Territo v. Harkey

249 S.W.2d 251, 1952 Tex. App. LEXIS 2156
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 1, 1952
DocketNo. 3019
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 249 S.W.2d 251 (Territo v. Harkey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Territo v. Harkey, 249 S.W.2d 251, 1952 Tex. App. LEXIS 2156 (Tex. Ct. App. 1952).

Opinion

TIREY, Justice.

C. E. Harkey and R. E. Frazier brought this suit against Louis Joe Territo and W. C. Warren for rescission of a contract of purchase of one Massey-Hands combine. In the alternative they ask for damages resulting from the breach of the contract of sale. The action was grounded on fraudulent representations. They also joined in the suit the First State Bank of, Eustace, alleging that the bank had acquired a mortgage on the property securing a note given for a part of the purchase money. Plaintiffs specifically alleged the special damages they had sustained by. reason of the fraud perpetrated on them and also asked for exemplary damages by virtue of such fraud. They prayed for rescission of sale cancelling their note and asked for their damages, itemizing same.In the alternative they prayed for a judgment that would in effect adjust the equities of all the parties. The bank filed its answer-and cross action and set out the facts and circumstances under which it made the loan and took a mortgage on the combine to secure its note, all of which was done under the representation contained in the invoice to the effect that the combine was a- new one, to enable the plaintiffs to complete the purchase and sale of the combine in suit. The bank prayed for its debt, interest and attorney's fees and foreclosure of its mortgage lien and for equitable relief.

, At the conclusion of the testimony Ter-rito and Warren moved for an instructed verdict, which was overruled. The jury in its verdict found substantially that Ter-rito and Warren, in making the sale of the combine, represented to plaintiffs that said combine was new; that such representation was false; that it was knowingly made for the fraudulent purpose of inducing plaintiff to purchase the combine and that Territo and Warren, in making such representation, acted maliciously; that plaintiffs believed the representations made to be true and that plaintiffs relied on same, and that plaintiffs would not have purchased such combine except for such representation that it was new; that the reasonable cash market value of the combine in Houston, when delivered to plaintiffs, was $3,000, and fixed the sum of $1,000 as exemplary damages against Territo and Warren; that Territo and Warren did not represent to the plaintiffs that such combine had 'been used six hours and converted from tracks to wheels; that Frazier did not, on July 28, 1949, agree to accept the combine if the same were painted and the bent parts replaced; that plaintiff Harkey did not constitute Clifford Pelham his agent with authority to accept the combine at Houston and waive defects, if any, therein; that plaintiffs notified Territo and Warren that they were rescinding the contract within á reasonable time after receiving the combine at Panhandle. Plaintiffs seasonably filed motion for judgment, which was granted, and the court decreed that the contract for the purchase and sale of the combine be rescinded, and fixed title and -ownership • to the combine in Territo and Warren subject to foreclosure granted the First State Bank of Eustace, and awarded recovery in favor of Harkey and Frazier against Territo and Warren in the sum of $5,598 and specified that such sum was made up of the following items$4,050, being the sum paid by plaintiffs; $492.50, being -.the interest to date of judgment; and $55, transportation expense, and $1,000 as exemplary damages, and awarded legal interest from the date of' judgment. The decree further provided that the First State Bank of Eustace recover of Harkey and Frazier the sum of $2,942.75, which was made up of the following items: $2,675.25, principal on the note; $267.50, attorney’s fees, together with legal interest on the sum from the date of judgment until paid. It foreclosed the mortgage lien of the First State Bank of Eustace against the combine and provided for order of sale and decreed [253]*253that the proceeds of the sale he paid the First State Bank of Eustace to be applied as a credit on the bank’s judgment against Harkey and Frazier, and that the same amount be credited on the judgment rendered in favor of Harkey and Frazier against Territo and Warren. The decree further provided that Territo and Warren may pay to the First State Bank of Eustace the amount of the judgment decreed in its favor against Harkey and Frazier and in the event of such payment the amount so paid shall operate pro tanto as a discharge of the judgment in favor of Harkey and Frazier against Territo and Warren. The costs of suit in behalf of the First State Bank were taxed, against Harkey and Frazier and all other costs incurred were taxed against Territo and Warren and they seasonably filed motion for new trial, which was overruled, and appeal has been perfected to this court. (The sufficiency of the evidence to sustain the verdict of the jury and the judgment of the court is not assailed.)

Our view is that the controlling facts in this case are without dispute, save and except that Territo and Warren claimed that they advised plaintiffs to the effect that this machine had been used in the rice fields for a period of some six hours but notwithstanding this fact it was a new machine, and Harkey and Frazier agreed to accept it after making some repairs and having it painted, and further that Max ‘Christianson, the previous owner of the machine, testified to the effect that one of appellants had come to Houston and examined the combine before the day that defendants and the truck driver came down to get it. It is without dispute that the bank had no knowledge that the combine had been used, but on the contrary their sole information was to the effect that the combine was a new machine. In the latter part of June, 1949, the plaintiffs went to the place of business of the defendants in Corsicana, Texas, for the purpose of purchasing a new combine. At the time plaintiffs were farmers in Henderson County, but were operating a combine in the area of Panhandle, Texas, and desired to purchase another combine to use immediately in the harvest of 1949. Defendants did not have a combine in stock (combines were scarce) but they located one through a dealer in Houston and immediately advised plaintiffs about this machine. Plaintiffs had only $1,400 in cash to apply on the purchase price and told defendants they would have to'finance the remainder of the purchase price. Defendants were unwilling to do this and requested plaintiffs to finance the balance of the purchase price through their local bank. After some negotiations the parties agreed to the purchase and sale of the combine at a price of $4,075.25 and the defendants prepared and delivered to plaintiffs an invoice “for a new 26A Massey-Harris Combine” with specifications as to other equipment and placed this invoice in plaintiffs’ hands for the purpose of u.sing such invoice to borrow the balance of the purchase price from the ■bank at Eustace. (Defendant Warren testified to the effect that he sold the combine as a new machine and at the price of a new machine). Plaintiffs thereafter submitted this invoice to the bank and obtained a loan of $2,675.25 and executed a note for such amount secured by chattel mortgage on the combine described in the invoice. After plaintiffs obtained their loan plaintiff Harkey issued his check, drawn on the Eustace bank, for the sum of $4,075.25, payable to defendants and sent it to defendants on the morning of June 29th by Clifford Pelham, a truck driver. Defendants accepted the check and called the bank at Eustace to see whether or not it was good and were advised that it was and they deposited it to their credit in a bank at •Corsicana.

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Bluebook (online)
249 S.W.2d 251, 1952 Tex. App. LEXIS 2156, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/territo-v-harkey-texapp-1952.