Opinion ID: 1510213
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Motions for Directed Verdicts.

Text: At the outset it is contended by plaintiff that the motion for directed verdict in favor of defendant was properly denied, because it was a motion made at the close of all the evidence, on the ground that the evidence of plaintiff (instead of all the evidence) was not sufficient to support a verdict for plaintiff. We pass this contention by with the remark that the error in phraseology was a mere inadvertence, which misled neither the court nor counsel, and should have been disregarded, as it doubtless was. It thus becomes necessary for us to examine the transcript of the record containing the evidence. This transcript, consisting of some 1,800 pages, could by a little care and effort on the part of counsel have been reduced by one-third to one-half. We wish to express a most emphatic disapproval of the practice of dumping into the transcript of record great masses of irrelevant and immaterial matter. A careful examination of the record has led us to the conclusion that there is substantial evidence tending to establish the following facts, although some of the evidence is in sharp conflict, either of a direct or indirect nature: June 30, 1919, the steamship Ice King sailed from New York to Rotterdam and Gothenburg, having as part of its cargo 23,521 quartersides of frozen beef, weighing 1,427 tons, belonging to plaintiff and destined for Gothenburg. The Ice King was a refrigerated ship, and all of the meat was stowed in refrigerated compartments. Each compartment was refrigerated by its own independent coils. The meat was stowed in four compartments: No. 2 'tween decks, No. 2 lower hold, No. 4 'tween decks, No. 4 lower hold. The two holds were separated from each other by No. 3 hold, used as a coal bunker, and by the fire and engine room. No. 2 was forward of the coal bunker; No. 4 was aft of the engine room. Between the coal bunker and No. 2 hold was a steel or iron bulkhead. A similar bulkhead separated the engine room from No. 4 hold. These bulkheads were supposedly watertight and airtight. While the ship was at Rotterdam, or shortly after it had left that port on its way to Gothenburg, via Newcastle, a fire was discovered in the coal bunker next to No. 2 hold. In order to extinguish the fire, the bunker was flooded, and while this was being done it was discovered that water was entering No. 2 hold. After the ship reached Gothenburg, the fire in the bunker again broke out, and the fire department of the city was called to extinguish it. The fire was sufficient to heat the bulkhead between the coal bunker and No. 2 hold red hot, and to char some of the woodwork and some of the meat in No. 2, though there was a considerable thickness of insulating material between the bulkhead and the woodwork. A period of about three weeks elapsed between the first discovery of the fire and the complete extinguishment of the same at Gothenburg. Mr. Smith, Lloyd's agent at Gothenburg, was called upon to make a survey of the cargo. By agreement he was adopted as the agent of the insurance companies, and it was further agreed that he should handle the damaged cargo. He made three reports, at intervals covering more than a year, touching the condition of the cargo and the disposition of the same. The reports are in evidence. The meat was sold under his supervision through the sales department of Morris & Co., and the accounts were kept by the bookkeeping department of that company. Most of the meat was sold in Sweden. About 180 tons were shipped to Germany and sold there. When the meat was unloaded from the ship, it was taken in refrigerator cars to four freezing establishments; one at Hallsberg, two at Gothenburg, and one at Kristianstadt. It was inspected at these freezers by official veterinarians. A small portion was found unfit for any use, and destroyed. Another comparatively small portion was sold as offal. The great bulk of it was found fit for human consumption, and was sold as such. It was found necessary, however, to recondition a considerable portion of it by washing, scraping, and trimming. Papers purporting to be proofs of loss and adjustment of loss were furnished to the insurance companies by plaintiff; but settlement of the loss not having been made, the present suits above mentioned were commenced. One of the main contentions of defendant is that it was vital to any recovery by plaintiff that there be introduced evidence (a) of the value of the meat in the absence of the damage insured against; (b) of the value of the meat in its damaged condition. It is further contended that the evidence wholly failed to prove either of these facts. We cannot assent to the latter contention. It was the claim of plaintiff, and there was evidence tending to support it, that practically the whole of the meat destined for Gothenburg was damaged by the fire, or by the means used to extinguish the same; that the damage resulted from burning, partial thawing, discoloration, dirt, smoke, and coal dust. There was evidence tending to show that this damaged condition of the meat was due to the fire and the means used to extinguish the same. There was evidence tending to show that the meat had come from prime cattle; that it had passed inspection of the Board of Animal Industry of the United States before being shipped; that the agreed value of the meat at the time of shipment was $919,488. There was also evidence tending to show what sound, undamaged meat of the same character was worth in Gothenburg at the time the shipment arrived. There was also evidence tending to show what the meat in its damaged condition was worth and was sold for, and that the sales were made below the market price for sound beef, because of the damaged condition. Among the witnesses who testified relative to the foregoing matters were persons who saw the meat and the condition of the holds before the meat was unloaded; persons who inspected the meat at the several freezers where it was stored; persons who bought considerable quantities of the meat; persons who cooked and ate some of the meat. There was also evidence tending to show the additional expenses incurred in disposing of the meat by reason of its damaged condition. From this evidence the jury was able to, and did, determine the loss sustained by plaintiff for which defendant was liable. While it must be said that the evidence as to some of the foregoing matters was not strong in character, yet we are not authorized to pass upon the weight of the evidence. It must be borne in mind that this meat was sold under the supervision of defendant's own agent. Mr. Smith, Lloyd's agent, and Mr. Halline, to whom he gave power of attorney to act in his absence, were agents of all parties in the liquidation, in the sales, and in the payment of expenses incidental to the same, throughout the whole period in which the meat was sold. Mr. Smith authorized the sales department of plaintiff to sell the meat in conjunction with him, and authorized the bookkeeping department of plaintiff to make the collections and keep the accounts of the sales and the expenses. The sales agents and the bookkeepers, therefore, were the agents of defendant, as well as of plaintiff; and defendant is estopped, in the absence of proof of fraud or mistake, to question the bona fides of the sales or the correctness of the accounts. Our conclusion is that the case was properly submitted to the jury, and that there was substantial evidence to support the verdict. What we have said relative to the motion to direct a verdict for defendant, renders unnecessary a discussion of the motion by defendant to direct a verdict for plaintiff for a limited amount.