Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/153/216/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 16:21:30+00:00

Document:
A contract for a loan and water works in Havana having been awarded to R., G., L. and M., a deposit was required as a guarantee. N. was employed by R. to raise the money. He borrowed it from B. R. became the assignee of the interests of his co-contractors, and then failed to perform the contract.
In order to procure a general release from the liabilities arising from such failure, he gave a power of attorney to Q., who thereupon, in his name and as attorney in fact entered into an agreement in writing with B. by which it was, among other things, agreed that lt. should pay to B. an agreed balance of $19,087.36 in three months from date, with interest at 9 percent. That sum not being paid when clue, B. sued R. to recover it.
(1) That the power granted by R. to Q. was outstanding when the agreement was executed.
(2) That the agreement made by Q. with B. was authorized by the power.
(3) That R., having taken an assignment of the respective interests of his co-contractors, stood in their shoes, and that evidence touching the transaction, admissible against an assigning co-contractor, was admissible against him.
The rejection of evidence immaterial to the result did not constitute reversible error.
A witness may he asked as to the relations of the parties at the time of the execution of a written power of attorney, although his answers may have a bearing upon their obligations arising under a written contract made under the power.
Findings of fact made by the court below are binding here when there is any evidence to support them.
A defendant who, after denial of his motion for a nonsuit made at the close of plaintiff's evidence in chief, offers evidence in his own behalf thereby waives his motion and an exception to the denial of it.
The defendant here, who was plaintiff below, brought an action of assumpsit against Daniel Runkle to recover the sum of $19,087.36, with interest at the rate of nine percent from the 4th of August, 1884, to the time of entering suit.
After issue joined, the case was, by stipulation, submitted to the court without the intervention of a jury.
The contract in issue purported to have been "subscribed" by one Mestre as "attorney in fact of the defendant."
Municipal Treasury of Havana as a guaranty for the proposition which Messrs. Gilson, Runkle, Lyles, and Maddison & Co., of London, had presented to the Municipality of Havana for the loan of $5,600,000."
"Second. That Martinez had been employed by Runkle, who was acting for himself and his co-contractors, to raise the amount required to be deposited as a guaranty for the fulfillment of a contract, and in pursuance of this employment Martinez had borrowed the sum of $64,000 from the plaintiff, Burnham."
"Third. Runkle, Gilson, and Lyles undertook to repay this sum of $64,000 to Martinez at any time he should ask for the same, if it should be demanded by the city in consequence of their not having carried out the contract for the waterworks, or for any cause for which the city might retain the deposit, and as a remuneration and for the payment of interest to Martinez they assigned to him the amount of $25,000, payable monthly at the rate of one and 137/1000 percent, from the amounts they should receive for the works. This undertaking fell through in consequence of the final abandonment of the contract, but the fact remains that it was the understanding of all the parties that Martinez was to be repaid the sum of $64,000, with interest, and also to be remunerated for his services or expenses."
"Fourth. Subsequently to these proceedings, Runkle became the assignee of all the rights and interests of his co-contractors under their contract with the City of Havana, and thenceforward was solely entitled to all the profits that might accrue from its performance, and liable for the consequences of its nonperformance."
account stated between Burnham and Martinez on the 4th of August, 1884."
