hour, but the letter containing‘it did not go to his office, but was delivered at his residence. The cattle had all been sold then.

Appellants and appellees are competitors in ■.the same business, having adjoining rooms in same building. This draft did not come to his office, but to his residence, and he actually received it about 4 or 5 o’clock that evening. He did not notify appellants that draft was coming, but after it came telephoned from his house to appellants’ office, and said to Mr. Rothe, “I have a draft,” and told him rvhat it was, and asked if it was good, and he said it was all right and would be paid. It was later than 4 when this telephoning occurred. lie deposited draft in -Frost National Bank next day. He knew that Mr. Rothe was not signing checks, but Rothe called it good. Rothe denied the statement that appellee notified him, and further stated:

The offices of appellants and appellee are adjoining. “When I have any communication to make to Kothmann’s firm I go around to the office, and when they have any business to do with us, they come into our room.”

The first alleged ground for recovery is that Evans represented the draft would be paid, and the stock were shipped to and received by appellants, who received and sold them, and were bound to pay because of said representations, and further because Rothe, the bookkeeper, said the draft was good and would be paid. If the cause of action is dependent upon what Rothe told him, then the undisputed evidence shows at the alleged time of notice the stock had been sold, and it was not shown that the proceeds had not been paid over to Evans, and the cattle no longer in appellants’ possession, and Schweers did not know of the draft until several days had passed. There is no fact or circumstance alleged or claimed that binds the appellants by virtue of any act or the conduct on the part of Rothe, for the testimony and finding of the court fails to show how appellants could be bound by his statement, since it is shown he had no authority to O. K. drafts, as appellee himself well knew, and also knew that only Schweers signed his drafts, and besides ap-pellee did not communicate with Rothe until he received the draft, which was after the sale of the cattle, and after some kind of a settlement had been made with Evans. The appellee used no diligence whatever to give notice. He was advised the evening of the day before of the draft by Enlow, the cattle would be shipped, and that the draft was drawn.

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Bluebook (online)
224 S.W. 593, 1920 Tex. App. LEXIS 927, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schweers-kern-live-stock-commission-co-v-kothmann-texapp-1920.