Case Name: WOODARD v. JOHNSON
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Term
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1908-04-10
Citations: 109 N.Y.S. 741
Docket Number: 
Parties: WOODARD v. JOHNSON.
Judges: 
Reporter: West's New York Supplement
Volume: 109
Pages: 741–742

Head Matter:
WOODARD v. JOHNSON.
(Supreme Court, Appellate Term.
April 10, 1908.)
Landlord and Tenant — Leases — Breach — Sufficiency of Evidence — Amount of Recovery.
Plaintiff leased an apartment house for $475 per month, and deposited $475 with the lessor as security for the performance of the lease. $76.17 of the rent due June 15th was not paid, and on the 8th day of July a precept in dispossess proceedings was issued, and the warrant was issued on July 20th and executed July 25th. No rent was paid for July. The plaintiff, while claiming a right to recover $70.17 for the June rent and $475 for the July rent, in addition to the right to retain the deposit of $475, sued for $500. The defendant admitted $76.17 to be due for the June rent, but claimed the right to recover the $475 deposit. Held, that on the facts shown a judgment in favor of plaintiff for $100 was not authorized.
Appeal from Municipal Court, Borough of Manhattan, Seventh Dis-. trict.
Action by Harlin J. Woodard against Edward A. Johnson for breach of a lease. From a judgment for plaintiff, defendant appeals. Reversed.
Argued before GILDERSEEEVE, P. J., and SEABURY and DAYTON, JJ.
E. T. Chappell, for appellant.
J. P. Maule, for respondent.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
This judgment must be reversed, because the record upon which it was rendered does not clearly establish the plaintiff's right to the $100 awarded to him. The evidence that was offered is conflicting, and nearly the whole record consists simply in a colloquy between the court and counsel. The lease, which was offered in evidence, shows that the defendant rented an apartment- house from the plaintiff, for which he agreed to pay $475 monthly in advance on the 15th day of each month, and deposited $475 with the plaintiff, as security for the performance of the terms of the lease. It appears that $76.17 of the rent due June 15th was not paid; that on the 8th day of July a precept in dispossess proceedings was issued; that the warrant was issued on July 20th, and executed July 25tlr; and that the defendant did not pay any rent for the month of July. The plaintiff, while claiming the right to recover $76.17 for the June rent and $475 for the July rent, in addition to the right to retain the deposit of $475, sued for the sum of $500. The defendant admitted $76.17 to be due for the June rent, and claimed the right to recover the deposit of $475. These were the only facts proved or admitted, and upon them the trial justice awarded judgment for the plaintiff for $100. We are unable to understand any theory upon which, on the facts stated, the plaintiff was entitled to this award. Perhaps, upon a new trial, if counsel offer proof, instead óf argument, a basis may be laid for arriving at an intelligent conclusion.
Judgment reversed, and new trial ordered, with costs to appellant to abide the event.