Court Opinion

ID: 9883385
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 01:41:25.128167+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:22.964802
License: Public Domain

Felton, Chief Judge,
dissenting. I dissent from the judgment affirming the overruling of the plaintiff in error’s motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict. The evidence on the first appeal on the question of absconding was very weak. The evidence that there was an absconding, on the second trial, was weaker and, in my opinion, insufficient to prove the fact of absconding. On the first trial it was proved that the contractor’s office was closed. There is no such proof on the second trial. Below in the left column is the evidence on the question of an absconding in the former trial. In the right column is the evidence on that subject in this case. Omitting the hearsay statements as to what Mr. and Mrs. Weathers could tell and that the brickmason was unable to find the contractor the only evidence of an absconding is that efforts to communicate with the contractor by mail, by telephone and by visits to his office were unsuccessful. The purpose of the law authorizing judgments notwithstanding verdicts is to end litigation, whether it is big or little. The evidence in this case is not sufficient to authorize a finding that the contractor absconded and the defendant is entitled to be relieved of the trouble and expense of trying the case again.
I think the motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict should have been granted.
Former Trial.
Case No. 39408
Plaintiff’s general manager and salesman testified: “After the first bills became past due, we tried to contact Mr. Nelson at his office and by telephone and then by visits to his office and we were unable to locate him.” (R-17-18)
“We were not able to have any contact with anyone at his office or to find out where he resided.” (R-18)
“I talked to Mrs. Weathers on several occasions at the building after they were open and doing business and she gave me Mr. Nel*38son’s home phone, which we tried to reach him through this phone number which she gave us and never an answer.” (R-22)
Plaintiff’s vice-president testified that they sent Nelson bills in May, June and August and didn’t hear from any of them, and tried to locate him by calling his home (R-27) his recollection was that some of the bills were returned by the1 post office (R-27) that there was no answer to calls made to Mr. Nelson.
. . We tried very hard to locate Nelson and we weren’t able to find him.” “Mr. O. L. Anglin, who was a mason for Mr. Nelson and who actually put some of our brick into that job, was trying to locate Mr. Nelson at the same time and I discussed the problem with him— that is, of collecting this money —and he wasn’t able to locate him either.” (R-28) “After we filed our lien, I talked to Mr. Weathers and Mrs. Weathers to try to collect the money and find out where Nelson was, and neither of them was able to direct me where I could find Mr. Nelson.” “Were you ever able to find any clue as to where he might be living once his office was closed? No, sir.” (R-29)
Defendant testified that he tried to reach Nelson after he got in trouble but couldn’t find him. (R-40)
*37Instant Case.
Case No. 39784
Plaintiff’s general manager and salesman testified: “After the first bills became past due we tried to contact Mr. Nelson at his office and by telephone and then by visits to his office and we were unable to locate him.” (R-26)
“We were not able to have any contact with anyone at his office or to find out where he resided.” (R-26)
Plaintiff’s vice-president testified that they sent Mr. Nelson statements and then called Mr. Weathers (the defendant) by October, *381960. “Mr. and Mrs. Weathers both were unable to toll me how to find him.” O. L. Anglin, the mason, was trying to find Mr. Nelson and was unable to. (R-31)
Defendant testified that after he learned of the filing of the lien he tried to find Nelson but didn’t recall whether he talked to him about it or not. (R-23, 24)
“I found him as late as September; in fact, I was in the bank with him. . . That was the last time “I talked to him personally.” “I borrowed some money to pay him.” I talked to him over the telephone ... a month or two months after that and never saw him again or tried to find him again.” (R-22-23) (R-34)