Court Opinion

ID: 9830235
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 20:00:14.425684+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:43:16.537473
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.
Appellees insist that our decision of the case is incorrect, because appellant’s petition, upon which the trial was had, was fatally defective (presenting fundamental error), in that it contained no allegation as to, the place where the alleged conversion of the automobile took place.
It is doubtless true that appellant’s petition (although of undue length, taking up nine pages of the transcript) does not specifically allege that the conversion of the car took place in the city of Dallas, yet we think that fact may be implied from the allegations made. Appellant alleged in substance that, on February 21, 1935, he surrendered possession of his car to Mr. Duboise, appellee’s agent, with the understanding at the time (reduced to writing) that, if within ten days thereafter appellant paid appellee $33 (the amount of two over-due installments and a collection charge of $3), the car would be returned, alleging that Duboise represented that, in the meantime, the car would be stored in appellee’s warehouse; and that on the ninth day (March 1, 1935), after the car was delivered to Duboise, appellant tendered appellees, the $33 as stipulated; but having, in the meantime sold the car, appellee failed to return the car as agreed, and also failed and refused to account to appellant for. its value, alleging in this connection: “That at this time plaintiff demanded of said defendants his said car or the reasonable market value of said car, less any money that he might owe them, but that .though often demanded, defendants as often refused to do, and do now refuse to return to plaintiff his said car or the reasonable market value of it less any money that might be due and owing on said car by virtue of the aforesaid chattel mortgage. That the reasonable market value of said car in Dallas, Texas, at this time was One Hundred Ninety Eight Dollars ($198.50) Fifty Cents and that, therefore, plaintiff is damaged in the amount of One Hundred Thirteen Dollars ($113.50) Fifty Cents.”
We think appellant’s petition was good against the general demurrer and, although appellees urged 21 special exceptions, no objection was made that the petition was insufficient on the ground that it failed *1128to allege where the conversion took place. Having failed to expressly except to the petition in the respect mentioned, we do not think appellees should be permitted, by counter proposition or argument, to raise the question on appeal. The general rule is that a litigant may not in a Court of Civil Appeals urge special exceptions to a pleading not raised in the trial court. 3 Tex.Jur. pp. 184, 185, §§ 122, 123.
In the original opinion we said: “The objection to the pleading is in the nature of a special exception, which should have been urged in limine, and the action of the court thereon, if complained of, presented here in a cross-assignment of error; therefore, we cannot consider the matter urged simply as an argumeiit.” In view of the status of the record, we think the above statement somewhat inaccurate, and same will be withdrawn and the following will take its place, to wit: “The objection to the pleading is in the nature of a special exception, which should have been urged in limine, hence it cannot be considered, urged simply as a counter proposition or in argument.”
In the course of the original opinion we said: “Considered in connection with the entire case, we think the evidence as to value is referable to the time and place of the actual conversion, and could not have been considered otherwise by the jury.” With reference to this matter, ’appellees say: “There being no pleading as to the place of conversion and no evidence as to the time and place of conversion, any evidence as to value could not be referable to something which does not exist in the record, and the Court of Civil Appeals erred in not so holding.” Also that we erred in rendering judgment for appellant based upon $198 as the value of the car, contending there is a complete absence of any competent evidence to show that the car was of that value.
As a predicate for evidence and basis for judgment, we may also look to appellees’ answer; in paragraph S of which appellees alleged that, on February 21, 1935, appellant being two months eight days in arrears in the payment of installments due on the note, by reason thereof and acting under the terms and conditions of the note and mortgage, appellees took possession of the car in question, “the same being then and there in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas,” etc.
The evidence as to the time and place of the conversion and as to the value of the automobile alleged to have been converted, in substance, is as follows: Ap-pellee’s testimony is to the effect that he turned the account against appellant over to Duboise, with authority to collect the amount due or repossess the car; that about that time (February 21, 1935) Du-boise brought the car in and delivered same to appellee (appellee testifying that his place of business was at 2201 Commerce street, as numbered by the city); and that, after the car was brought in by Duboise, appellee sold same to a man by the name of Garrett; asked: “Please state whether or not it is a fact this negro boy offered to pay everything that was owing on this car before the ten days was up ?” answered: “I can’t say, but he might have been in my office. He .might have been in my office and me not know it, but I cannot testify accurately as to what the date was.” It appears that Mr. Munster, who worked for the Oak Cliff Baking Company where appellant worked at the time, went with him to appellee’s place of business, in an effort to redeem the car, and appellee informed him (Munster) that the car had been sold, but did not remember how many days had elapsed after it was brought in before the sale took place; that he told him (Munster) the car had been sold and there was no use for him to pay for anything that was already sold, stating, “As I recall, the man that was with the negro boy offered to pay off the whole thing.” Mr. Munster testified that he went with appellant to appellee’s place of business, eight or nine days after the written agreement of February 21, 1935, and that appellant offered to pay appellee the $33 ; that appellee replied, “I can’t take it. I have already sold the, automobile.” He asked, “Then you refuse this money?” pulling out the money and offering it to ap-pellee,- who said, “I can’t take it. The automobile has been already sold.” He replied, “I don’t see what right you had to sell this automobile according to your agreement,” and appellee replied, “I can’t help that.” From this evidence, we think the conclusion inescapable that the conversion took place in the city of Dallas, Dallas county, Tex., within less than nine days after appellee alleged that the car was seized and taken possession of in Dallas, Dallas county^ Tex. Great American In*1129demnity Co. v. Essary, Tex.Civ.App., 57 S.W.2d 891, 892.
Bearing upon the question of value, appellant’s testimony is to the effect that the car had been used before being purchased by him, that he had owned it about eight months, giving therefor his note for $190, payable in installments, and $70 allowed for his old car, a total consideration of $260; that up to February 1, 1935, the car had been driven 55,000 miles, and, for a car used to that extent, was in good condition and reasonably worth $260. Mr. Winters, a mechanic who worked at 2500 Main street, also handled automobiles through the summer months, testified that he kept in touch with the market value of used cars; being asked a hypothetical question based upon testimony as to the number of miles the car had been run and its condition, testified that, in his opinion, the car was worth $260 on March 1, 1935.
Being of opinion that our decision was authorized by both the pleading and proof, appellees’ motion for rehearing is overruled.
Overruled.