Wilkins v. Tobacco Insurance

30 Ohio St. (N.S.) 317
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 15, 1876
StatusPublished

This text of 30 Ohio St. (N.S.) 317 (Wilkins v. Tobacco Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wilkins v. Tobacco Insurance, 30 Ohio St. (N.S.) 317 (Ohio 1876).

Opinion

Johnson, J.

To determine whether there is error in this case, two points are presented for consideration :

1st. Was the policy cancelled by the mutual consent of the parties prior to the total loss? This is to be determined by the evidence in the case.

2d. Did the trip up White River avoid the policy ? This is a question of law, to be settled by a construction of the terms of the policy.

1st. As to cancellation. The proof shows, that at the time the policy was issued a negotiable promissory note was given for $390 (the premium agreed to be paid), payable in six months from date, no part of which was ever paid by the insured. At the time of the alleged cancellation, November 20th, 1867, the company, without plaintiff’s knowledge, indorsed thereon a credit of $243.75, being the premium to be returned for the unexpirecl term, and declared the risk at an end. At that time this note was not yet due, and no demand was ever made for payment at or after maturity.

On the 9th of April, 1868, the note was placed in the hands of the attorneys for the company, and was by them sent to attorneys in Memphis, where the maker lived, for collection, where it seems to have been lost.

After the partial loss, which happened in October, 1867, was adjusted, Pyne, desiring to continue the several policies [328]*328on liis boat (there were eight in all in different companies), for the original amounts before the fire, engaged one A. W. Howe, an insurance broker in St..Louis, who, he says, represented himself as the agent of the defendant, and other insurance companies, to effect that purpose. Howe wanted him to increase the amount, in proportion to the new valuation of the boat resulting from the repairs, which he refused.

Pyne testifies that this was the extent of his authority, and that he never authorized Howe to have this policy can-celled; nor did he know, until after the boat was burned, of the claim now made that it was canceled, and that upon hearing of this claim he ivas greatly surprised. From all the evidence, it is clear that Pyne had no knowledge of the claim that the policy had been canceled, neither from the company nor from Howe.

He supposed he was insured up to the time and after the total loss. Only eleven days before such loss he applied, through Howe, to assign this policy to one John M. Henry.

He resided at Memphis, and the letters addressed to him at St. Louis did not reach him.

A. W. Howe testifies that he resided at St. Louis, and was an insurance agent in 1867 and 1868; that he knew Captain Pyne, who had a general average loss on his boat in process of adjustment; that “he was without insurance for whatever amount it might be.” “ He (Pyne) requested me to fix his up insurance so that he would be covered to the original amount. 1 advised him, I think, that as the amount of loss was not yet adjusted, to have the old policies canceled and take out new ones for one year, in the same companies for the original amount.” He said I should do as I thought best. I endeavored to do this, and sent a policy to the Tobacco Insurance Company, with instructions to cancel it and make out a new one from that date. Howe’s letter for that purpose is as follows:

[329]*329“ St. Louis, November 20,1867.
Secretary Tobacco Fire and Marine Ins. Co., Cincinnati.
“Dear Sir: Please consider your policy No. 39, $3,000, M. Pyne, on ‘ St. Patrick,’ as canceled from, the 18th inst., and make new policy for $3,000 from that date for one year, at same rate, 13 per cent., valuation $33,750 (fixed by our inspector), limit $22,500, balance same as old policy, with privilege of Mississippi River added. Please send policy and premium note, and I will collect amount due and remit at once. Yours truly,
“ A. "W. Howe, Clerk.”

To which the company replied:

“ Cincinnati, November 24,1867.
Mr. A. W. Howe, St. Louis, Mo.
Dear Sir: Your favor of the 20th inst. at hand. I can not agree to.the proposed change in policy on steamer 4 St. Patrick,’ and therefore cancel pro’ rata, charging for four and one half months. Returned premium $243.75.
“Tours very truly, Sam’l. L. Tourtee, Sec’y.”
At the same time Howe was in correspondence with the Boatman’s Insurance Company, which also held a risk on this boat for the same object, and in answer to one from its secretary, Glassford, he writes :
“ St. Louis, November 25,1867.
IT. A. Glassford, Esq., Secretary.
“Dear Sir: Your favor of 22d inst. is at hand — all right — please consider your policy good for the original amount, and notify the other companies to that effect. I append a list of the companies in interest. I think I shall be able to send the exact amount to-morrow, when I will write further particulars. Yours truly,
“ A. W. Howe, Clerk.”

The list “appended” contained the names of all the Cincinnati companies that had issued policies on the boat, including defendant, and in compliance with Howe’s request, Glassford did cause the notice to be given .to the different companies, and the defendant refused to assent, saying that they had no risk on the boat, the policy was canceled.

[330]*330Howe further testifies that he had authority to make any arrangement that he was a mind to, by which wTe understand any arrangement he was a mind to accomplish the object in view; that he never considered the policy canceled, and, to the best of his knowledge, Pyne did not, and that the object of his letter of November 20th “ was to keep the boat insured” and not to cancel the insurance.

It was admitted that the policy was never in fact returned to defendant, nor actually canceled.

Prom the evidence and correspondence, a majority of the court are clearly of the opinion that the allegation of the answer, that the policy was canceled by consent of both parties, at the request of the holder, is not sustained.

On the contrary, it is susceptible of demonstration, that Capt. Pyne intended exactly the reverse of a cancellation, that he did not know of the alleged cancellation until after the fire, and that neither himself nor Mr. Howe, if we regard him as Pyne’s agent, ever sought or desired such action. Not only is this true, but it is equally clear that Howe’s letter of November 20th, which is relied on as authorizing the company to cancel,so far from being authority for such action, was a plain and unmistakable expression of intent to the contrary, when read in the light of the circumstances under which it was written, and which were known to the insurer. I refer to the fact that there has been a partial loss not yet paid, that the boats’ value had been increased by the repairs, and that the policy was impaired by the partial loss.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
30 Ohio St. (N.S.) 317, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wilkins-v-tobacco-insurance-ohio-1876.