Sullivan v. Boley

24 Fla. 501
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedJune 15, 1888
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 24 Fla. 501 (Sullivan v. Boley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sullivan v. Boley, 24 Fla. 501 (Fla. 1888).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Mitchell

delivered the opinion of the court:

The appellee, Boley, sued Sullivan, appellant, for goods sold and delivered by the appellee to the appellant at his request.

The goods alleged to have been sold, one buggy and 73,000 feet of lumber deals, amounting in the aggregate to $907.00.

Defendant, in his plea, admitted that he was indebted to the plaintiff $598.98, but pleaded that he was never indebted as to the residue of the plaintiff’s claim.

The issues were submitted to a jury at the spring term df 1887, and the jury assessed the plaintiffs damages at $926.

Defendant moved for new trial, which motion was deified, and he appealed. The errors assigned are:

[503]*5031st. In admitting in evidence the way bills of the L. & N. R. R. Co.

2d. In admitting the testimony of W. A. Roberts as to the weight and delivery of deals, as stated by him.

3d. In admitting in evidence of value of deals at Pensacola.

4th. In charging the jury as excepted to by motion for new trial.

5th. In overruling motion for new trial.

The errors may all be considered under the 5th assignment.

In the first place, the evidence in the record tends to show that some time prior to the institution of the suit, there was a trade between plaintiff and defendant, in which the plaintiff sold or traded the defendant a buggy, and that the defendant agreed to pay $250 for the same, in money, or as a part payment, to let the plaintiff have an old buggy belonging to him, defendant, at $100, the balance or difference between the buggies ($150), to be paid in cash. The defendant at once took possession of the buggy sold or traded to him by plaintiff, but never delivered or tendered the buggy he agreed to let plaintiff have, nor did he pay the $250, or any part thereof.

In the second place, that plaintiff had at his mill, the •“ Pine Orchard,” about 72,000 feet of deals. The plaintiff testified as to the quantity, quality and value of the deals At the mill, and that Sullivan, the defendant, desiring to purchase the lumber, stated to plaintiff that he would give the highest market price therefor,, and that upon such understanding the plaintiff let the defendant have the deals And agreed to ship them to defendant at Pensacola; that plaintiff did ship the deals to defendant as he had agreed to do, to the amount of about 72,000 feet. The plaintiff further testified that the deals were worth $9.00 per thou[504]*504sand at the mill, and that he was offered that amount per thousand lor them at the mill by other parties. .J. A. Spoon, a witness for the plaintiff, testified that he had leased the mill from the plaintiff, and that he sawed the deals for one Hooten and that he had also sawed a lot of boards for Hooten; that Hooten would not take the boards because not satisfactory, but offered to take the deals at $9.00 per thousand, but he would not let him have them at that price; that he turned the lumber over-to the plaintiff, that it was merchantable, not prime lumber. II. H. Killmi, for the plaintiff, tesiified that he knew the lumber, that it was merchantable and' good for the class; that the lumber was word) $9.00 to $9.50 at the mill, but knew of no sales. This witness also testified that 72,000 feet of the lumber wont to Sullivan.

W. A. Roberts, a witness for the plaintiff, testified as follows: “I am in the employ of the L. & N. R. R. Co. Have been for several years past.” Witness then produced certain way bills of the L. & N. R. R. Co., stating “ that, they were way bills of the L. & N. R. R. Co., and that they showed that in June, 1885, 163,000 pounds of deals were shipped by L. Boley, from the Orchard, and delivered at Pensacola to M. II. Sullivan, and that in July, 1885, 138,000 pounds of deals were shipped from Pine Orchard, by L. Boley, and delivered at Pensacola to M. H. Sullivan! That he has no knowledge of the deals or the weight thereof, or the shipment or the delivery thereof, except such as he derived from said way bills, which were not made out by him, or under h.is direction, but the freight shown to be due for said way bills were paid to another employee of the road, not in witness’ presence, and turned over to witness by him, and that the amount due on said way bills was paid with defendant’s bank check. The way bills were made in due course of business by the L. & N. R. R. Co. to [505]*505show contents of cars and amount'of freight. They have remained in my possession as proper custodian since that time.” I. A. Hooten, for plaintiff, testified that he saw the deals in controversy at the mill, that the 100,000 lot was sawed for him, also a lot of boards under same contract.That the boards were not satisfactory; that he offered to take the deals at $9.00 per thousand, which he considered them worth according to the market at that time; that he examined the entire lot as piled at the mill; that he had years of experience in the lumber business; that some of the deals were merchantable and some prime; that he was dealing in lumber and considered deals worth $9.00 at the mill: that he saw some of them and they were from prime to merchantable. That at Pensacola they were worth $10 per thousand.

John Eagan, for the plaintiff, testified that about October, 1886, the plaintiff gave him, as attorney, his claims against Sullivan to have them settled ; that Sullivan refused to settle the lumber business, but admitted that the buggy transaction was all right; that he agreed to pay Boley $250 cash or give him his old buggy and $150 difference ; that he asked defendant to pay him the $150 and to give witness an order for t-he-old buggy ; that defendant refused to do so unless witness accepted payment of other matters (not in controversy in the suit) between him and Boley on his own terms.

This is the substance of plaintiff’s testimony.

W. A. S. Wheeler, for defendant, testified that he was acquainted with the deals and lumber in controversy in the case; that he saw it on its arrival at Pensacola, when it was put off on Mr. Sullivan’s wharf; that Sullivan paid for unloading it at the ears and putting it on his wharf; that he heard the conversation about the lumber between Sullivan and Boley ; that Sullivan liad no use for the lum[506]*506her, but as Boley wanted to get rid of it Sullivan said he would take it and do the best he could with it, and allow Boley what was reasonable for it; that it was a sorry lot of stuff of all sorts and sizes, and that it took a long time to dispose of it; that some of it was still on hand when the suit was brought. As fast as it was sold the quantity and description so sold would be reported at the office at once by the employe making the inspection, and entries upon Sullivan's books were at once made in accordance with such reports ; that the amount of the deals and planks received by Sullivan from Boley according to the inspection of sales was 65,331 feet; that in view of the interior quality of the lumber and the great trouble and expense Sullivan was put to in the handling of it witness considered $7 per thousand a lair and reasonable price to pay Boley.

That he had had a great deal of experience in the purchase and sale of lumber and that hence he was able to state its value.

That he heard the transaction between plaintiff and defendant touching the buggies. It was agreed that Sullivan should buy Boley’s buggy, paying him for it $150 in money and his old buggy to boot.

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