Tufts v. D'Arcambal

48 N.W. 497, 85 Mich. 185, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 686
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedApril 17, 1891
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 48 N.W. 497 (Tufts v. D'Arcambal) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tufts v. D'Arcambal, 48 N.W. 497, 85 Mich. 185, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 686 (Mich. 1891).

Opinion

McGrath, J.

This is an action of replevin. In March, 1888, plaintiff’s agent took of defendant an order for certain soda-water apparatus replevined herein, which order was as follows:

“Kalamazoo, Mich., March 7, 1888.
“Jambs IV. Tufts,
“ Boston, Mass.:
“ Forward the following described soda-water apparatus, and on receipt of bill of lading I will honor .sight draft for 8-. The balance I promise to pay in monthly sums, as follows: May 10, 825, and 825 per month, with interest at 4 per cent, from date of shipment with each payment, and for such balance and interest will execute and deliver contract notes of like tenor and form as the one- printed on the back of this order, and maturing as above set forth; the delivery of said apparatus, etc., to be conditional upon compliance with the above terms and conditions, and said apparatus to remain the property of James IV. Tufts till paid for. [Then follows a description of apparatus.]
“ E. B. D’Arcambal.”

On the back of the order appears the following :

“ 8-. 188 — .
“ For value received, - after date, - promise to pay to the order of James IV.- Tufts - dollars, with interest -.
“The consideration of this and other notes is the following described soda-water apparatus, -, which - have received of said James IV. Tufts.
“Nevertheless, it is understood and agreed by and between - and the said James W. Tufts that the title to the above-mentioned property does not pass to --, and that until all said notes are paid the title to the aforesaid property shall-remain in the said James IV. Tufts, who shall have the right, in case of non-payment at maturity of either of said notes, without process of law, to enter and retake, and may enter and retake, immediate possession of.the said property, wherever it may be, and remove the same.
“Payable at the -Bank.---.
“Due -.”

The apparatus was shipped to and accepted by defend[187]*187ant. It was agreed between the parties that defendant should ship and that the plaintiff should receive, to apply upon th.e purchase price of the apparatus, a, secondhand Puffer soda-water fountain, for which he was to be allowed §500 upon the purchase price of the new fountain, and that for the balance of $1,100 he should give his notes similar in form to that upon the back of the said order; that on March 21, 1888, the defendant executed at Kalamazoo and forwarded to the plaintiff 44 notes, for §25 each, due at the rate of $25 per month, all being in form as follows :

“825.00. Kalamazoo, Micir., Mch. 21, 1888.
“For value received, November 10, 1888, after date, I promise to pay to the order of James W. Tufts twenty-five dollars, with interest at 4 per cent.
“The consideration of this and other notes is the following described soda-water apparatus : One 24-10 E. form and fancy Siberian Missouri, No. 687, with water attach; three 10-gal. seamless cop. founts, — which I have received of said James W. Tufts.
“Nevertheless, it is understood and agreed by and between me and the said James W. Tufts that the title to the above-mentioned property does not pass to me, and that until all said notes are paid the title to the aforesaid property shall remain in the said James VV. Tufts, who shall have the right, in case of non-payment at maturity of either of said notes, without process of law, to enter and retake, and may enter and retake, immediate possession of the said property, wherever it may be, and remove the same.
“Payable at the First Natff Bank, Kalamazoo, Mich.
“E. E. ITArcambal,
“151 So. Burdick St.
“Due Nov. 10, 1888.”

The old apparatus was shipped to plaintiff, and credited as agreed. Ten of the notes were afterwards paid. Nine others had become due, and were unpaid, and, after demand made, plaintiff took out his writ of replevin, and obtained possession of the property. All of the unpaid [188]*188notes were in possession of plaintiff, and were not tendered back to defendant before the commencement of suit.

The defendant, under objection and exception, introduced evidence tending to establish the condition and value of the apparatus replevied by the plaintiff of defendant at the time thereof, and tending to prove that it had not substantially depreciated in value; and also testimony tending to show the amount of such depreciation, and the rental value of such apparatus for the time it was used by defendant.

Counsel for plaintiff requested the court to charge the jury that the plaintiff was entitled to a verdict, and that the defendant had no lien upon the property in controversy, and was not entitled to any allowance or verdict on account of the money paid by him towards the purchase price of the property over and above the depreciation of it, and a fair rental for its use during the time it was in defendant’s possession, or on account of the Puffer soda-water fountain received by plaintiff from him. The court declined to charge the jury as so requested, and to such refusal counsel for plaintiff excepted; and thereupon the court, at the request of the defendant, instructed the jury that defendant had a lien upon the property, and was entitled to recover as against the plaintiff such a sum as they found from the evidence would be just between the parties, after deducting a fair amount for the rental value of the property during the time that it was in the possession of the defendant, and for any depreciation in value it had sustained during that period; to which instruction and ruling plaintiff by his counsel excepted.

The jury rendered the following verdict:

“That’ the said defendant did unlawfully detain the goods and chattels mentioned in manner and form as the said plaintiff has in his declaration in this cause com[189]*189plained against him, and that they assess the damages of the said plaintiff by reason thereof at the sum of six cents. And they further find that the said defendant has a lien upon or special property in said goods and chattels to the amount of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250)."

Upon this verdict the following judgment was entered:

“The jury, by whom the issue joined in this cause was tried, having found by their verdict that the said defendant did unlawfully detain the goods and chattels in said plaintiff's declaration, as therein alleged, and having-assessed the damages of plaintiff by reason of the unlawful detention of said goods and chattels at the sum of six cents over and above his costs and charges by him about his suit in this behalf expended, and the said jurors having further found that said defendant hath a lien upon or special property in said goods, and chattels to the amount of two hundred and fifty dollars, and is not the general owner thereof, but that said plaintiff is the general owner of the said goods and chattels, subject to the lien aforesaid of said defendant:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
48 N.W. 497, 85 Mich. 185, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 686, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tufts-v-darcambal-mich-1891.