Steinbach v. Bauclair

164 N.W. 672, 38 N.D. 223, 1917 N.D. LEXIS 22
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 25, 1917
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 164 N.W. 672 (Steinbach v. Bauclair) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Steinbach v. Bauclair, 164 N.W. 672, 38 N.D. 223, 1917 N.D. LEXIS 22 (N.D. 1917).

Opinions

Bruce, Oh. J.

(after stating the facts as above). The principal error alleged is based upon the action of the court in limiting the testi[229]*229mony to matters concerning fraudulent and deceitful representations, alleged to have been made during the sale, as to the general physical condition of the animal, but precluding the defendants from offering any evidence as to the lack of breeding capacity of the animal, as the same was covered by a specific warranty; and the conditions attached to such specific warranty were neither alleged nor proved to have been complied with. In this, however, we believe no error was committed. The specific warranty, and in fact the only warranty, was as follows: “It is agreed that if said stallion in proper health and condition and properly fed, nourished, and cared for and bred to not more than two mares daily during the next regular season of 1913, said season to begin April 15th and end July 15th, does not get 50 per cent of the mares of breeding age and in breeding condition, bred to him, in foal, and said stallion is delivered back to me at New Rockford, North Dakota, in as good health and condition and as sound as he now is not later than January 1, 1914, I will deliver to said purchaser in exchange for said stallion another stallion of equal value. Provided, however, that said buyer mail me by registered mail at New Rockford, North Dakota, not later than August 1, 1913, a full list of the mares bred to said stallion, with names of owners, description, age, and names of mares, with their dates of service and trial, it is agreed by said buyer that said stallion is accepted by him sound and healthy and in good breeding condition. Further, vendor sayeth not.”

There is some testimony in the case which tends to show that the defendants tendered the horse back to the plaintiff sometime in August, 1913, but this merely on the ground that the animal was afflicted with sidebones. There is also evidence that the horse died in October, 1913. There is no evidence, however, that at that time any complaint was made of the lack of breeding qualities of the animal, and there is absolutely no contention or evidence that the list of the mares bred to said stallion, with the names of owners, description, age, and names of mares, with their dates of service and trial, was ever furnished or offered to be furnished to the plaintiff; at any rate, before the date of the trial or prior to August 1, 1913, as provided for in the warranty.

There can be no question of the importance and materiality of the requirement of the list of the mares bred. It was incorporated into the contract so that an investigation could be made while the evidence [230]*230was yet fresh, and that opportunity might be afforded to investigate dishonest claims. “The purpose of such a stipulation is not to escape liability, but to facilitate prompt investigation. And, to this end, it is a precaution of obvious wisdom, and in no respect repugnant to public policy.” See opinion of Mr. Justice Holmes in Georgia, F. & A. R Co. Blish Mill. Co. 241 U. S. 190, 60 L. ed. 948, 36 Sup. Ct. Rep. 541.

This being the case, it seems perfectly clear that, as far as the answer is concerned, the warranty .as to breeding capacity cannot be relied upon, and that the evidence objected to was properly excluded. There is certainly nothing in this agreement or warranty, or in this requirement of a list of the mares bred, that is in any way harsh, or unreasonable or violative of sound rules of public policy, and as far as the answer is concerned, therefore, the action of the court was unquestionably correct.

But was the evidence admissible in so far as' the counterclaim is concerned? We think that it was not. We also are of the opinion that no error was committed in the instructions which were given.

The counterclaim alleged that “at the time of the execution of said notes mentioned in the complaint, to wit, July 15, 1912, defendants purchased of the plaintiff a French draft stallion named “Tapen” for breeding purposes; . . . that at the time of the purchase of said stallion and the execution of said notes the plaintiff warranted and represented to the defendants that said stallion was in all respects sound and healthy, a good breeder, and in good breeding condition as warranted and represented.

“That the defendants believed and relied upon said warranty and representations, and purchased said stallion for the sum of $1,200 and executed and delivered to the plaintiff said notes as aforesaid; that at the time of said warranty and representations and sale said stallion was not sound and healthy, was not a good breeder and in good breeding condition as warranted and represented by plaintiff, but was suffering from a disease of the throat known as acute laryngitis, was not a good breeder and in good breeding condition, all of which facts were well known to the plaintiff at the time he sold and warranted said stallion as aforesaid.

“That said warranty and representations were false and were made [231]*231by the plaintiff with the intent to deceive the defendants and to induce them to purcbáse said stallion, and that defendants were deceived and defrauded by the falsity of said warranty and representations.

“That the plaintiff sold said stallion to the defendants, knowing that defendants wanted him for breeding purposes, and knowing that defendants relied upon his warranty and representations as to the soundness and health of said stallion, and also as to the fitness of said stallion for breeding purposes, and knowing that said stallion was diseased and unfit for breeding purposes as aforesaid, and that he was unsound and not in good health, and knoiving that defendants would not have bought said, stallion or executed said notes had they known the condition of said stallion; yet the plaintiff fraudulently and deceitfully concealed the true condition of said stallion from defendants, and failed and neglected to inform the defendants of said diseased condition of said stallion and his unfitness for breeding purposes.”

The question is whether, under such a counterclaim and in the absence of a fulfilment on the part of the defendants of the conditions in regard to the list of mares served, etc., it was competent for the defendants to show, as they offered to show, that 111 mares were bred between April 15 and July 15, 1913, and the result of such breeding; that the stallion was in good hands and properly cared for and served not to exceed two mares a day, and that of all the mares so served, not to exceed forty-four, were gotten in foal, including dead as well as living colts; and did the court err in instructing the jury that they did not have anything to do with the foal-getting qualities of the horse %

We think that it did not err.

The counterclaim is based not upon the warranty, but on frand and deceit. The bill of sale contained an agreement on behalf of the defendants that it was “agreed by said buyer that said stallion is accepted by him sound and healthy and in good breeding condition.” The question on the counterclaim was whether the agreement entered into by the defendant was brought about by deceit or fraudulent representations made to him with reference to such soundness and health and breeding capacity.

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Bluebook (online)
164 N.W. 672, 38 N.D. 223, 1917 N.D. LEXIS 22, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/steinbach-v-bauclair-nd-1917.