"Sixth. Runkle, being desirous of procuring a full and general release from all liability on account of his connection with the contract for the loan and waterworks, executed in due form on the 25th of June, 1884, a letter of attorney to Jose M. Mestre, who was in the City of Havana, authorizing him 'to demand, collect, and receive such sum or sums of money and property of any kind' belonging to Runkle,"
"under or in connection with the contracts for the loan and waterworks, made in consequence of the public bid therefor on the 18th of March, 1882, and which loan and contract were awarded to me [him] together with Walter H. Gilson and Maddison & Co., and also Joseph H. Lyles, . . . and to do all things necessary in the judgment of my said attorney, and to obtain my release from all liability as one of the contractors in connection with the said loan and waterworks, giving and granting unto my said attorney full power and authority to do and perform all and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as I might or could do if personally present,"
"Seventh. By virtue of the authority conferred on him by the aforesaid power of attorney, Mestre, on the 4th day of August, 1884, acting for and in the name of Runkle, entered into a written agreement or stipulation in the Spanish language with Burnham, of which the following is a translation:"
Brothers and Company, of London, as the representatives of the Messrs. J. C. Burnham and Company, have agreed in regard to the balance of $19,087.36 that still remains unpaid as follows:"
" Recognizing, as I recognize, Mr. Daniel Runkle as the assignee of Mr. Walter Gilson, who in his turn was the assignee of Mr. E. C. Maddison, for himself and for the firm of Maddison and Company, I bind myself to place at the disposal of said Mr. Runkle the shares of the Charnwood Forest Railway Company, of the nominal value of fourteen thousand pounds sterling, which the aforesaid Messrs. Maddison & Company deposited in my hands and transferred to me as guaranty for the reimbursement of the amount of the aforesaid drafts and the expenses and interest relating thereto so soon as such balance of $19,087.36 shall be satisfied by the aforesaid Mr. Runkle, which it is to be done within the period of three months counting from the date hereof, it being left to his discretion either to do so directly, or to direct that, if the said shares deposited there be sold (in accordance with such instructions that for such purpose he may give), such portion as may be necessary for the reimbursement of such balance of $19,087.36, which, being covered, the remaining shares shall remain all at the free disposal of Mr. Runkle, as well as any balance in cash that may arise on the partial sale of such shares."
" The sum owing shall carry interest at nine percent per annum until its complete payment."
" Mr. Jose Manuel Mestre, as the attorney in fact of Mr. Runkle, subscribes this present stipulation by way of assent in the name of his principal."
" That, in order that it may have all its due effect, this is done and signed in triplicate of the same tenor, one for each party at Havana, the 4th of August, 1884."
under the foregoing instrument, subrogating him in his place and stead by reason of having received from him the aforesaid balance of $19,087.36, but on the understanding that said Burnham remains always bounded to sell the shares of stock in question to the order of Mr. Runkle, as set forth, and to deliver to the latter the balance of the proceeds of the sale and the shares remaining. Dated as above."
"Eighth. Runkle had no property or debts belonging to him in the City of Havana, and the letter of attorney was executed for the sole purpose of authorizing Mestre to procure his release from any and all liability as a contractor in connection with the waterworks, and there is no proof that Mestre received notice of the revocation of the letter before he signed the agreement with Burnham."
"Ninth. Martinez exerted himself to obtain from the authorities of Havana the release of Runkle and the return of the deposit money in consideration of Runkle entering into the agreement with Burnham."
"Tenth. The right of action accruing to Burnham under the agreement was assigned by him to Candido Zabarte y Paris, and by the latter to Francisco G. Mediavilla."
That the agreement of August 4, 1884, was assented to by Runkle through Mestre, who had full power, under the letter of attorney, to bind his principal. The consideration of the agreement on the part of Runkle was his release from all liability under his contract with the City of Havana, and the return of the deposit money, both of which purposes were accomplished through the instrumentality of Martinez.
Judgment was entered for the plaintiff for $19,087.36, with interest at the rate of 9 percent from August 4, 1884, to date of entry thereof.
Defendant excepted to the findings of fact and to the conclusions of law deduced therefrom, and brought the case, by error, here.
1. By not resting on his motion for a nonsuit, and by thereafter offering his own evidence, the defendant waived his motion, and the overruling thereof cannot be assigned for error here. Union Pacific Railway v. Daniels, 152 U. S. 684, and authorities there cited.
2. The exceptions taken during the progress of this trial are numerous. We will content ourselves with examining the merits of those which have been specifically assigned as error.
The plaintiff offered in evidence an account, growing out of the purchase and protest of the draft and kept between Martinez and Burnham, which was objected to on the ground that it was res inter alios.
Co. thereupon deposited with Burnham, as collateral to secure their obligation on the draft, certain shares of the "Charnwood Forest Railroad Company." Inasmuch as Runkle appears, both in the contract sued upon and in the power of attorney upon which the contract is predicated, as the assignee of Maddison & Co. and as standing in their place and stead, we think it clear that the account was not res inter alios as to him. He represented Maddison & Co., and held their rights, and therefore the account was as much admissible against him as it would have been against the firm.
"To Olcott, 35 Broadway, N.Y.:"
"Telegraph if power is coming tomorrow steamer."
