Shavalier v. Grand Rapids Bark & Lumber Co.

87 N.W. 212, 128 Mich. 230, 1901 Mich. LEXIS 577
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 25, 1901
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 87 N.W. 212 (Shavalier v. Grand Rapids Bark & Lumber Co.) 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
Shavalier v. Grand Rapids Bark & Lumber Co., 87 N.W. 212, 128 Mich. 230, 1901 Mich. LEXIS 577 (Mich. 1901).

Opinion

Moore, J.

The plaintiff lives in Newaygo county, and was engaged in making and selling railroad ties and lumber. The defendant is a corporation, with its office in Grand Rapids, Mich. Its business was buying and selling railroad ties and lumber. Its officers were William A. Phelps, president, Charles P. Young, vice-president, Charles A. Phelps, secretary and treasurer. Josie A. Young, the wife of Charles P. Young, and the sister of William A. Phelps, was a stockholder in the company. Charles P. Young was the active man in looking after the business in Newaygo county. The plaintiff sold and delivered ties and lumber to the defendant to the amount of more than $10,000. The dealings between the parties commenced as early as 1895. It is agreed that a full set[231]*231tl'ement was had in March, 1897, and it is not sought to go into the transactions between the parties prior to that date.

In March, 1899, plaintiff gave the following receipt:’

“Grant, Mich., March 20, 1899.
‘ ‘ This article is my receipt in full to the G. R. Bark & Lumber Co. and C. F. Young to date for all demands of every kind and nature, and I am to deliver on car at Grant, on or before March 22nd, 14; 000 feet of No. 1 tamarack piece stuff; I this day having been paid for the same in the Grand Rapids Bark & Lumber Co.’s settlement with me, this receipt covering the delivery of the same. '
“James Shavalier.”
In May, 1899, he gave the following receipt:
“Grant House. May 2nd, 1899.
“Pay Roll James Shavalier.
“Grant, Mich., May 2nd, 1899.
“James Longcore, amount, $23.90; William Longcore, $11.95; Earl Finchman, amount, $4.26; Ed. Schick, amount, $21.00; T. Ashley, amount, $14.74; C. L. Disart, $5.30; brought down, $81.15.
■ “ The above is amount of labor due in full to date. Received this day from Jorgensen & Hemingsen $17.73, and check 4291, for $63.42, to pay above; total, $81.15, — ■ in payment of labor claims to date. Also check 4290, for $80.00, in full settlement of Rice-Lake job, and all claims of every and any nature to date, including the lumber and ties now at Grant.
“ J. Shavalier.”

There have been no business transactions between the parties since the last receipt was given. It is the claim of plaintiff that, when these receipts were given, he supposed credit had been given him for certain items for which he was entitled to credit, and that he was so informed by Mr. Young, but that the items were not in fact credited to him. It is the claim of defendant that statements were rendered from time to time to Mr. Shavalier, that he was credited with all he was entitled to have credited, that defendant owes him nothing, and the jury should have [232]*232been so instructed. The judge submitted the case to the jury. A verdict was rendered in favor of the plaintiff.

The case is brought here by writ of error.

The items for which plaintiff makes claim are: Upon the Brower mill, $200; timber sold to Abrahams, $300; Jorgensen & Hemingsen bill, $245.77; goods had by Young in Grand Rapids, $55.03. The defendant claims that these items all relate to transactions about which it had no knowledge whatever; that they were transactions between plaintiff and Charles F. Young as an individual. Mr. Young makes the same claim, and says that, in his individual dealings with the plaintiff, he gave him all proper credits, and that plaintiff has been fully paid.

As to the first item, it is the claim of plaintiff that he sold a portable mill to defendant, which it afterwards sold; and that he should have been credited $200 in the transaction. There was introduced in evidence the following:

“COTTRTRIGHT HOUSE.
“Newaygo, Mich., April 27, ’97.
“C. F. Young,
“Grand Rapids, Mich.:
‘ ‘ Please arrange, ” etc. ‘ ‘ I hereby assign to you all my interest in the sawmill and engine sold to Carl Brower; everything, after paying claim of Chas. Fox & Company, to belong to you.
“James Shavalier.”
“Charles Fox.
“Grand Rapids, Mich., March 8, 1900.
“Received from C. F. Young, May 29th, 1897, $50.00; on January 20, 1898, $37.00; and surrehdered to him notes of Carl W. Brower covering engine and sawmill of James Shavalier.
[ Signed ] ‘ ‘ Charles Fox. ”

It is the claim of defendant that it had nothing to do with this transaction. It is the claim of Mr. Young that he had fully settled the matter with the plaintiff.

As to the $300 claim for timber sold to Abrahams, it is the claim of plaintiff that he bought the timber from a number of 40’s from one Yeenboer for $200; that the con[233]*233tract was made out in his name; that he at once assigned it, as he supposed, to the defendant, as security for any balance he might owe it; and with his consent the timber from part of this land was sold to Abrahams for $500, and he should have been credited $300 in the transaction. The record shows that in October, 1897, Mr. Yeenboer made to the plaintiff a land contract, which, after naming the parties and describing the land, reads as follows:

“ In consideration of the payment to me of $200.00, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, I do for myself, my heirs, and all parties interested therein, hereby sell, assign, and transfer to James Shavalier, and to his heirs and assigns, all the timber, standing and down, on the above-described lands, which is over seven (7) inches in diameter, with the right to himself, his heirs and assigns, to go onto said lands, and to manufacture and remove therefrom the said timber, at any time within two (2) years from November 1st, 1897; it being understood and provided that the timber which is removed from section 16 shall be removed within one year from November 1st, 1897.
“Witness my hand and seal this 4th day of October, A. D. 1897.
“M. Yeenboer.”

Indorsed on the back as follows:

“Grant, Mich., Oct. 4th, 1897.
“For a valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, I hereby assign all my rights and title to the within timber to Josie A. Young.
“James Shavalier.”

The $200 was paid to Mr. Yeenboer with a check given by Mrs. Young. Mr. Shavalier never put a dollar into the transaction. The record also shows that afterwards Mr. Shavalier negotiated a sale of timber from some of this land to Mr. Abrahams for $500, and represented to him the land belonged to Mr. Young. Shavalier was paid $50 commission for his part in the transaction by Abrahams. It is the claim of defendant that it had nothing to do with this transaction. It is the claim of Mr. Young that he bought the timber of Yeenboer, and sold part of it [234]*234to Mr. Abrahams. The record shows the defendant paid plaintiff 14 and 15 cents apiece for the ties. Mr.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
87 N.W. 212, 128 Mich. 230, 1901 Mich. LEXIS 577, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shavalier-v-grand-rapids-bark-lumber-co-mich-1901.