118 Neb. 179 | Neb. | 1929
This is an appeal from an order of the district court for Douglas county disallowing a claim .filed by the Canada Casing Company against the Skinner Packing Company and its receiver. In the course of this opinion we shall refer to the claimant as the Canada Company.
The Canada Company is a corporation with its principal places of business at Montreal, Canada; Chicago, Illinois; and St. Louis, Missouri. The purpose of its organization was that indicated by its name, and included in such business was the manufacture (handling) of sheep casings used by packing companies in the manufacture of sausages and frankforters. The Skinner Packing Company was a corporation situate in the city of Omaha, and doing business as by its name signified. As an incident to its business it used in a limited way, at intervals, such sheep casings. Prior to the dates hereinafter mentioned the Skinner Packing Company had become financially embarrassed and closed its doors to business, save and except such as was necessary to close out the stock then on hand. On or about the 8th day of September, 1920, one Leavitt, who was at the time president and general manager of the Canada Company in Montreal, and also vice-
We have carefully gone over the entire record, read the pleadings and bill of exceptions, and are convinced that' the order in question was given without authority, and that the Skinner Packing Company knew nothing about it until the goods had landed in Omaha; that the circumstances surrounding the obtaining of the order by Leavitt were such as to inform him that the plant was closed, as it was, and that it was uncertain whether or not it would ever, be reopened; that at any rate the Skinner Packing Company had casings of the kind on hand sufficient to operate for two months, -and that this disputed order, if accepted, would serve the Skinner- Packing Company for about six months additional. Further, we conclude that it was the duty of the Canada Company to receive the goods reshipped and thus avoid a loss by- sale thereof. We are
We might further state that the Skinner Packing Company was taken over by the Dold Packing Company about November 1, 1920, which was at or very near the time the casings in question were shipped by the Canada Company.
It is true that previous orders had been given by the Skinner Packing Company to the Canada Company for like casings, but in each instance the order was for but one tierce. Further, it is neither alleged nor proved that Leavitt, or any member of the Canada Company, at the time relied upon previous orders, or upon anything that indicated or tended to indicate apparent or implied authority on the part of Crabbe to sign and deliver the order in question. As to such previous orders, all correspondence, etc., relative thereto was addressed “attention provision manager,” and not to a purchasing agent as in the instant case. Leavitt knew that the Skinner Packing Company had not been operating extensively, was at that time closed down, that it was not in need of casings to an extent covered by the order, and also must have known that where the goods were promptly returned, as in this case, the procedure would ordinarily have been to have taken them back.
Then, it might not be inappropriate to state that, in the trial of a law action to the court without the intervention of a jury, its findings of fact on conflicting evidence are entitled to the same force and effect as the verdict of a jury, and if the record contains evidence tending substantially to support such findings they will not be disturbed unless clearly wrong.
Under this record we are satisfied that th,e judgment of the trial court is right, hence should be, and is,
Affirmed.