"To Olcott, 35 Broadway N.Y.:"
"The powers received are insufficient. It is urgent to send by tomorrow's steamer new Spanish power, in Spanish, from Runkle, Lyles, Gilson, and Maddison & Co., to Martinez, Mestre, confirming the power of March 6th and June 26th, amplifying them specially, to cancel the contract to loan, to accept return of deposit, giving common council liberty of action, and to execute a general release; all well explained."
"Send, anyhow, first steamer, power according telegram eighteenth."
"To Runkle, Lyles, Gilson, care Olcott, 35 Broadway, N.Y.:"
"I urge forward pending powers. I protest against damage delay."
These telegrams were rejected on the ground that they had not been properly proved. Whether their rejection was warranted is unnecessary to be considered. The telegrams called for a confirmation of the existing power, and not for its revocation. If they had been admitted, they could not have affected the question of the revocation of the power. Their rejection being immaterial to the result, no reversal for error in this particular can be had. Cavazos v. Trevino, 6 Wall. 773; Railroad Co. v. Pratt, 22 Wall. 123; Home Insurance Co. v. Baltimore Warehouse Co., 93 U. S. 527; Mining Co. v. Taylor, 100 U. S. 37.
4. Martinez was asked whether, pending the negotiations in Havana for the settlement of the transactions out of which the present contract grew, he had exacted from Mestre, agent of the defendant, any agreement as to the debt due to Burnham as a part of the final adjustment. This question was objected to on the ground that it was an attempt to show the assumption by parol of an obligation when such obligation, if it existed, must result from the written contract. We think the objection was untenable. The question was asked the witness not for the purpose of proving a liability on the written contract, but in order to show the relations existing between the parties at the time the authority given by the power of attorney was acted on. The obligation, of course, must result from the text of the written contract, or by necessary implication therefrom. Testimony, however, was admissible to show the condition of affairs at the time the agent acted, not in order to vary or change the written contract, but to throw light upon the situation. Le Roy v. Beard, 8 How. 451.
"First, that it does not appear that Mestre had any authority to assume an obligation on the part of the defendant; second, that the contract of August 4, 1884, does not impose any liability upon the defendant."
These requests involved both questions of law and fact, and were refused, and exceptions were reserved to their refusal. The findings of fact made by the court below are binding here if there be any evidence to support them. St. Louis v. Rutz, 138 U. S. 226.
that the stronger evidence would have been to his prejudice was expressly adopted in the case of Clifton v. United States, 4 How. 242.
"for me, and in my name, place, and stead, to ask, demand, collect, and receive such sum or sums of money and property of all or any kinds to which, in any capacity aforesaid, I have, or may have, the right or claim or demand, under or in connection with the contracts for the loan and waterworks in the Island of Cuba, made in consequence of the public bidding therefor in the City of Havana, in the Island of Cuba, on the 18th day of March, 1882, . . . to compound and compromise all such claims as I may have aforesaid, . . . and to obtain my release from all liability as one of the contractors in connection with the said loan and waterworks."
The contention is that this power, while it authorized the agent to enforce any demands which Runkle may have had, did not authorize him to assume an obligation on behalf of Runkle. The finding below is that, at the time the power was exercised, it was necessary that the agent, in order to obtain his principal's discharge by the City of Havana, should settle the Martinez-Burnham liability.
relations, as the assignee of Maddison & Co., necessarily included an adjustment of the debt of Burnham under the very terms of the power of attorney. This power was evidently executed not alone for the purpose of adjusting the waterworks contract with the City of Havana, but also with the object of arranging the debt due to Burnham, back of which was the stock which had been pledged by Maddison & Co. and which belonged to Runkle as their assignee.
general assignee of Maddison & Co., and considered himself as not only entitled to their rights, but also as the representative of their obligations in connection with the loan and waterworks contract, results from the terms of the power of attorney, in which he authorizes the agent not only to acquire Maddison & Co.'s rights but to stipulate for the discharge of their obligation. In other words, the contract, read in connection with the terms of the power of attorney, leaves no doubt that Runkle was dealing and treating in the capacity of a person who was not only entitled to the rights, but was also subject to the liabilities of all the original parties to the loan and waterworks contract. This view is strengthened by the fact that although Runkle testified on the trial, the assignment from Maddison & Co. to him was not offered in evidence nor even referred to. The failure to produce it or to testify in reference to it when its contents were peculiarly within the knowledge of Runkle justifies the presumption that its provisions would have been unfavorable to Runkle's position.

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