Smith v. A. L. Moore Co.

9 Ohio Cir. Dec. 751
CourtLucas Circuit Court
DecidedSeptember 26, 1898
StatusPublished

This text of 9 Ohio Cir. Dec. 751 (Smith v. A. L. Moore Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Lucas Circuit Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smith v. A. L. Moore Co., 9 Ohio Cir. Dec. 751 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1898).

Opinion

Parker, J.

The A. L, Moore Co., plaintiff below, recovered a money judgment in a civil action against William H. H. Smith, defendant below, and this proceeding is brought to reverse that judgment.

The uncontroverted facts of the case, appearing from the pleadings and proofs, are as follows :

The firm of Charles Truman & Co., of Toledo, Ohio, manufacturers of bicycles, by correspondence with The A. I,. Moore Co., a corporation engaged in the manufacture and sale of bicycle parts and attachments at Cleveland, Ohio, entered into a contract by the terms whereof The A. T. Moore Co. agreed to furnish to Truman & Co. certain bicycle parts called “pedals.” The terms of the contract seem to have been fully agreed upon and accepted by both parties as early as October 9, 1895, (perhaps September 23d), and by the contract The A. T. Moore Co. became bound [752]*752to furnish 8,000 of these pedals at the rate of 300 per month, after that date, and to extend credit on the goods so furnished for sixty days after delivery. On October 14, 1895, (five days later), The A. U- Moore Co. wrote to Truman & Co. as follows :

“Chas. Truman & Co., Toledo, Ohio.
Gentlemen : We learn through our commercial agencies that
W. H. H. Smith guarantees your contracts for supplies. We, therefore, take the liberty to enclose herewith one for his signature to cover the pedals for which you have placed an order with us.
Very respectfully,
The A. Iy. Moore Co.”
Truman & Co. did not respond to this request for security, but on October 26th wrote as follows :
“A. Iy. Moore Co., Cleveland, O.
Gentlemen : Please hasten delivery on the small order sent you
for 40 ladies and 60 gents’ pat trap pedals.
Yours very truly,
Chas. Truman & Co.
Per W. G. Smith.”
October 28th The A. Iy. Moore Co. wrote to Truman & Co. as follows :
“Chas. A. Truman & Co., Toledo, Ohio.
Gentlemen : We enter your order to ship 40 pairs of ladies’ and
60 pair of gents’ pedals at once¡on your contract with us for 3,000. We send these pedals with the understanding that you will comply with our request of the 15th inst., which we presume you have overlooked.
Yours truly,
The A. L. Moore Co.”

The request referred to was that for the signing and returning of .the guaranty. There is no evidence that any pedals were in fact shipped until after the paper sent forward for the signature of William H. H. Smith had been signed and returned’to the A. L. Moore Co. Certain things in the bill of exceptions indicate that the pedals were not in fact shipped until after the guaranty was signed and returned. Upon the letter of October26th which I have read, is noted this: “The order for these pedals shipped November 4, 1895,” indicating that the goods were shipped November 4,1895. On October 29th, Truman & Co., wrote to the Moore Co., as follows :

“ Gentlemen : We have complied with your request of the 15th, which in the absence of the writer, was not attended to. Now that this has been fixed up in this manner, we presume the pedals will come forward without delay.”

Indicating that the pedals had not been received. So while the terms of the contract had been agreed upon, nothing had been done until after W. H. H. Smith signed and the company forwarded the guaranty on which this suit is brought. On October 30th the A. Iy. Moore Co. acknowledged the receipt of the written guaranty referred to, which reads as follows:

[753]*753“ To the A. L. Moore Company, Cleveland, Ohio.
Gentlemen : Provided that you furnish to Chas. Truman & Co., Toledo, Ohio, any bicycle parts, material, or other merchandise, during the season oí 1895-6 on credit, we and each of us, the undersigned, jointly and severally, do hereby guarantee to you the paymeut of the price and value of such material at maturity, whether the same shall be due on open account, or by note or acceptance.
“ And you are hereby authorized to grant such delay as you may see fit for the paymeut of any sum that may be due you at any time, or to renew or extend any account, note, or acceptance, without in any way releasing us; it being intended to, and we do by this letter, bind ourselves, jointly and severally, for the payment to you of any balance that may at anj' time be due you from the said Chas. Truman & Co., Toledo, Ohio, for goods purchased of you during the season of 1895-6, by reason of any contract or arrangement whatever, and we each of us W'aive notice of acceptance of this letter by you.
W. H. H. Smith.”
Toledo, O., October 29, 1895.

While this is made out in the plural form, to be signed by more than one. it is in fact signed by W. H. H. Smith only, and is dated Toledo, Ohio, October 29, 1895.

The amended petition contains averments pleading this guaranty in proper form, and further, that the said plaintiff did furnish to the said firm of Charles Truman & Co. certain bicycle parts and material and other merchandise during the season of 1895 and 1896, upon credit, and received therefor two promissory notes, setting forth the amounts of the notes and the terms thereof, etc., and that they are due and unpaid; that the plaintiff has performed everything that he was required to do and perform ; that Truman & Co. have become insolvent, and have not paid this balance due of $767.77, nor has the defendant paid it; wherefore judgment is asked for the amount. To this the defendant W. H. H. Smith pleads what is claimed on his behalf to be a plea of no consideration for his promise. The answer is brief, and I will read it:

“ And now comes the said defendant, William H. H. Smith, and for answer to the petition of the plaintiff herein, says:
“ First — -That any and all bicycle parts, material and merchandise that may have been furnished the firm of Charles Truman & Co. by said plaintiff during the season of 1895 and 1896, as alleged in said petition, were so furnished under and in pursuance of a contract duly made and entered into by and between said plaintiff and said Truman & Co. on the twenty -third day of September, 1895, whereby said plaintiff duly agreed with the said Truman & Co. to furnish said firm 3,000 pairs of Grothe pedals at, and for the price of $1.15 per pair, upon the following terms, viz.: sixty days, or 2 per cent, off ten days, and for no other or further consideration. That on the twenty-ninth day of October, 1895, and after said contract had been so as aforesaid made and entered into by and between said parties, and after the same had become in full force and effect, this defendant without any new consideration whatsoever in the premises, and as to part of the inducement to the making of the said original contract, executed the guaranty referred to in the petition herein.”

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Bluebook (online)
9 Ohio Cir. Dec. 751, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-a-l-moore-co-ohcirctlucas-1898.