Success Waist Co. v. Wigwam Co.

196 A.D. 518, 188 N.Y.S. 21, 1921 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 5558

This text of 196 A.D. 518 (Success Waist Co. v. Wigwam Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Success Waist Co. v. Wigwam Co., 196 A.D. 518, 188 N.Y.S. 21, 1921 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 5558 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1921).

Opinion

Merrell, J.:

The plaintiff is a New York corporation engaged in the manufacture of ladies’ waists, and doing business in the city of New York. The defendant is also a domestic corporation, having its office and principal place of business at Syracuse, Onondaga county, N. Y. The action was brought to recover the sum of $1,500 damages claimed to have been sustained by the plaintiff by reason of the failure and refusal of the defendant to deliver to the plaintiff 15,000 yards of white cotton goods which the plaintiff claims "the defendant sold and agreed to ship to the plaintiff. In substantiation of plaintiff’s claim, its treasurer, one Adler, testified that on July 23, 1918, he was in the city of Syracuse representing the plaintiff as a-traveling salesman, and that he was informed that the defendant had advertised for sale a quantity of •white cotton cloth which the salesman conceived might be [520]*520used by his principal. Accordingly, in company with a resident of the city of Syracuse with whom he had been doing business and who was acquainted with the officers of the defendant, plaintiff visited defendant’s place of business. He testified that samples of the cloth which he desired to purchase of the defendant were exhibited to ham, and that he then entered into an agreement for the purchase of 15,000 yards thereof, and that it was agreed that said goods should be immediately delivered to the plaintiff upon a credit of “ net cash ten days.” Adler testified that defendant’s representative told him that the goods would be shipped immediately, and that thereupon an order was made out which was signed by Adler. Adler further testified that the goods were not delivered as agreed, and that the defendant refused to deliver the same, although delivery thereof was thereafter repeatedly demanded by the plaintiff.

The defendant’s representatives, who were present at the time Adler claims to have purchased the goods and at the time he testified defendant’s representatives agreed to make immediate delivery thereof, testified that the sale was to be “ net cash ten days, subject to the credit of the Success Waist Company being satisfactory ” to the defendant. Defendant’s secretary and treasurer, Greene, testified that on the occasion when Adler called he told him that if he found the plaintiff all right, they would be very glad to ship the goods; that Adler then asked Greene when the goods would be shipped, and that the latter replied that it would take probably five to seven days to look up the basis of credit of the plaintiff. The assistant manager of the defendant, one Germain, also testified in defendant’s behalf as to‘the terms of the agreement, and that in the presence of said witness defendant’s secretary and treasurer, Greene, told Adler that the defendant would ship the goods on credit, provided that plaintiff’s credit was satisfactory.

Upon the evidence a sharp question of fact arose as to whether or not the defendant agreed to ship the goods, which, under the agreed price of eleven cents per yard, amounted to $1,650, immediately upon a ten days’ credit, as claimed by _ Adler, or whether, as claimed by defendant’s representatives, [521]*521delivery of the goods at the price mentioned was to be made only in case the financial condition of the plaintiff was, after investigation, satisfactory to the defendant.

The plaintiff introduced upon the trial the order for the goods, signed by its representative, Adler, and claimed that the order constituted the entire contract, whereas, it was the contention of the defendant that it was agreed that delivery was only to be made after the defendant and its representative Greene were satisfied as to the financial standing of the plaintiff. The evidence indicates that the defendant, both through the efforts of its treasurer, Greene, and others, made investigation as to the financial ability of the plaintiff, and that the defendant was not satisfied from such investigation that the plaintiff should be accorded the credit which it desired. On July 27, 1918, the defendant wrote the plaintiff concerning plaintiff’s order for the goods in question that it had received reports concerning plaintiff’s financial standing, and that upon the arrival of Mr. Greene, its treasurer, who was then out of town, the plaintiff would be advised regarding the same. Four days later, and on July 31, 1918, the defendant again wrote the plaintiff as follows:

July 31, 1918.
“ Success Waist Co.,
101 Greene St.,
“ New York City:
“ Gentlemen.—■ Referring to the order which your Mr. Adler placed with us for 15,000 yards white goods, we hasten to advise you that upon receipt of New York Draft or certified check for the amount of this order, shipment will be made immediately.
Yours very truly,
“ THE WIGWAM COMPANY,
“ OHG-R. “ Treas.”

This letter very pointedly advised plaintiff that as the result of its investigations defendant had not been satisfied of plaintiff’s financial ability and that defendant would not ship the goods on credit.

The following day the plaintiff replied to defendant’s letter, as follows:

[522]*522“ Success Waist Co., Inc.,
Cotton Waists
exclusively
101 Greene Street
“ Bet. Spring & Prince Sts.
“ New York, Aug. 1, 1918.
“ The Wigwam Co., Inc.,
“ Syracuse, N. Y.:
Gentlemen.— Your kind favor of the 31st inst., to hand and in reference to same wish to state that we would like you to send us one piece, each, of the material bought, special delivery. Upon receipt of same we will send you a certified check for the entire shipment.
“ Thanking you for your prompt attention, we beg to remain,
Very truly yours,
“ SUCCESS WAIST CO., INC.”

As a matter of fact, Adler, plaintiff’s representative, had already been furnished with samples of each of the two grades of goods embraced in the order.

It seems to me that the correspondence above quoted substantially supports the claim of the defendant that the delivery of the goods ordered was to be made only upon plaintiff’s credit being established to the satisfaction of the defendant; and from plaintiff’s reply to defendant’s, letter of July 31, 1918, it is apparent that the plaintiff did not claim to be entitled to the goods under other terms than as claimed by the defendant. The testimony of the plaintiff’s witness Adler is quite improbable. Business houses do not usually sell and agree to deliver goods to entire strangers upon credit without some investigation as to the financial ability of the purchasers. The probabilities are all in support of the version of defendant’s representatives, Greene and Germain.

The court submitted to the jury the question of fact arising upon the opposing claims of the parties, and the jury found with the defendant.

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Bluebook (online)
196 A.D. 518, 188 N.Y.S. 21, 1921 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 5558, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/success-waist-co-v-wigwam-co-nyappdiv-1921.