Stemmer v. Scottish Insurance

49 P. 588, 33 Or. 65, 1898 Ore. LEXIS 102
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedJune 23, 1898
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 49 P. 588 (Stemmer v. Scottish Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stemmer v. Scottish Insurance, 49 P. 588, 33 Or. 65, 1898 Ore. LEXIS 102 (Or. 1898).

Opinion

Mr. Chief Justice Moore,

after making the foregoing statement, delivered the opinion of the court.

It is contended by plaintiff’s counsel that their client, having agreed upon a submission of differences to arbitration, sought to' select some reputable and competent person to estimate the amount of his loss, and to that end proposed the names of several individuals possessing these qualifications ; but that E. P. Farnsworth and A. J. Wetzler, insurance adjusters representing the defendant companies, after objecting to each name so proposed, suggested the name of Isaac L. White, claiming that he was well qualified for the position, and stating that, if plaintiff did not accept White as his appraiser, they would deny all liability; and that, in view of this threat, their client, against his wish, was compelled to accept White, and that such conduct on the part of defendants’ agents rendered the award void. It is impossible to reconcile the testimony on this branch of the case. Plaintiff and one of his employees named J. B. McClosky testified that Farnsworth and Wetzler made these statements, and that the threat was uttered in a “ stage whisper.” But Farnsworth and Wetzler each deny the statements entirely, except that the former admits that they objected to the name of one person proposed by plaintiff, because the person so suggested was doing business with, and furnishing material to, plaintiff, for which reason they considered him not impartial. Farnsworth says that plaintiff, after finding that he could not obtain other persons whom he desired, on account of business engage[71]*71ments, voluntarily suggested tlie name of Isaac L. White, with whom, at that time, they were unacquainted, but, having heard that he possessed an excellent reputation as an upright citizen, no objection was made to him. The testimony of this witness is corroborated by that of William Church, Jr., who was present when the appraisers were appointed, and says that White’s name was proposed by Stemmer. The trial court had the advantage of seeing the witnesses, hearing them testify, and noting their manner and bearing on the stand, for which reason it was in a better position to judge of their credibility than it is possible for this court to do from an inspection of the-record; and, having found against plaintiff on this issue, we are impelled to adopt its conclusions in this respect.

It is maintained that the agreement entered into by the parties for the submission to appraisers, and the method adopted by the persons so selected in appraising and determining the amount of plaintiff’s loss by the fire, were in contravention of the public policy adopted by the state, and hence the awards should be set aside. In thus contending, counsel proceeds upon the theory that the act of the legislative assembly of February 21, 1893 (Laws 1893, p. 133),

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Bluebook (online)
49 P. 588, 33 Or. 65, 1898 Ore. LEXIS 102, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stemmer-v-scottish-insurance-or-1898.