Terry v. American Fruit Growers, Inc.

139 A. 259, 33 Del. 497, 3 W.W. Harr. 497, 1925 Del. LEXIS 34
CourtSuperior Court of Delaware
DecidedJune 9, 1925
DocketCase, No. 21
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 139 A. 259 (Terry v. American Fruit Growers, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Terry v. American Fruit Growers, Inc., 139 A. 259, 33 Del. 497, 3 W.W. Harr. 497, 1925 Del. LEXIS 34 (Del. Ct. App. 1925).

Opinion

Harrington, J.

The objection is overruled. With respect to the first ground, the witness has testified that he received the proceeds from the sale of each car of apples sold by the plaintiffs and entered the amounts so received in his books at the time; that any testimony that he may give in response to the question, in case his present recollection shall be revived by his books, will not violate the hearsay rule is, therefore, clear.

With respect to the second ground, the question is not whether the account books of the plaintiffs, in which transactions with third persons are recorded, are admissible in evidence against the defendant company either under the shop book rule or trader the regular entry rule, but whether the witness who made the entries in such books at the time the transactions took place, and who then knew the facts upon which they were based can refresh his memory from such entries. That he can do so seems beyond question. Fitzgibbon’s Adm’r v. Kinney, 3 Harr. 317; Redden v. Spruance, 4 Harr. 265; Modern Machinery Co. v. Perkins, 3 Boyce 127, 80 A. 10601; Curry v. Warner Co., 2 Marv. 98, 42 A. 425; Stephens’ Digest on Evidence, 341; Greenleaf on Evidence, § 437; Wigmore on Evidence, §§ 758, 761. See, also, Remington Machine Co. v. Wilmington Candy Co., 6 Penn. 288, 66 A. 465; State v. Brooks, 3 Boyce 206, 84 A. 225.

[503]*503Charles L. Terry, Sr., one of the plaintiffs, testified on recall in direct examination, in part, as follows, by Mr. Ridgely:

"Q. Why were none of these apples (referring to the 31 cars rejected by the defendant company) sold in Wyoming, Delaware?
“A. I had no market. I couldn’t sell there.
“Q. There was no market at Wyoming, Delaware, for these apples?
"A. No, sir; there was none.'
“Q. You heard the testimony as to the various places where these apples were sold?
“A. Yes, sir.
"Q. Were you in touch with the market for apples in July, 1923?
“A. Yes, sir. I kept in daily touch with the whole country on apples. I had to.
“Q. That was a part of your business?
“A. It was.
“Q. Why did you sell these apples at the various points testified to?
“A. Because I could get more money out of them that way. I put them where they would bring the most money. * * *
“Q. Were the prices you received for those apples the current market prices at the time of the sale in the Eastern apple markets?
“A. Yes, sir; for those varieties of apples,
“Q. Was there any reason why you sold those apples at different places?
“A. It would have been suicide to have put them all in one market. I sold them so as to keep from glutting any market. Distribution is the greatest thing in handling fruit.
“Q. What about the prices of apples in July, 1923, at Pittsburgh, New York and Boston?
“A. They are the centers of apples in the East.
[504]*504“Q. Is there any difference due to the number of apples on hand?
"A-. Yes, sir. Too many apples drop the market. . _ ,
“Q. While there is a market which indicates the market price at a particular point, nevertheless if that market has more than its needs sent to it, the market falls? ' .
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. I think you have already stated that you were in July, 1923, in daily touch with the current Eastern markets for apples of the kind, variety and quality called for by the contracts in this, suit?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. When you received the proceeds from the sale of the 31 cars of apples, which were refused by the defendant company, did you compare the amounts received with the then current market prices of apples of thé kind, condition, and quality called for by the contracts in this suit?’ ’

Ward, attorney for the defendant company, objected.to" the question on the ground that it did not appear what criterion was used by the witness in comparing prices, and that if he had any information'with respect to market prices, that it did not appear how he.acquired it.

We overrule the objection. The witness has stated that he was familiar with .the current market pric.es of apples of the kind and quality in question during the period inquired about. Whether he had such information is a matter to be ascertained by cross-examination.

At the conclusion of the testimony of the witness, Ward, attorney for the defendant company, requested the Court to strike out all of the testimony introduced by the plaintiffs,"With reference to the sale by them of the 31 cars of apples in foreign, markets.

In support of this motion, he contended that when a buyer repudiated a contract for the sale of personal property, and refused to accept such property, the measure of damages was the difference between the contract price and the market price of such property at the time and place of delivery specified in the contract. He further contended that the contract in this case provided for the delivery of the apples in question and for payment therefor at Wyoming, and as it appeared from the testimony of the witness that there was a fruit market at that place in order for the plaim tiffs to fixtheir damages by selling the31 rejected cars, it was nec-i [505]*505essary for them to show that they sold such apples at Wyoming. He cited 35 Cyc. 592; Sedgwick on Damages, vol. 2 (9th Ed.), § 738, p. 1543; Williston on Contracts, vol. 3, § 1378, p. 2452; Leonard & Co. v. Johnson Forge Co., 3 Penn. 104, 50 A. 541; Love v. Barnesville Mfg. Co., 3 Penn. 152, 50 A. 536.

Assuming that to be the rule, if no loss was suffered by the defendant company, does your contention still apply?

Mr. Ward: I think so and we would have had to take our losses if plaintiffs had sold at Wyoming.

Richards, J.

Do you contend that even if the plaintiff knew that he could sell the apples for more money in another market he should, nevertheless, have sold them at Wyoming?

Mr. Ward: Yes, sir.

The attorneys for the plaintiffs admitted the general rule stated by the attorney for the defendant company, but contended that it did not apply where the plaintiffs established their damages by a resale of the rejected property. •

They contended that in such cases they were merely required to use good faith and reasonable care in trying to establish the damages suffered by them, and that if these rules were not violated it did not matter where the resale took place.

. In support of this contention, they cited Sutherland on Damages (3d Ed.), vol. 3, pp. 1862, 1863; White Walnut Coal Co. v.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Katz v. Exclusive Auto Leasing, Inc.
282 A.2d 866 (Superior Court of Delaware, 1971)
Geralds v. Champlin
37 A.2d 155 (Supreme Court of New Hampshire, 1944)
Grossman v. Delaware Electric Power Co.
155 A. 806 (Superior Court of Delaware, 1929)
O'Neill v. Cooles
140 A. 648 (Superior Court of Delaware, 1928)
Robinson v. Burton
1 Del. 540 (Supreme Court of Delaware, 1858)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
139 A. 259, 33 Del. 497, 3 W.W. Harr. 497, 1925 Del. LEXIS 34, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/terry-v-american-fruit-growers-inc-delsuperct-1925.