Steel Furniture Co. v. Pearce

170 N.W. 80, 203 Mich. 652, 1918 Mich. LEXIS 628
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 27, 1918
DocketDocket No. 23
StatusPublished

This text of 170 N.W. 80 (Steel Furniture Co. v. Pearce) 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
Steel Furniture Co. v. Pearce, 170 N.W. 80, 203 Mich. 652, 1918 Mich. LEXIS 628 (Mich. 1918).

Opinion

Ostrander, C. J.

(dissenting). Suit was begun No[653]*653vember 24,1916. Plaintiff declared upon the common counts in assumpsit. Its bill of particulars is:

“1915. Sept. 17th — Purchase price of 538 No. 155 Bch. Ven. Mahogany fin. chairs at $1.19 each, $640.22. According to contract, interest 5 per cent.”

Defendants pleaded the' general issue with notice of the special defenses that in negotiating for the chairs they were shown a catalog representing No. 155, asked to see a sample chair, were taken to another theater where chairs were being installed and told that they were the same style as said No. 155, and, relying upon the representation, gave their order for the chairs, entering into a written contract therefor; that the chairs furnished to defendants are not the style and make shown in the catalog or in the other theater, are not suitable for the theater business, being lower and of inferior grade, with unfinished corners, and that patrons who used them complained because dresses were torn and injuries received on account of the sharp corners; that they were obliged to remove the chairs and substitute others; that the agent of plaintiff was notified to remove the chairs and the plaintiff notified that it had failed to supply the chairs as represented by its agent and made no reply for months.

The case coming on to be tried, the attorney for the plaintiff stated that the plaintiff would prove that the chairs were sold as stated in the written contract, were style No. 155 shown in a certain catalog at the time of the sale, were shipped according to contract, received by defendants, by them placed in their theater and used by them; that defendants at no time refused to accept them, but did accept them and had them in their possession and had not paid for them. Thereupon the attorney for defendants stated, among other things, that—

“The evidence will show, gentlemen of the jury, [654]*654that he had a catalog with him, and talked or at least, pointed out to the Pearce Brothers the style and make of the seat that was sold, or that the Steel Furniture Company would deliver to the Pearce Brothers; that they asked him why he didn’t produce a sample so they could look at it.
“The evidence'will show the agent said it was a little expense to carry around, but he would take them up to the Palace Theater in Detroit, where they had installed the same kind of seat that he was to sell the Pearce Brothers, which were manufactured by this company in Grand Rapids.
“The evidence will show, gentlemen of the jury, that after the Pearce Brothers went up to the Palace theater and looked over the seats, relying on the representations that were made by the agent of this company, that they came back to Wyandotte and signed up as Pearce Brothers for the number of seats alleged in this contract, at the price fixed.
“Now, gentlemen of the jury, the evidence will show that after the seats came they were put up; that they were not the seats described in the catalog that was produced by the agent, nor they were not anything like the seat that was exhibited to these men at the Palace Theater in Detroit; that'the corners were such that when people came in to, sit down on them they would tear their clothes; that finally they were compelled to take the seats out themselves; and the evidence will show that the defendants did take the seats out themselves/ We will show you that within a reasonable time after the seats were delivered they notified them to take them away because they were not the seats ordered; that they informed the agent who sold those seats, and he kept telling them he would write to the company, as the evidence will show, for them to take care of the seats.
“Finally, gentlemen, he came over one day, and they had a talk about the seats, and he admitted, as the evidence will show, they were not seats like he had taken them to look at in Detroit. He said he had only received $9.00 for commission, and he would not bother any more to do anything about the seats.
“Now, the evidence will show that the defendants have been repeatedly notified to take their property [655]*655away, but have refused to take it away, and the seats were put together and put away; and they are now stored at the city of Wyandotte.”

The attorney for plaintiff then asked the court to direct a verdict for the plaintiff. A colloquy followed, during which the contract was offered and received in evidence, and during which, referring to the statement of the attorney for defendants, the court, without being corrected, if mistaken, said:

“He conceded having received them, accepted them, and installing them.”

In the course of the colloquy the attorney for defendants admitted that by the terms of the contract the purchase price of the chairs was due, and further stated:

“It seems to me under the decisions, your honor has not, until the testimony is in, and the circumstances surrounding the transaction, whether or not the seats correspond with the sample showed by the agent at the time the order was given, and before the order was actually entered into, are all matters that should be taken into consideration by your honor before you hold, as a matter of law, that there has been an estoppel. .
“The question of estoppel cannot be decided until the testimony is before the court. Whether or not the seats delivered correspond to the sample from which the order was given; whether the defendants within a reasonable time notified the plaintiff to take them away, and all the facts and circumstances surrounding the whole transaction must be before the court before it can pass on the question of estoppel. The Supreme Court of this State has so decided. I have the citations here. When all the facts are before the court, it may become a question to be submitted to the jury or a question of law for the court, or a mixed question of fact and law for the court and jury.
“We admit that a contract was executed, and that seats were delivered. We deny that the seats delivered were the seats called for by the contract.”

[656]*656It was admitted also that the chairs were installed on Thanksgiving evening, in November, 1915. No testimony was offered or was received other than the written contract. The court directed a verdict for plaintiff, upon which judgment was entered. It is assigned as error (1) that the verdict was so directed, (2) that the court refused to receive testimony for defendants, (3) that the court decided the question of estoppel without hearing evidence.

An examination of the contract discloses that it is an order for chairs, the number to be according to a seating plan, “about 550 chairs,” style No. 155. Color of wood, of metal standards, etc., are given. Setting .up directions were to be sent to defendants. It contains the provisions that—

“Verbal promises or statements are not binding upon us, and this is made an express understanding of this agreement,”

—and the order was given “subject to your approval.”

In considering whether a sale of personal property is completed, there is, of course, a distinction to be made between delivery of the property sold and acceptance of it by the buyer.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
170 N.W. 80, 203 Mich. 652, 1918 Mich. LEXIS 628, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/steel-furniture-co-v-pearce-mich-1918.