Case Name: James Campbell against Herbert Wallace
Court: Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
Decision Date: 1801-11
Citations: 3 Yeates 271
Docket Number: 
Parties: James Campbell against Herbert Wallace.
Judges: 
Reporter: Reports of cases adjudged in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (Yeates)
Volume: 3
Pages: 270–271

Head Matter:
James Campbell against Herbert Wallace.
Parol evidence will not be received to prove the contents of written papers, unless they are proved to be lost, or in the possession of the adverse party.
Indebitatus assumpsit for 106I. had and received to the plaintiff’s use. Pleas, non assumpsit and payment, and the act of limitations.
The suit was brought to recover back the price of two ne-groes, sold as slaves, alledging that the consideration failed.
The plaintiff’s son, in giving testimony, said, his father had received a bill of sale from the defendant for the negroes, but on looking for it amongst his papers, he could not find it, nor did he know where it was, and that his father was in so weak a state of body that he could not attend the court.
Mr. Campbell, pro qicer.
Messrs. Ross and Simonson, pro def.

Opinion:
On an objection being taken to this evidence, the court said, that whoever would give parol testimony of the contents of a deed or other instrument, must entitle himself thereto, on the grounds of its being lost or destroyed, or being in the possession of the adverse party and that notice had been given to him to produce it. The law abhorred nothing more than giving parol evidence of written papers, and it was only tolerated on the principle of necessity, which must be clearly shewn to the court. Though the son might not know where the bill of sale was to be found, the case might be otherwise as to the father; and though the latter was unable to attend court, yet his affidavit of the loss of the paper before a magistrate would be received by the court on this collateral fact.
The plaintiff suffered a nonsuit.