Case Name: WILSON v. COLMAN et al.
Court: United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1807-06
Citations: 30 F. Cas. 119
Docket Number: 
Parties: WILSON v. COLMAN et al.
Judges: (DUCKETT, Circuit Judge, absent)
Reporter: Federal Cases
Volume: 30
Pages: 119–119

Head Matter:
Case No. 17,798.
WILSON v. COLMAN et al.
[1 Cranch, C. C. 408.]
Circuit Court, District of Columbia.
June Term, 1807.
Proof of Partnership—Parol Evidence.
To prove a partnership, parol evidence cannot be -given of the contents of printed cards, bearing their joint names, nor are the cards themselves evidence unless traced to the defendant. Nor can general reputation of partnership be given in evidence.
Indebitatus assumpsit for board, lodging, and washing, of Michael Coleman & Owens Lyons, and Richardson their apprentice. The witness spoke of printed cards which he had seen bearing their joint names.
Mr. Jones, for defendant,
Lyons, objected to evidence -respecting the cards, unless they were produced and traced up to the defendant.
John Hewitt, for plaintiff
[Eliza Wilson] asked the witness whether the defendants were not generally reputed partners.

Opinion:
THE COURT
(DUCKETT, Circuit Judge, absent)
said they must produce the cards; they could not give parol evidence of their contents.
Mr. Jones objected, and THE COURT decided the question to be improper.