Walker-Smith Co. v. Jackson

123 S.W.2d 993
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 5, 1938
DocketNo. 4956.
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 123 S.W.2d 993 (Walker-Smith Co. v. Jackson) 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
Walker-Smith Co. v. Jackson, 123 S.W.2d 993 (Tex. Ct. App. 1938).

Opinion

JACKSON, Chief Justice.

The appellee, John W. Jackson, instituted this suit in the District Court of Lubbock County against the appellant, Walker-Smith Company, a corporation,' to recover the sum of $2,478, with interest, for certain pinto beans claimed by appellee to have been purchased from him by appellant.

The appellee alleges that he was in business at Mountainair, New Mexico, and, among other things, engaged in the purchase and sale of pinto beans; that appellant was 'engaged in the wholesale grocery business in Lubbock, Brownwood, Balinger, San Angelo, Abilene, Stamford and elsewhere in Texas, and Jeff Graham was engaged in the business of a common or contract carrier operating a fleet of motor trucks and transporting freight and merchandise for hire, and transported freight from Mountainair, New Mexico, to various places in Texas, where appellant maintained branch houses.

That about February 2, 1937, appellant purchased from appellee 910 sacks of pinto beans at $6.30 per sack, less the freight of 40<⅞ per sack, which was to be paid to Jeff Graham; that appellee, in accordance with the contract of sale and the instructions of appellant, on February 3d, delivered to appellant at Mountainair, New Mexico, by delivery to its agent, Jeff Graham, the first shipment of 350 sacks of pinto beans; charged them to appellant at $5.90 per sack, the price of $6.30 less the freight, and drew a draft on appellant • through the First National Bank of Brownwood, Texas, for $2,065, the net value thereof after deducting the freight; that on February 5th, á second 'shipment of 280 sacks of beans was delivered to appellant, through Graham, at Mountainair, New Mexico, and on February 8th, a third shipment of 140 sacks were delivered, through the same agent, to appellant at Mountainair, New Mexico, under the terms of the contract. For the 280 sacks appellee drew his draft on appellant for $1,652, and for the 140 sacks he drew his draft for $826, which was less Graham’s freight, according to the terms, provisions and conditions of the contract.

That he is ready, able and willing to deliver the remaining 140 sacks at the agreed price upon receipt of payment for the beans already delivered.

The appellant answered by general demurrer, general denial, denied under oath that Jeff Graham was its agent, alleging that it had not _ purchased the beans from appellee but had bought them from Jeff Graham,-who advised it that the appellee refused to deliver the beans to him unless paid for as loaded at Mountainair; that appellant declined to do this but advised Graham that it would pay appellee direct upon delivery of the beans at its various places of business in Texas, and thereupon wired the appellee to that effect, and alleges that it paid all drafts for beans actually delivered.

The case was tried before the court without the intervention of a jury and judgment rendered for appellee for the sum of $2,-478, which with interest at the time of the judgment aggregated $2,591.57, and upon said sum interest was allowed from the date thereof, and appellant prosecutes this appeal.

The record shows that about February 1, 1937, appellant desired to purchase some pinto beans for use at its branch houses in Texas; that its buyer, Mr. James Beadel, got in touch with Jeff Graham, advised him what appellant wanted, and learned that appellee of Mountainair, New Mexico, had pinto beans for sale,- and the price at which they could be obtained, but informed Beadel that he would not deliver them to Graham without the cash. After some telephone conversations between .appellee and Graham and some communications between the appellant and Graham, appellee agreed that if appellant would pay for the beans as they were loaded he would sell them.

On February 2d, Jeff Graham sent the following wire to appellant:

“Walker Smith Company Brownwood Texas Wire By Western Union John Jackson Mountainair New Mexico That It Is Satisfactory For Him Draw Draft On You As We Pick Up Pintos Will See Personally That Beans Are O K Before Loading On Truck Leaving For There Tonight.”

In response to this .telegram, appellant on the same day wired appellee as follows:

“John Jackson Mountainair New Mexico We Will Honor Your Draft For Nine *995 Hundred Ten Sacks Pintos To Be Picked Up By Jeff Graham At Six Thirty Less Grahams Freight Or Six Thirty Delivered Draft To Be Made As Graham Picks Up Beans And Paid Upon Delivery Of Beans Stop Make Draft Through First National Bank Brownwood.”

On February 3d, appellee delivered to Jeff Graham at Mountainair, New Mexico, a shipment of 350 sacks of pinto beans and his draft for the price thereof, less freight, was drawn upon and paid by appellant when it received the beans. On February 5th, appellee delivered to Jeff Graham at Mountainair, New Mexico, a second shipment of 280 sacks of pinto beans for which he drew his draft, the part of which material to this suit is as follows:

“The First National Bank of Belen,
“ Belen, New Mexico, February 5, 1937.
“Arrival 280 sacks of beans via Jeff Graham’s trucks, pay to the order of John W. Jackson, Mountainair, New Mexico, $1652.00 (Sixteen Hundred Fifty-two and No/100 Dollars) With Exchange.
“Jno. W. Jackson
“To Walker-Smith Company, Brownwood, Texas
“The First National Bank of Brownwood, Texas.”

The record shows that on February 8th the appellee delivered a third shipment of 140 sacks of pinto beans to Jeff Graham and drew a draft upon appellant, which, except for the date and amount, is identical with the draft set out above; that payment of these two drafts was refused because Graham did not deliver the 420 sacks of beans covered by these two drafts to appellant.

The court found, among other things, that appellant was indebted to appellee for these 420 sacks of pinto beans at $5.90 per sack, which were delivered to Graham at Mountainair, New Mexico, in the second and third shipments.

The telegram from appellant did not inform appellee of the destination to which the beans were to be transported and Mr. Beadel, the purchasing agent of appellant, testified that appellee was not informed and not concerned with the point at which the beans were to be delivered in Texas; that Jeff Graham had been instructed to go to Mountainair, New Mexico, and pick up the beans and transport them to certain towns in Texas, for which appellant would pay him 40‡ per sack as freight.

Jeff Graham was engaged in the trucking business for hiiiiself and transporting freight for others for hire from places in Texas and New Mexico to different points in Texas.

The appellant contends that the court erred in refusing to sustain its general demurrer to appellee’s petition because the averment that Jeff Graham was the agent of appellant was but a conclusion of the pleader and stated no facts which would show such agency.

In addition to the allegations in appellant's petition which we have stated, the telegram from appellant to appellee heretofore quoted was pleaded in haec verba and the effect of the telegram stated.

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

Related

Adams v. H & H Meat Products, Inc.
41 S.W.3d 762 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2001)
Heberling v. State
834 S.W.2d 350 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1992)
Conaway v. State
738 S.W.2d 692 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1987)
Cotton Belt Gin & Mill Supply, Inc. v. Alltex Precision Co.
351 S.W.2d 369 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1961)
E. E. Cloer General Contractor, Inc. v. Timber Structures, Inc.
270 S.W.2d 693 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1954)
Gill Equipment Co. v. Kaufman
196 F.2d 800 (Fifth Circuit, 1952)
City State Bank & Trust Co. of McAllen v. United Paperboard Co.
146 S.W.2d 832 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1940)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
123 S.W.2d 993, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/walker-smith-co-v-jackson-texapp-1938.